This Paneer Tikka recipe follows the steps of Chicken Tikka Masala recipe in masterclass. Paneer may be called the vegetarian’s meat but this recipe gave mutton biryani a run for its money!
The first time I made Paneer Tikka Masala, it was totally by chance! Didi and Jiju were visiting. Jiju and Sikander had ordered mutton biryani from outside; didi was not eating dinner because of her diet and so it left only me and Nandini for a vegetarian dinner and I planned on making a simple curry paneer dish. Everyone was watching Masterchef India on TV. After the initial preparation, I too went out to watch TV for a little while and it so happened that it was the masterclass episode where chef Vikas was teaching participants how to make chicken tikka masala. I decided to use their recipe of chicken tikka masala to make paneer tikka masala!
When we all sat down for dinner, everyone said they wanted to ‘taste’ the paneer tikka masala and we actually had a shortage of it as the non-vegetarian mutton biryani crowd also couldn’t stop enjoying it! 🙂
Paneer Tikka Masala
By Ashima Goyal Siraj
Preparation time: |Cooking time: |Serves: 2-3
200 gms paneer (cottage cheese), cut into cubes
2 onions, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped (more if you like it spicier)
1 inch ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
4 tomatoes, blanched and pureed
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp curry masala
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
5 tbsp Olive oil
For the marinade
1 cup curd
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
- Add the paneer (cottage cheese) cubes to the marinade and keep it covered for at least half hour.
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wok. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start to crackle, add chopped green chillies, ginger, garlic and onions.
- Sauté for about 5-6 minutes on medium high flame till the onions just start to brown.
- Add the pureed tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the remaining spices. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool a little.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a shallow pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes just a little. Keep aside.
- Using a hand blender, puree the onion-tomato gravy to smooth paste. Add the remaining marinade to the gravy and return to heat. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Just before serving, add the paneer cubes to the gravy, heat for a couple of minutes and serve hot with chapattis!
Looks great! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks! 🙂
The recipe seems great. I am going to try this. The website is awesome with easy to follow recipes.
Thanks Himanshu!
Do let me know how it turned out and if you have any suggestions on how to add on to the recipe!
love,
ashima
I tried it. It was awesome. i am a hit in my home and relatives now. The only worry is when I marry and my wife knows that i can cook too, my evenings will always be spent in kitchen after office hours. 🙂
Jokes apart, you are maintaining the blog just perfectly. Your way of explaining is unique. Carry on !.
awww!!! so sweet! Thanks Himanshu 🙂
When you marry you and your wife should cook together.. One of the things I most enjoy is when me and sikander (my husband) are cooking together! It bonds us very uniquely <3
lots of love,
ashima
Thank you so much. Somewhere i read,” nothing is sexier than the man who can cook” and I am moving in that direction with your awesome blog. I hope my wife to be a food lover like you and your husband and me too.