Paneer Tikka
(Barbecued Paneer kebabs)
Paneer Tikka kebab is a wonderful dish. You do not have to eat meat to enjoy kebabs. There is a better, tasty mouthwatering, spicy paneer kebab, even the meat eaters would like to first taste these paneer tikkas over chicken or meat kebabs.
Paneer tikkas are delicious high in protein easy to make and very tempting starter. As Paneer tikkas or kebabs are made for snacks but you can make several dishes like kati rolls, paneer tikka masala or butter paneer with them.
In this dish paneer cubes marinated in masala and then grilled with vegetables. Paneer tikka is a great dish for the summer barbeque parties and dinner parties and usually served as a snack. Sprinkle some chaat masala over paneer tikka's and serve with green chutney or mint chutney.
Paneer tikkas are delicious high in protein easy to make and very tempting starter. As Paneer tikkas or kebabs are made for snacks but you can make several dishes like kati rolls, paneer tikka masala or butter paneer with them.
In this dish paneer cubes marinated in masala and then grilled with vegetables. Paneer tikka is a great dish for the summer barbeque parties and dinner parties and usually served as a snack. Sprinkle some chaat masala over paneer tikka's and serve with green chutney or mint chutney.
Ingredients:
1 Block of paneer (14 oz)
1 Large onion
1 Green capsicum (Bell pepper)
1 Red capsicum (Bell pepper)
1 Large ripe tomato
1 Block of paneer (14 oz)
1 Large onion
1 Green capsicum (Bell pepper)
1 Red capsicum (Bell pepper)
1 Large ripe tomato
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Block of Paneer
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Ingredients for marinade:
2 Tablespoons Besan (gram flour)
½ Tablespoon minced garlic
½ Tablespoon of grated ginger
2 Teaspoon lemon juice
1 Cup plain yogurt (Thick hung yogurt or Greek style preferred)
2 Teaspoons tandoori masala (any brand)
1 Teaspoon red chili powder or to your taste
½ Teaspoon garam masala or to your taste
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon ajwaiin (carom seeds) - optional
3 Teaspoons of chaat masala
2 Teaspoons crushed Kasuri methi (Dry Fenugreek leaves)
2 Tablespoons melted butter or ghee
Other needs:
Vegetable oil or melted butter for basting
5 to 6 wooden or metal skewers
Oven baking tray lined with aluminum foil
Chaat masala
Lemon or lemon juice for garnishing
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
2 Tablespoons Besan (gram flour)
½ Tablespoon minced garlic
½ Tablespoon of grated ginger
2 Teaspoon lemon juice
1 Cup plain yogurt (Thick hung yogurt or Greek style preferred)
2 Teaspoons tandoori masala (any brand)
1 Teaspoon red chili powder or to your taste
½ Teaspoon garam masala or to your taste
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon ajwaiin (carom seeds) - optional
3 Teaspoons of chaat masala
2 Teaspoons crushed Kasuri methi (Dry Fenugreek leaves)
2 Tablespoons melted butter or ghee
Other needs:
Vegetable oil or melted butter for basting
5 to 6 wooden or metal skewers
Oven baking tray lined with aluminum foil
Chaat masala
Lemon or lemon juice for garnishing
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Wooden skewers
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Yogurt, Methi, Ginger, Garlic, Besan & Lemon Juice
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Directions for marinade:
1. Cut the paneer into 1” wide and ½” thick cubes or the preferred size.
1. Cut the paneer into 1” wide and ½” thick cubes or the preferred size.
Slice Paneer in cubes
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Paneer cubes
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2. Remove the seeds from the capsicums and chop them into 1” pieces. Peel and cut the onion into 1” chunks and separate the layers. Remove the pulp and seeds from the tomato and chop into cubes. Chop the vegetables into same size as paneer cubes so that they get uniformly browned.
3. In a pan add 1 Tablespoon of oil and add Ajwain (Carom seeds) and fry for
few seconds. Then add Besan and roast until you get nice nutty flavor.
(Unroasted Besan might give raw flavor)
3. In a pan add 1 Tablespoon of oil and add Ajwain (Carom seeds) and fry for
few seconds. Then add Besan and roast until you get nice nutty flavor.
(Unroasted Besan might give raw flavor)
Chopped bell peppers, onion and tomatoes
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Fry Ajwain (Carom Seeds)
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Add Besan and roast
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Besan is roasted
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4. In a bowl, add yogurt, grated ginger, minced garlic, tandoori masala , salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, ajwaiin, chaat masala kasuri methi , red food color, lemon juice, melted butter or ghee and besan and mix them together and make a smooth mixture.
