Kashmiri Paneer Tikka Masala (Vegetarian recipe) (2024)

Recipe to make creamy and delicious Kashmiri Paneer Tikka masala. An easy to make, restaurant style recipe that is perfect side dish to serve with rice or naan.

Tikka Masala is a very popular side dish served in North Indian restaurants all over the world. But it is quite easy to make at home.

So what is tikka masala? The word 'tikka' means a ‘chunk’ of meat or vegetable in Hindi. These spicy marinated tikka are then cooked in a tandoor or a charcoal-fired clay oven.

The cooked chunks are later simmered in a sauce to make this delicious tikka masala. This recipe can be made with paneer, meat, tofu or just vegetables.

In this vegetarian version, chunks of paneer and veggies are marinated with spices and yogurt. Since I don't own a tandoor, I either use a grill pan or a skillet to cook the paneer.

The first time I have made this recipe was with Kashmiri tikka masala paste that my mom bought from her Kashmir trip. I have been hooked on this dish ever since.

But now I make my own spice paste and it is spicy, sweet and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

There are 2 components in this recipe. The 'tikka' part and the 'masala or curry' part of the dish.

Here's what you need for the 'protein or tikka':

• Protein of choice - I used paneer, but you can use tofu or animal protein in this recipe.
• Yogurt - acts as a tenderizer and adds flavor to the dish. You can use either homemade or store bought. Make sure to use plain (full fat or low fat) yogurt. Greek style works too.
• Spices - red chili powder, black pepper, garam masala, chaat masala, kasoori methi and salt.
• Garlic - either freshly minced or garlic powder.
• Lemon or lime juice

For the spice or masala part of the dish:

• Produce - onion, diced tomatoes, red pepper, ginger+garlic paste & cilantro.
• Spices - ground turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, ground cumin and salt.
• Dry fruit - raisins and almonds (preferably blanched)
• Cream - adds creaminess to the dish.

Instructions

Start the recipe by marinating the paneer - Combine yogurt, spices, lemon/ lime juice, garlic and salt. Mix well and add chopped paneer. Gently toss around and set aside for at least 30 minutes

Next make the Masala/ Sauce: Cook onion, bell pepper, almonds and raisins until the veggies are lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy.

Let the mixture cool and then blend to a thick sauce along with cream, salt and garam masala.

Pour the sauce back into the saucepan and simmer over lower heat. Keep the sauce warm while cooking the paneer.

Cook Paneer - I cooked them directly on a skillet. Transfer the marinated paneer along with the marinade on a hot skillet and cook until lightly golden on all sides.

To finish the paneer tikka masala: Slide the cooked paneer pieces right into the warm sauce and mix well to coat them evenly. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Taste Test

This paneer tikka masala is one of those dishes that is spicy, sweet and delicious, all at the same time. It is great to serve as part of a North Indian meal along with simple jeera rice or roti.

It is best to serve this dish hot. But leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for upto 3 days.

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Tips

• Paneer can either be threaded onto pre-soaked wooden skewers and then grilled on a grill pan. Or place them on a foil lined baking sheet and broiled until browned - about 1~2 minutes per side.
• Cream can be subbed with half-n-half in the curry/ masala.
• Paneer can be substituted with tofu.
• The recipe can be made without the masala similar to these tofu kebabs. They can be served as an appetizer instead of a main dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipes to serve along with tikka masala

Here are a few recipe ideas to serve with this dish to make a meal:

• Punjabi Kadhi Pakora
• Navratan Paratha
• Bagara Rice
• Bengali Masoor dal
• Indian style Red Lentil Soup

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