Marinated barbequed/ grilled cottage cheese/ paneer in a spicy, delicious masala gravy is a treat to our eyes. The grilled/ bbqed paneer with a tangy taste of the hung curd and delightful spices makes it one of the most loved paneer curries across the country, and also across the world, where Indian cuisines are favoured.
Let’s have a look at how the paneer tikka masala is prepared:
Ingredients:
Paneer –150 grams
Green pepper – ⅓ cup,
Red pepper – ⅓ cup,
Onions – ½ cup,
Yogurt – ⅓ cup of hung or thick curd
Ginger paste– 1 ½ teaspoon
Garlic paste– 1 ½ teaspoon
Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
Chaat masala – 1 teaspoon
Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Oil – for cooking the tikkas
Tomatoes- pureed
Heavy whipping cream – 2 tablespoons
Recipe:
Food
Take ¾ cup of hung curd/ yogurt in a cheesecloth and strain to remove excess water. Keep the strained curd in the fridge for about an hour.
Add ginger-garlic paste and spices (red chili powder, garam masala, chaat masala, kasoori methi, and coriander powder), salt and lemon juice. Mix well.
Add paneer and vegetables very gently marinate and cover it and keep refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes- you can also leave for about 2-3 hours to marinate.
Heat the oil on a non-stick wok on a medium heat and add marinated paneer and veggies and let them slightly brown. Flip gently and remove it once browned sufficiently.
For the gravy:
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat; once hot add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
Then add chopped onions and sauté till they turn translucent and then add ginger- garlic paste.
Mix in tomato puree after sautéing and add salt to the above mixture.
Cook till the moisture evaporates.
Then add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder.
Add a cup of water to the gravy and bring to a boil.
Stir in garam masala and kasoori methi. Add paneer tikka to this gravy
Mix well and simmer the entire mixture for 2-3 minutes and add cream on top.
Stir well and serve hot with rotis or naan.
By: Archa Dave
