Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer is a fresh cheese common in South Asian cuisine. In northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, it is generally called Chhana. It is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese or curd cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar, or any other food acids. It is also commonly known as Indian Cottage Cheese. Dating back to ancient India, paneer remains the most common type of cheese used in traditional South Asian cuisines. The use of paneer is more common in Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh due to the prominence of milk in their cuisine.

Paneer tikka is a dish made from chunks of paneer or paneer cubes marinated with spices and then grilled in a tandoor. It is a vegetarian alternative to chicken tikka and other meat dishes. It is a very popular dish that is widely available in India. When paneer tikka is served with a gravy, it is called paneer tikka masala. The recipe is simple but takes time for preparation. For all those who are wondering how to prepare this dish at him with out a tandoor, there is always an alternative. Generally, the marinated paneer & vegetable cubes are skewed & grilled in a tandoor. However, the alternative for this to prepare at home without tandoor is simply to roast them on a pan or tawa.


Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings: 6
Preparation Time:  45 mins                                                                       Category:  Main Course - Veg

 

Paneer Tikka Masala

Ingredients:
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For the Tikkas
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Paneer - 500 gms
Bell Pepper - 1 each (Red, Yellow & Green)
Yogurt - 2 Tbsps
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsps
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Jeera powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsps
Red cooking color - a pinch
Cooking/Olive oil - 1 Tbsp

For the Gravy
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Onions - 2
Tomato puree - 1 Tbsp
Kaju paste - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 Tbsp
Green chillies sliced - 5
Saunf powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi (crushed) - 1/2 cup
Ghee/Butter/Cooking/Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt - to taste
Cinnamon sticks (small) - 4
Cardamom - 4
Cloves - 4/6
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

 
Preparation Method:
=============+

• Blend onions into a thick paste and keep it aside.
• Slice the paneer into small square cubes or rectangular pieces. Cut the bell peppers too in the same shape.
• In a bowl, place these paneer & bell pepper cubes. Add turmeric, red chilli, coriander, garam masala, jeera powders, ginger garlic paste, salt, red color & yogurt.
• Mix them well so that all the spices are coated very well to the paneer & bell pepper cubes. All olive oil, mix well and let this marinade for 1 hour.
• Heat a pan and add 2 tsps of oil. Spread it along nicely and then add the marinated cubes. Roast them all well on both sides and keep aside.
• For the gravy, heat oil in a vessel and add all dry garam masala ingredients (i.e Cinnamon, cardamom & cloves). Saute them for couple of minutes.
• Add onion paste and cook for 2 mins. Then add tomato puree, green chillies and cook for another 5 mins.
• Now add kaju paste, kasuri methi, salt and saunf powder. Mix well & cook for another 10 mins until the gravy oozes out the oil.
• Keep stirring in regular intervals to avoid kaju paste stick to the vessel.
• Add a cup of water and let it simmer for 5 mins. Then, add the cooked tikkas to this gravy, mix and simmer for another couple of minutes.
• Turn of the stove and take this dish into a serving vessel. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander or curry leaves.
• Serve hot with Rotis, Naans, Chapathis, Bagara rice or Jeera rice. This dish goes particularly well with rotis & naans.

Shahi Paneer

Shahi paneer is a mainstay of Indian cuisine, mainly North India. This dish is made by cooking paneer in a thick gravy made up of cream/milk, tomatoes and spices. It is mainly eaten with roti, chappati or other Indian breads. Paneer is the Indian word for cottage cheese, and shahi is the Indo-Persian term for royal (in reference to the Mughal court).

Cooking Time:  30                                                                                     Servings: 5

Preparation Time: 10 mins                                                                        Category: Main course, Veg

Ingredients:
--------------
Paneer (cottge cheese) - 250 gms

Shahi-Paneer

Ghee or butter - 3 TBsp
Onions finely chopped - 2
Finely chopped Ginger - 1/2" piece
Green chillies chopped fine - 4
Tomatoes finely chopped - 4 (remove seeds)
Crushed Cardamoms - 2
Curd/Yougurt - 1/2 cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Milk - 1/2 cup
Kasuri Methi - 2 tsp



