Paneer tikka masala
Paneer tikka masala is the rich curry prepared with grilled & marinated paneer cubes in onion tomato gravy.
Yield: 4
Calories: 397kcal
Materials
- 225 gms Paneer or cottage cheese cut in cubes
- 1 medium Onion Cut in quarters and petals separated
- 1 Capsicum or bell peppers cut in cubes
For marinating paneer tikka:
- ½ cup Fresh curd/ yoghurt/ dahi thick or hung curd or full-fat curd
- 1-inch Ginger grated
- 1 tsp Garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder/ lal mirch powder
- ¼ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Dhaniya powder/ Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- ½ tsp Salt or as required
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- Oil for roasting
For making puree:
- 2 medium Tomatoes sliced red and ripe tomatoes
- 2 medium Onions sliced
- 3 Green Chillies
- 12 - 15 Cashew nuts soaked and ground
For making paneer tikka masala gravy:
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 or 2 Bay leafs
- 2 to 3 Green cardamom pods slightly crushed
- ½-inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste grated or crushed in mortar-pestle
- ¼ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tsp Dhaniya powder/ Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- Salt per taste
- 1 tbsp Kasuri methi/ Dried fenugreek leaves crushed
- 2 to 3 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped for garnishing
Instructions
For marinating paneer cubes:
- In a large mixing bowl, add fresh thick curd and whisk till it is smooth.
- Add ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder, haldi, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
- Add 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Add 1 tsp oil and mix it nicely until it turns creamy.
- Now, add paneer cubes, red bell peppers and onion petals.
- Gently mix all the ingredients to form a uniform coating over paneer cubes, bell peppers and onion petals. Mix gently without breaking paneer.
- Cover and keep it in a refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 1.5 to 2 hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, soak the cashews in the hot water for about 15 to 20 mins.
Roasting marinated paneer cubes, bell peppers and onions on stove top:
- Heat a tbsp of oil on tawa and grease the tawa surface with the help of a brush.
- Place the marinated paneer cubes, bell peppers and onion petals on the tawa and roast on low-medium flame until it turns golden brown in colour.
- Flip the paneer cubes when it is browned from one side and roast it from all the sides while rotating it until it turns crisp and browned from all the sides.
- Keep the roasted paneer cubes, bell peppers and onion petals aside.
For making tomato puree for paneer tikka masala gravy:
- Slice the onions, tomatoes and green chillies and put it in the grinder jar. Grind it into a smooth paste and keep aside.
- Similarly, grind the cashews in the mixer jar until a smooth paste.
For making paneer tikka masala curry:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil or butter or ghee in the wide thick bottom kadhai and add bay leaves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks and saute for few seconds.
- Then, add grated ginger and garlic cloves and saute for a minute till the raw smell of garlic goes off.
- Then add tomato-onion puree in the kadhai and mix it nicely. Also, add the leftover marinade mixture of curd and spices.
- Cover and cook the tomato puree till it is cooked perfectly and oil starts separating from the sides of the pan.
- When the mixture thickens add the cashew paste along with all the dry spices - haldi, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
- Mix all the ingredients nicely till the nice aroma appears and oil is released from the masala.
- Now, add roasted paneer cubes, bell peppers and onion petals in the kadhai and around 1 cup of water and mix gently without breaking the paneer pieces. Adjust the consistency of gravy by adding more water as required.
- Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes till the flavours and aroma are absorbed nicely in paneer.
- Lastly, add crushed kasuri methi and finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
- Serve, delicious Paneer tikka masala with butter naan or jeera rice.