Almost
always Kundan orders for paneer tikka when eating out. So, I had wanted to try
this for a long time now and had an opportunity to make it when we had guests
for lunch yesterday. I have seen proper south Indian restaurants serving this
starter (tastes way different from northern versions though) as there are many
takers of it down here too. Mine was a simple beginner’s kind; it turned slightly
salty otherwise the recipe was definitely good.
Serves:
2
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time:
Minimum 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1.
Panner – 200 gm
2.
Youghurt/ Hung curds – ½ cup
(Normal curd might be runny after mixing spices and will not stick onto paneer, hence we use hung curds)
3.
Salt as required
4.
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
5.
Chaat masala – ½ tsp
6.
Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp
7.
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
8.
Pepper crushed – ¼ tsp
9.
Butter – 2 tbsp
10. Coriander or salad for garnishing
Method:
Step 1:
Cut the paneer into cubes or flat rectangles as you desire.
Step 2:
Prick holes on all the surfaces with the help of a fork.
Step 3:
Whisk curds with all the spices and salt and smear over the paneer cubes.
Preferably refrigerate it until cooking because we want the marinade to seep
into the paneer at the same time preventing the curds getting sourer.
Step 4:
Now heat a tawa, grease with butter and arrange the marinated paneer ensuring
that the paneer holds as much dressing as possible.
Step 5:
Cook in medium heat so that paneer gets cooked well and then flip carefully
with tongs. Drizzle some more butter and when done transfer delicately to
serving plates as the tikkas have turned softer by now.
Step 6:
Serve with green yoghurt chutney. This is prepared by grinding: a fistful mint
leaves, a fistful coriander leaves, a green chili, a clove of garlic, juice of
half a lemon, salt and then mixing it with whisked hung curds. So simple na… I am
a bigger admirer of this chutney than the starter itself. I keep licking it even
before the starter comes on table and after we finish the starter ;)
