Why this recipe works
The magic is the marinade: thick yogurt with a spoon of besan clings to the paneer and, under high heat, chars into smoky, spiced edges through the Maillard reaction. Because it is grilled, not fried, you get all that flavour with very little added fat, and paneer brings the protein.
Ingredients
- Paneer, in cubes250 g
- Capsicum, onion (in squares)1 each
- Thick yogurt (hung)4 tbsp
- Besan, roasted1 tbsp
- Ginger-garlic, lemon1 tbsp + 1
- Turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala1 tsp each
- Chaat masala, oil to brush, saltto taste
Method
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1
Whisk the hung yogurt with roasted besan, ginger-garlic, lemon, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala and salt into a thick paste.
Why: hung yogurt is thick enough to coat, and the roasted besan helps the marinade grip the smooth paneer and gives body so it does not slide off on the grill.
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2
Fold in the paneer, capsicum and onion, and marinate at least 30 minutes.
Why: the yogurt gently seasons the paneer and its water keeps the surface from drying while the spices soak in.
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3
Thread on skewers and grill, broil or pan-char on high, turning, until the edges are blistered and dark.
The soul of it: that char is the Maillard browning, the tandoori flavour. High heat and a little patience for real colour is the whole point.
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4
Brush with a little oil, dust with chaat masala and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
An honest word
Paneer tikka is one of the smartest ways to eat paneer: grilled, not fried, so it keeps the high protein and calcium without soaking up oil. The only thing to remember is that paneer is still rich in saturated fat, so a sensible portion with lots of the grilled vegetables, rather than a mountain of paneer alone, is the balanced plate. As party or weeknight food, it is hard to beat.