Paneer Tikka

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 ;)