Paneer Tikka Masala
A Punjabi dish where grilled paneer and vegetables are marinated with chickpea flour so the spices cling, before being tossed in a blended tomato masala.
The paneer marinates while the deep tomato masala builds and simmers into a smooth, rich sauce. The rice cooks and steams to finish along the way, before the grilled paneer cubes and vegetables are briefly combined with the rounded-out sauce. The dark sear on the paneer determines whether the dish gets its smoky tikka character.
Ingredients
The Paneer Tikka
- 600 g paneer, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 2 dl plain yogurt, thick
- 3 clove garlic, grated
- 3 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 3 cm squares
- 1 red onion, cut into squares, layers separated
The Masala Sauce
- 30 g butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 onion, finely chopped
- 4 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 can chopped tomatoes, 400 g each
- 1 dl water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 dl heavy cream
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your palms
- 1 tsp garam masala
The Basmati Rice
- 400 g basmati rice
- 7 dl water
- 1 tsp salt
To Serve
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
How to make it
- Whisk the yogurt, grated garlic, and grated ginger together in a large bowl. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, chickpea flour, lemon juice, neutral oil, and salt. The marinade should be thick and completely lump-free, clinging to the spoon — the chickpea flour binds it so it doesn't slide off the paneer in the pan.
- Toss the paneer cubes, bell pepper squares, and red onion in the marinade until every single piece is coated on all sides. Cover the bowl and refrigerate (see Advance Prep).Chef's tip If the paneer is firm or vacuum-packed, soak the block in warm salted water for about 20 minutes before cubing and pat dry; it comes out softer and less chalky. Two hours in the marinade is plenty — longer adds little.
- Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped onion for 8 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges.
- Add the finely chopped garlic and grated ginger and cook for 2 minutes, until the raw, sharp smell is gone and it smells sweetly of garlic.
- Turn the heat down first, since the dry spices will burn within seconds and turn bitter. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, and turmeric, and toast them for 1 minute in the fat, until they smell toasted and color the fat deep red.Chef's tip The color and aroma in the spices are fat-soluble — they need enough fat to bleed into. If the pot looks dry, add a tablespoon of oil; the fat should turn deep red, not just the spices.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until it darkens and loses its raw acidity.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and water and stir in the sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and let the sauce simmer over low heat for 18-20 minutes, until it's deep red and the fat gathers in small glossy beads along the edge. ⏱ 20 min · passive
- Blend the sauce completely smooth with an immersion blender directly in the pot, until there's not a single shred of tomato skin or onion left. The smooth sauce is what clings to the paneer instead of running off it.
- Rinse the basmati rice in plenty of cold water in a strainer, until the water runs clear. Rinsing removes the loose starch so the grains stay separate after cooking.
- Bring the water for the rice to a boil with salt in a pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the rinsed basmati rice and put the lid on. Cook over the lowest possible heat for 12 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and small holes appear on the surface. ⏱ 10 min · passiveChef's tip Don't stir and don't lift the lid — every peek lets out steam the top layer needs, leaving chalky grains under soft ones. If you hear vigorous bubbling rather than a faint hiss, the heat is still too high.
- Remove the rice pot from the heat and let it stand undisturbed with the lid on for 10 minutes. Then gently fluff the grains with a fork so they stay whole and separate. ⏱ 10 min · passive
- Heat a grill pan or heavy-bottomed skillet thoroughly over high heat and add the marinated paneer cubes, bell pepper squares, and red onion pieces in a single layer without letting them touch. Let them sit undisturbed for the first minute, since the crust only releases from the pan once it has formed. Continue cooking for a total of 6-8 minutes, turning them a couple of times along the way. They're ready when they have dark, almost black spots and firm edges.Chef's tip Pull the paneer as soon as it's spotted — prolonged heat tightens it into something squeaky and rubbery. The vegetables can stay a minute longer if they need more colour.
- Stir the heavy cream into the blended sauce over low heat. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms over the pot and stir in the garam masala. Let the sauce heat through for 3 minutes, until it's evenly orange-red and flows slowly off the spoon.Chef's tip Keep the sauce below a boil once the cream is in — the acidic tomato base can make the cream break into little curds with oil floating on top. It should barely bubble, never boil hard.
- Toss the grilled paneer pieces and grilled vegetables into the sauce and let them sit over low heat for 3 minutes, so they soak up the sauce without falling apart. Season to taste with salt.
- Give each guest a mound of the fluffed basmati rice in a deep plate and spoon the paneer and hot masala sauce alongside. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped fresh cilantro over the sauce. At the table, everyone stirs a little sauce into the rice at a time, so the grains don't drown from the start.
