Spicy Paneer Tikka

Spicy Paneer Tikka

I love Indian food, well who wouldn’t right? Packed with flavor, healthy, it’s got color and full of flavors and every dish has an uniqueness to it. Every time I crave Indian food I always go for biriyani,

dosa, or idli accompanied with a nice, rich curry-like alo gobi, korma, or tikka masala, masala happens to be one of my favorites.  Today’s recipe is inspired by all these Indian cuisines that I’ve had the privilege of having. Let’s get cooking shall we?

Paneer tikka is a North Indian dish that is made with chunks of Paneer marinated in spices and grilled or baked with various other vegetables like bell pepper, onions, or even tomatoes. The marinade sauce can be made to appeal to your tastebuds, it can be made spicy or hot. For this recipe, I’m about to bring the heat (brace yourselves) using Finch Nai Miris Powder (Corba Chilli).

Finch Nai Miris Powder

Finch Nai Miris Powder or commonly known as Cobra Chili / Ghost Chili, packs a Mike Tyson punch that will not go unnoticed in your recipes. Now now, let’s be adventurous and not run in fear. This chili will not have you running for a drink of water, it’s a nice addition to your meals and only requires a pinch or more if you are really feeling adventurous. Unless of course, intense fiery foods are your thing!

Ingredients

• 01 block of paneer – chopped into cubes
• 03 medium-sized bell peppers (in different colors)
• 01 large onion – chopped into big chunks
• 07-10 cherry tomatoes

For Marinade;

• 01 cup of curd
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric
• 01 tsp of masala powder
• 01 tsp of chili powder
• 01 tsp of Finch green chili powder
• 1/2 tsp of ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp of salt

Green sauce;

• 1/4 cup of curd
• 1/2 cup of coriander leaves
• 10-15 large mint leaves
• 02 large green chilies
• 1/2 tsp of green chili powder
• 1/2 medium-sized onion
• 02 medium-sized garlic cloves
• 01 tbsp of lemon juice

Garnishing;

• Coriander leaves
• Roasted lemon slices
• Pepper flakes

Method

• Add curd into a large bowl and whisk until it becomes creamy, then add turmeric, masala powder, chili powder, green chili powder, ginger garlic paste, and salt, and which again combining everything.

Marinade Sauce

• Add the chopped paneer and vegetables and mix until all the paneer cubes and vegetables are well coated with the marinade sauce. Cover the bowl and let it sit for an hour or so to absorb all the flavors.
• Now let’s prepare for grilling; take the skewers and arrange the paneer and veggies as you prefer ( make sure you mix up the veggies when arranging them in skewers to look pretty 🙂 after all we eat with our eyes first 🙂

Marinated Skewers

• Lets grill! Heat up a grill pan or non-stick tawa on medium heat and apply some oil on the surface. Once heated place the skewers on the grill pan and cook in medium heat for 15-20 minutes turning them around until golden. Make sure to turn them around from time to time to cook all the sides evenly.

Skewers on the Grill

• Let’s plate, place the grilled skewers on a plate, and garnish with some coriander leaves or mint and lemon and serve it with green sauce.
• To make the green sauce just add all the ingredients given above into a small blender and blend until smooth.

Spicy Paneer Tikka