Paneer tikka masala recipe | Restaurant style paneer tikka masala

Paneer tikka masala recipe, Learn to make one of the most popular paneer recipes in a restaurant style. This paneer tikka masala gravy pairs great with roti, plain paratha, butter naan, kulcha or jeera rice or plain biryani (biryani rice). I truly treasure some of the restaurant style paneer recipes that I have been making for years. Paneer butter masala and this paneer tikka masala recipe have always been on top at home and among my friends.

Over the years, a very old recipe from Chef Sanjeev kapoor’s collection has been modified by me several times, to make it easier and convenient for a home preparation without having to compromise the taste, which turns out to be like the restaurant style paneer tikka masala – creamy and delicious.

To make paneer tikka masala, tikka can be made on tawa on stove top or in a barbeque or oven. I see no point in threading them to the skewers, if I have to use them for making the gravy. Tikka made on stove top are good to use for gravy and are soft.

You can also made check this detailed post on making Paneer tikka in an oven and stove top. For the restaurant style color, I suggest using a good Kashmiri or byadgi red chilli powder. I would not prefer to use food colors.

For more Paneer recipes, do check
Paneer lababdar
Paneer butter masala
Matar paneer
Kadai paneer gravy
Malai kofta
Kadai paneer
Chilli paneer

Paneer tikka masala recipe

Marination for paneer tikka masala recipe

1. Cube onions and separate the layers. Cube capsicum as well. Make sure the size of onion and capsicum cubes are almost the same as paneer. Set these aside. If you do not have hung curd, add 1.5 cups curd to a thin muslin cloth, squeeze off the excess water and use. You can also check another method i shared in the recipe card notes above.

2. Add to a bowl the following ingredients: ½ cup hung curd yogurt, 1 ½ tsp. ginger garlic paste, ¾ tsp red chili powder, ¾ garam masala, 1/8 tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp oil and salt as needed. I also used 1 tsp lemon juice to add tang as my yogurt was very fresh. Do not use it if your tomatoes or yogurt is even slightly sour. You can add more chili powder or tandoori masala for a good color.

3. Mix everything well. I forgot to add ginger garlic at step 1 so added it here.

4. Add paneer and cubed veggies.

5. Mix everything well.

Grill paneer tikka

6. For the paneer tikka on tawa, stovetop : Heat 1 tsp oil in a wide tawa on a high flame, drop paneer cubes in the tawa.

7. Flip them to the other side and cook on a high flame till all the marinade dries up and the paneer turn golden. This takes only 2 to 3 mins. Set aside. Do not over fry them, they can turn harder.

8. In the same pan, place the veggies and cook till the marinade dries up. The veggies look partially charred. Do not overdo else they lose the crunch.

9. To grill tikka in oven, put them on to skewers alternately paneer, onion and capsicum. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 C for 8 to 10 minutes. you may need to adjust the timing as needed depends on the size of cubes and oven too.

10. You may need to flip the skewer and then grill again if your oven does not have a fan.

Make onion tomato puree for paneer tikka masala

11. Add 1 cup cubed onions (discard basal plate of onion to avoid bitterness), 1 ¼ cup tomatoes and 10 to 12 cashews to a blender jar.

12. Make a fine puree.Set aside.

How to make paneer tikka masala

13. Heat butter or oil in a pan, add bay leaf and cardamom. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off. This step is very important else the smell of garlic may not be good in the dish.

14. Pour the onion tomato puree to the pan. Be careful it will begin to splash out of the pan, you can partially cover and cook. You will be left with about 1 tbsp yogurt marinade after making tikkas. You can add that as well now if you do not like to discard it. I did not use it. Saute until it thickens and begins to leave the sides of the pan. This may take around 6 to 7 minutes.

15. Add chili powder, garam masala and salt. Saute until the smell of chili powder has gone. This may just take 1 to 2 minutes.

16. Add 1 cup water, if needed ¼ cup more to bring to a desired consistency.

17. Mix everything well and cook on a low flame until the sauce simmers well and thickens. When the gravy turns thick you will see some oil separating on top. Add kasuri methi. Continue to cook for another minute.

18. Add the grilled tikkas in the gravy. Mix and cook just for a minute. Make sure the gravy is thickened before adding paneer.

19. Pour cream and stir. Cook for just another minute or two.

Dungar for paneer tikka masala

To give a smoky flavor to the dish try using this dhungar method using charcoal. Please note that it could be dangerous doing on a gas stove. I suggest doing it out of the kitchen, using another source like a large candle. Cut a large onion to half. Remove off a few layers from the center of one half of the onion. Place it in the center of the pan. Burn a small piece of charcoal over direct fire holding it with a tong. Make sure it burns well so that it can release the smoke. Take it away from the candle – place it over the onion. Add 1/2 tsp ghee. By now it should begin to emit smoke else repeat burning the coal. Make sure charcoal is not touching the food. Cover The pan with a lid immediately. Leave it for 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander and green chilies. Serve paneer tikka masala hot with butter naan, roti, plain paratha or jeera rice.