Preparation Method:
-----------------------

• Cut paneer into 1" cubes. Lightly fry them in ghee and keep aside.
• Heat half the ghee in a wok. Add onion,ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Saute them for 3-4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, covered with lid.
• Crush kasuri methi and add it to the dish. Mix well.
• Add curd and cook for 5 minutes and then add 1/2 cup water, mix well and turn off the stove.
• Blend this in a mixie till smooth.
• Heat remaining ghee, add the blended smoothie and remaining ingredients except milk and paneer. Boil to get a very thick gravy.
• Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer fingers and boil for 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer (optional)

Palak Paneer

Cooking Time:  30                                                                                     Servings: 5

Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category: Main course, Veg

Palak paneer is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of spinach and paneer. This traditional greens based vegetarian dish is a rich, smooth, creamy curry where paneer cubes are cooked in a onion-tomato-pureed spinach based gravy which is moderately spiced with Indian spices. It is a popular vegetarian dish. Palak paneer is one type of saag, which can also be made with mustard leaves. Palak paneer may be somewhat more watery than saag paneer. This dish is mainly served with roti or naan. Palak paneer may be accompanied by lassi, a Punjabi yogurt drink. This dish is nutritious and usually eaten in Punjab of India and Pakistan. Dhaba restaurants specialise in palak paneer. Its creamy, its rich and a delight to eat.



Ingredients

Palak Paneer

--------------
Paneer - 250 gms  (cut them into cubes)
Spinach (discard the coarse stems) – 3 big bunches. 
Ghee/butter - 2 Tbsps
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onions - 2 (make them to a paste)
Green chillis - 2, slit length wise
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cream/Malai - 1 tbsp
Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 2 
Salt to taste



Preparation Method
------------------------

• Blanch spinach in hot water for 3-4 minutes and make a paste of it. Keep this aside.
• Similarly blanch tomatoes in hot water for couple of minutes. Peel the skin out of them and make a puree of the tomatoes.
• Heat ghee/butter in a vessel. Fry paneer untill they turn light brown. Take them out and keep aside.
• Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add green chillies and onions paste and saute them till brown.
• Add red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, salt to taste and mix well.
• Now add the tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes on a medium flame. 
• Then add palak paste/puree, mix well and cook for another 5-10 mins. Add the paneer cubes and mix gently. 
• Add the water in which palak and tomatoes were blanced, cover the vessel with a lid and cook for another 10 mins.
• Now add garam masala, kasuri methi and mix well. Turn of the heat.
• Garnish with cream/malai and top it with few slices of ginger.
• Server hot with rotis, naan or flavored rice.

Tawa Paneer Sticks

Cooking Time: 20 mins                            Servings: 3
Preparation Time: 10 mins                      Category: Veg

Paneer is a fresh cheese common in South Asian cuisine. It is of Indian origin. In eastern parts of India, it is generally called Chhena. It is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese or curd cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar, or any other food acids. Unlike most cheeses in the world, the making of paneer does not involve rennet as the coagulation agent, thus making it completely lacto-vegetarian and providing one of the sources of protein for vegetarians in India. It is generally unsalted.

To prepare paneer, food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) is added to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are drained in muslin or cheesecloth and the excess water is pressed out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.

Now lets see how Paneer can be used in preparing a starter called Tawa Paneer Sticks.

Tawa Paneer sticks

Ingredients:
--------------
Paneer - 250 gms
Onions - 2 (cut in cubes)
Green Chillies - 5
Garlic cloves - 4
Ginger - cut into small pieces not more than a tea spoon
Turmeric - 1/2 tea spoon
Salt - to taste.
Coriander/Cilentro - 1
Pudina/Mint leaves - 8 to 10
Olive oil/Refined oil - 1 table spoon

Preparation:

----------------

• Cut paneer into small rectangular pieces.
• Char onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger separately on a pan for 5 mins on low flame.
• Take all these into the blender and add turmeric, salt, coriander and mint leaves and blend them to a fine paste.
• Marinate paneer pieces with this paste for about 15 mins.
• Heat a pan/tawa and 1 tea spn of olive oil. Once it is heated, add 4 to 5 paneer sticks and roast them until they are cooked.
• Repeat the process for remaining paneer pieces.
• Serve it hot with chopped onions, lime and curd chutney.

PS:- Paneer can be replaced with potatoes or soft chicken breast or fish. The prepartion time may vary when they are used.