Paneer Tikka

Servings : Serves 3-4

Paneer tikka is an Indian dish made from cubes of paneer (cottage cheese) marinated in spices and then grilled with capsicum and onions. It is a vegetarian alternative to chicken tikka. The trick in grilling these amazingly delicious skewers is to ensure that the paneer, whilst perfectly succulent and tender, should also have a slight crisp singe on the surface. This dish is normally served with mint chutney.

Ingredients

  • 250 gm packet of paneer, cubed
  • 1 red capsicum/bell pepper
  • 1 green capsicum/bell pepper
  • 1 onion, cubed
  • 1/2 cup yoghurt
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1 tsp. red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp. tandoori powder or chaat masala
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp. oil

Instructions

Put the yoghurt in a clean cloth and hang it for 30 minutes to an hour so that any excess water drips out and it gets thick and creamy.

Then, in a bowl, mix together the thick yoghurt, powdered spices, ginger, garlic, lemon and oil. Stir well until combined. Now add the cubed paneer, capsicum and onion. Mix gently so that everything is well combined.

If your paneer is crumbly, mix it in half the marinade separately and mix the veggies in a different bowl with the remaining marinade to avoid the paneer from falling apart during mixing.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible. This will ensure that the flavours seep into the paneer giving you tastier results.

Before you are ready to grill the paneer, if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes. This will prevent them from burning.

Skewer the paneer cubes alternating with the coloured capsicum and onion. Grill on a bbq gril for a total of around 15 minutes, turning them occasionally for even grilling. You can even bake these in the oven, preheat to 200 C and place the skewers on a greased tray. Bake for about 8-10 minutes per side. Brush the skewers lightly with oil OR melted butter midway during baking/grilling to prevent the paneer from hardening.

Serve with mint chutney.

Enjoy!

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