Add oil and all the marinade ingredients in the yogurt
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Mix all the ingredients and make paste
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5. Divide this marinate into two bowls. One for paneer cubes and one for vegetables. Marinate paneer and vegetable separate to avoid paneer from crumbling when mixing with the marinate mixture.
6. Mix the vegetables and paneer well so that they have a good coating of marinade. Cover the bowl and place them in refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 3 hours. More the better.
7. Before grilling take the paneer out of the refrigerator and leave it on kitchen counter at room temperature because paneer becomes hard in refrigerator and it breaks when you are threading them on the skewers.
6. Mix the vegetables and paneer well so that they have a good coating of marinade. Cover the bowl and place them in refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 3 hours. More the better.
7. Before grilling take the paneer out of the refrigerator and leave it on kitchen counter at room temperature because paneer becomes hard in refrigerator and it breaks when you are threading them on the skewers.
Add paneer cubes in marinade
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Mix paneer with marinade
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Add chopped vegetables in marinade
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Mix vegetables with marinade
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Directions for baking the paneer tikkas in oven:
1. If using wooden skewers then soak the skewer sticks in water for 30 minutes to protect it from burning or turning black.
2. Capsicum and onion takes longer to cook then paneer, so we sauté them before grilling. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add marinated bell peppers and onion and tomatoes and sauté them on medium high heat for 5 minutes or until they become little tender but crisp turn the stove off.
1. If using wooden skewers then soak the skewer sticks in water for 30 minutes to protect it from burning or turning black.
2. Capsicum and onion takes longer to cook then paneer, so we sauté them before grilling. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add marinated bell peppers and onion and tomatoes and sauté them on medium high heat for 5 minutes or until they become little tender but crisp turn the stove off.
Soak skewers in water
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Saute Vegetables
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3. Line the baking tray with aluminum foil to catch the drip if any so that oven
tray does not end up with hard dried and burned marinade. Place the baking
rack over the tray and place the skewers opposite tot he rack tines so that
Paneer and vegetables do not drop through the tines.
4. Take one skewer at a time and start threading sautéed vegetables and marinated
paneer alternately on the skewers. Bell peppers placed first and last on skewer
that will help kebabs remain stable.
5 Place the skewers on the oven tray and repeat. Be gentle to thread the paneer
because they break.
tray does not end up with hard dried and burned marinade. Place the baking
rack over the tray and place the skewers opposite tot he rack tines so that
Paneer and vegetables do not drop through the tines.
4. Take one skewer at a time and start threading sautéed vegetables and marinated
paneer alternately on the skewers. Bell peppers placed first and last on skewer
that will help kebabs remain stable.
5 Place the skewers on the oven tray and repeat. Be gentle to thread the paneer
because they break.
Vegetables are sautéed
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Thread the paneer & sauteed vegetables
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6. Preheat the oven on 400 degree then turn it on to broil. With a brush baste the
tikkas with oil to prevent it from turning hard. Place the baking tray in the
oven and bake it.
tikkas with oil to prevent it from turning hard. Place the baking tray in the
oven and bake it.
Thread the paneer cubes and sautéed vegetables
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Place the skewers on the baking tray and brush oil
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7. Let the paneer tikkas cook for 7 to 8 minutes then turn them around and let them cook for another 7 to 8 minutes or until they turn brown. You will know your paneer tikka’s are done when the sides of paneer have turned slightly brown.Timing of cooking paneer tikkas varies because oven temperatures vary from oven to oven.
8 Sprinkle some chaat masala and lemon juice and serve paneer tikkas with green chutney (Dhania chutney) or mint chutney. Serve the tikkas immediately otherwise as paneer tikkas cool down they become hard.
8 Sprinkle some chaat masala and lemon juice and serve paneer tikkas with green chutney (Dhania chutney) or mint chutney. Serve the tikkas immediately otherwise as paneer tikkas cool down they become hard.
Place the tray in the oven
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Paneer tikka's are cooked
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Grilling Paneer Tikkas over the Barbecue grill:
You could also grill paneer tikkas on outdoor grill (barbeque grill) or over the stove top grill. Grilling over grill gives smoky flavor.
1. If using a charcoal grill, then light the charcoals and let them burn until there
is a whitecoating of ash on all the coals. If using a gas grill, preheat burners
on high, keep the lid close. Keep some oil in a small bowl and a basting brush
aside.
2. Once the grill becomes hot, with a wire brush clean the grates of the grill.With
the basting brush lightly oil the grates.
