First of all.. what is Paneer Tikka?
Paneer Tikka is a very popular Indian curry dish, with marinated chunks of paneer (or Indian cottage chesse) simmered in Tikka sauce, a tomato based creamy curry. This dish is served in Indian restaurants and it is one of the most ordered vegetarian appetizer. Paneer Tikka is not only delicious but also bring many health benefits.
What health benefits does Paneer have?
Paneer contains high quality in protein, and other nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and Vitamin D. It can aid in weight lost, ensure a healthy digestive system, help with diabetes, and also reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Paneer is usually salt-free. The marinating process of paneer with ginger, garlic, coriander powder, garam masala, paprika, red chili powder, and yogurt brings so much flavor to the dish.
Alright. Let's Cook!
To make this recipe, you will need a couple of ingredients below.
To prepare for the marinating process, you will need:
- 250 gms of paneer
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- 3 tbsp thick plain yogurt
Follow these two steps below to marinate paneer:
First, in a mixing bowl, cut paneer into small cubes and marinate them with the ginger, garlic, coriander powder, garam masala, paprika and red chili powder and yogurt.
After mixing them together, cover and rest them in the fridge for 1 hour.
While waiting for paneer, let’s prepare the Tikka sauce! You will need:
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 medium tomatoes chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ ginger grated
- 2 tsp curry masala
- 2 tbsp cream
- 1 tbsp sugar/honey
- 1 cup water or as required
- 2 tbsp oil
To make the sauces, you would first heat the oil. Make sure that the oil is warm enough, then add cumin seeds. They should splutter! Then now you can add cinnamon stick.
Next, add chopped onion, crushed garlic pods, and ginger. Fry the onions until they turn golden brown in color. After that, add curry powder and tomatoes to make a paste.
Cook the tomatoes on medium flame for roughly 6-7 minutes or until they are soft. Once the mixture is cooked, turn off the heat and allow it to cool down slightly. Next, pour the mixture into a blender and puree it. Set aside.
After an hour, take out the marinated paneer and roast it on a pan. Set them aside when they are golden brown.
To finish off the dish, you will need:
- coriander leaves
- cream
In another pan, mix the tomato mixture with a cup of water, or you can adjust the amount of water to the consistency you want. Add chopped coriander leaves and cream to the masala and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium low heat.
Stir in the roasted paneer pices and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and turn off the heat.
And Voila! You should now have a delicious dish of Paneer Tikka. Serve hot with butter naan or any bread of your choice!
Enjoy! Let us know in the comment below how you like it, or any questions you have. I’m gonna enjoy my Paneer Tikka now.
- Shivani Dhamija