Restaurant Style Paneer Tikka is a popular Indian starter made by marinating paneer, onions, and peppers in a rich yoghurt and spice mixture before cooking until lightly charred and smoky. This easy homemade version delivers authentic restaurant flavours and can be cooked on a tawa, cast iron pan, oven, air fryer, or barbecue.
- Serves: 4 People
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking: 15 minutes
- Difficulties: supereasy
Ingredients
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ajwain (carom seeds), lightly crushed
- 1 tablespoon Gram flour (besan)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1.5 cups Plain yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon Tandoori masala powder
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri methi, crushed
- 1 medium Red onion, cut into petals
- 1 medium Bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 400 grams Paneer, cut into cubes
- 0.5 teaspoon Black salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Chaat masala
- 2 tablespoons Fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Butter for cooking
For Dressing
Nutritional Information
-
Calories
345 kcal -
Fat
25 g -
Carbohydrates
11 g -
Protein
20 g -
Fiber
2 g -
Sugar
5 g -
Sodium
520 mg
Procedure
-
3 minutesMark As Complete
Roast the Besan
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and add the crushed ajwain, gram flour, and turmeric powder. Stir continuously until the gram flour becomes lightly roasted and aromatic without browning too much. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
-
7 minutesMark As Complete
In a large bowl, combine the yoghurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, Kashmiri chilli powder, paprika, smoked paprika, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, tandoori masala, and the cooled roasted besan mixture. Mix thoroughly until the marinade is smooth and evenly blended before adding the crushed kasuri methi.
-
5 minutesMark As Complete
Marinate the Paneer and Vegetables
Add the onion petals and bell pepper pieces to the marinade and coat them evenly. Gently fold in the paneer cubes, taking care not to break them. Season with black salt, chaat masala, and fresh coriander before mixing gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the best flavour.
-
12 minutesMark As Complete
Cook the Paneer Tikka
Heat a cast iron pan or tawa over medium heat and lightly grease it with butter. Arrange the marinated paneer and vegetables in a single layer and cook until lightly charred on all sides, turning carefully to prevent the paneer from breaking. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the marinade is lightly caramelised.
-
2 minutesMark As Complete
Serve
Transfer the cooked paneer tikka to a serving platter while still hot. Garnish with additional fresh coriander if desired and serve immediately with mint chutney, lemon wedges, and sliced onions for a classic restaurant-style presentation.