3. With a basting brush baste the threaded paneer tikkas with oil or melted butter.
Place the paneer skewer opposite the grill tines to prevent them from falling
into fire. Keep them approximately 3“apart leaving space to turn them while
grilling.
4. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then again brush some oil or melted butter over the
paneer and vegetables turn them around and continue to grill. Keep turning the
skewers around for another 5 to 6 minutes or until the paneer and vegetables
brown.
Place the skewers on the grill and bake
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Paneer tikkas are baked
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Grilling paneer tikkas in the frying pan:
If you do not have tandoor, oven or barbeque grill, don’t get discourage you can still make delicious paneer kebabs at home. You can sauté paneer and vegetables separate in the pan then mix them, sprinkle lemon juice and chaat masala or arrange them on tooth pick or small skewers then shallow frying them.
1. Arrange the marinated paneer and vegetable on the tooth pick or on small skewers. (buy hard tooth picks because softer toothpicks breaks)
2. On medium heat add 2 tablespoon of oil in a wide non stick frying pan or use regular tawa and add more oil while shallow frying to prevent it from sticking.
1. Arrange the marinated paneer and vegetable on the tooth pick or on small skewers. (buy hard tooth picks because softer toothpicks breaks)
2. On medium heat add 2 tablespoon of oil in a wide non stick frying pan or use regular tawa and add more oil while shallow frying to prevent it from sticking.
Thread the tooth picks or small skewers
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Place toothpicks on the pan
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3. Place the tooth pick or small skewers with paneer and vegetables on the pan and fry for 12 to 15 minutes, gently keep turning the skewers around every 2 minutes or so until all the sides are evenly browned. Paneer kebabs are ready to be served.
Paneer tikkas are cooked
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Serve tikkas with chutney & onions
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Instead of threading paneer and vegetables on the tooth pick you can sauté them separate in the frying pan, then mix them together and serve.
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add marinated paneer and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the paneer in a plate then add marinated vegetables and saute 8 to 10 minutes or until they become tender but crisp then add sautéed paneer and mix and serve.
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add marinated paneer and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the paneer in a plate then add marinated vegetables and saute 8 to 10 minutes or until they become tender but crisp then add sautéed paneer and mix and serve.
In a pan add marinated paneer &
sauté
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Paneer is sautéed
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In a pan add marinated vegetables &
sauté
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Vegetables are sautéed
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Mix sauteed Paneer and vegetables
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Serve paneer with chutney & onion
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Tips:
1. Tandoori masala gives paneer tikka smoky flavor which makes tikkas taste much better. Tandoori masala can be purchase from any Indian grocery store.
2. Bell peppers placed first and last on skewer will help kebabs remain stable.
3. For marinate thick hung yogurt is preferred otherwise marinate become watery and it would not coat the paneer and vegetables. If you do not have thick yogurt, take about 3 cups of plain yogurt, line a strainer with a cloth or a kitchen towel, put the strainer inside a mixing bowl. The bottom of the strainer must be suspended at least 1 inch above the bottom of the mixing bowl. Pour the yogurt in the strainer and place it in the refrigerator and leave it for 3 to 4 hours or until all the liquid drips out of the cloth and into the bowl. Scrape out the yogurt from the cloth and it is ready to be used. Strained yogurt should be thick and less than half the original volume.
4. Use vegetables of your choice. Mushrooms, cauliflower, zucchini (Turai), baby corn, squash can be used for grilling.
1. Tandoori masala gives paneer tikka smoky flavor which makes tikkas taste much better. Tandoori masala can be purchase from any Indian grocery store.
2. Bell peppers placed first and last on skewer will help kebabs remain stable.
3. For marinate thick hung yogurt is preferred otherwise marinate become watery and it would not coat the paneer and vegetables. If you do not have thick yogurt, take about 3 cups of plain yogurt, line a strainer with a cloth or a kitchen towel, put the strainer inside a mixing bowl. The bottom of the strainer must be suspended at least 1 inch above the bottom of the mixing bowl. Pour the yogurt in the strainer and place it in the refrigerator and leave it for 3 to 4 hours or until all the liquid drips out of the cloth and into the bowl. Scrape out the yogurt from the cloth and it is ready to be used. Strained yogurt should be thick and less than half the original volume.
4. Use vegetables of your choice. Mushrooms, cauliflower, zucchini (Turai), baby corn, squash can be used for grilling.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipes:
Kadhi paneer Paneer kofta
Palak paneer (Spinach with paneer) Paneer stuffed paratha
Muttar paneer (Green peas with paneer) Paneer pakoras (Fritters)
Crumbled paneer curry Paneer frankie (Wrap)
How to make paneer at home Paneer bhurji
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