Tandoori paneer tikka is one of the most common snacks served in any Indian restaurant, enjoyed by most people, veg or non veg alike. But how about a paneer tikka that is roasted in an oven instead of the pan, with little to no butter/oil at all? This recipe of the tandoori paneer tikka in an oven can help you with that.
Tandoori paneer Tikka is a recipe which consists of paneer / cottage cheese chunks marinated in a yogurt based marinade with some herbs and spices. This was invented as a vegetarian version of the classic tandoori chicken tikka. Though, the name and marination is quite similar to tandoori chicken tikka but the texture is far from it. A paneer tikka is a soft and moist cube of cheese from the inside but also has a charred crispiness to its edges. It's accompanied with mint chutney and many restaurants also prefer to serve them with marinated onions and bell pepper.
Many people usually refrain from eating paneer tikka because they find it heavy on the palate, due to the fat content present in it as well as used for cooking it. This recipe for roasting paneer tikka in the oven is the one stop solution for all of that. If you want to make paneer tikka without the oil and butter, but also want to retain the original taste, you should definitely give this recipe a try.
1) Start by preheating an oven to 200 degree celsius. Take 500 grams of paneer and cut it into 1 inch cubes, put them all in a bowl and sprinkle a big pinch of salt over them. Set the paneer aside for 10 minutes to cure.
2) Prepare the marinade in a large bowl by adding hung curd and heavy cream, followed by finely chopped green chillies. Make ginger garlic paste and add that to the bowl as well, with some finely chopped mint leaves as well as coriander leaves.
3) Add salt, Degi mirch, turmeric and paneer tikka masala to the marinade bowl with some lemon juice and a little olive oil. Add the salted paneer cubes in the marinade and coat them nicely and evenly.
4) On an oven tray place the marinated paneer pieces, leaving some space in between to allow the hot air to pass through.
5) Put the tray on the middle rack in a 200 degree oven for 10 mins. After 10 mins, take the tray out, flip all the paneer pieces, baste them with a little melted butter, rotate the tray to the opposite side and put it in for another 10 mins.
6) Serve them hot on a plate and garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
Expert Tips
1) Do not overcrowd the tray by placing too many pieces too close to each other. This would hinder the roasting process.
2) If you don't flip the paneer after halftime, it will burn from the top and the bottom will turn out dry.
3) Do not oil the tray before roasting it in the oven, the nonstick cooking tray doesn't let the paneer stick.
Start by preheating an oven to 200 degree celsius. Take 500 grams of paneer and cut it into 1 inch cubes, put them all in a bowl and sprinkle a big pinch of salt over them. Set the paneer aside for 10 minutes to cure.
Prepare the marinade in a large bowl, by adding hung curd and heavy cream, followed by finely chopped green chillies. Make ginger garlic paste and add that to the bowl as well, with some finely chopped mint leaves as well as coriander leaves.
Add salt, Degi mirch, turmeric and paneer tikka masala to the marinade bowl, with some lemon juice and a little olive oil. Add the salted paneer cubes in the marinade and coat them nicely and evenly.
On an oven tray place the marinated paneer pieces, leaving some space in between to allow the hot air to pass through.
Put the tray on the middle rack in a 200 degree oven for 10 mins. After 10 mins, take the tray out, flip all the paneer pieces, baste them with a little melted butter, rotate the tray to the opposite side and put it in for another 10 mins.
Serve them hot on a plate and garnish with coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
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