Paneer tikka masala

Paneer tikka masala is a dish full of flavor. Best paired with a garlic naan or a tandoori roti. You can serve the paneer tikka as a starter and later serve some of the paneer pieces as the curry. Both are wonderful dishes with a fan-following of their own. There is something so magical about this dish that everyone says yes immediately after looking at it,in the restaurant menu. Trust me, you are impressing most of the guests by making paneer tikka in the starter. Cottage cheese is so versatile. It is a great way of having proteins. 

How to make cottage cheese at home?

Best part is you can make ricotta or fresh paneer easily at home. Follow the below steps to see how paneer is made at home

1. Boil milk.
2. Add some apple cider vinegar or teaspoon lemon juice to it. Let it coagulate. You can increase the juice/cider according to the quantity of milk.
3. Strain it with a Sieve or muslin cloth. Easy peasy!

Do not throw the water. You can store it in refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Use it to knead a soft roti dough. If you like you may add it while boiling rice or , kadhi. However, I like to add it in dal as it doesn't change the flavor. It is rich in protein too. I make it any time I have extra milk at home. Go on to make wonderful dishes from rich and yummy cottage cheese.

You can serve it as tikka,or make a main course. Make a rassogulla or even bake a cake with it.Be it ras malai or rajbhog. You can never go wrong with cottage cheese. People of all age groups love it. It is easy to chew making it a good meal for both young kids as well as elders who can't chew too much.

Ingredients

Paneer tikka

For curry

• dahi/ hung curd/ Greek yogurt
• ghee or oil
• onions
• tomatoes

Tikka masala spices

• garam masala
• ginger-chilli paste
• red chilly powder
• coriander powder
• cumin powder
• turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste

For garnish:  chopped coriander leaves and kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

How is tikka masala made?

1. Heat oil over medium flame in a pan. Add ginger, chilly and finely chopped onion with salt. Cook until brown.
2. Add the tomato puree along with tikka masala spices and mix well.

3. Add yogurt and cook for few minutes until the sauce comes together 4. Keep stirring and add 2 cups of water. 5. Let it come to a boil and add the paneer cubes to it.    Garnish it with kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves optionally. 

Read the recipe of Paneer Tikka Masala

Print Recipe

3.84 from 6 votes

Paneer tikka masala recipe

Paneer tikka masala tastes great with naan or tandoori roti.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: grilled cottage cheese curry, paneer tikka masala

Servings: 4

Author: bhavana bhatia

Ingredients

• 400 gms Paneer tikka (refer to recipe in instructions)
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp ghee or oil
• 2 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes pureed

Tikka masala spices

• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp ginger & chilli paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a pan,Add ginger,chillies and finely chopped onion with salt,cook until brown
• Now add tomatoes puree and let it soften.
• Add spices and cook until oil oozes out.
• Add yogurt,cook for few minutes and add 2 cups of water.
• Cook until it starts boiling.
• Add paneer tikka cubes with capsicum and stir well.
• Cook for 10 minutes,turn off the heat.
• Serve hot with roti or jeera rice.

Notes

Recipe for paneer tikka

Nutrition

Serving: 1g

Equipment

• Oven/Air fryer (for paneer tikka)
• Frying pan
• Blender(for fresh tomato puree)

Substitutions

For vegan tikka : Make a tofu tikka and use vegan yogurt along with oil in the curry.

Non-vegetarian: If you like your chicken tikka, you can make a chicken tikka masala in the same fashion. Cooking time will change according to the core ingredient.

Variations

Add red chilli powder or more green chillies if you like a spicier recipe. You may also add ginger garlic paste or increase a teaspoon garam masala according to your taste. You may also increase bell peppers/capsicums in the recipe if serving to more people. Just add after onions.

You may use paprika/ Kashmiri red chilly powder if you like a milder version.

How to store it?

You can make the curry and freeze a batch. Make fresh tikka and add to gravy whenever you wish to eat this recipe mid-week.

Try more simple paneer recipes:

• Paneer butter masala
• Matar paneer
• Achari Paneer
• Palak paneer
• Paneer bhurji
• Kadai paneer
• Paneer biryani

Also, click here for more recipe videos.