Paneer Tikka

In the world of Indian appetizers and finger foods, marinated, spicy, roasted paneer (and some veggies for balance) is an instant crowd pleaser. It is straightforward to prepare (just needs a bit of planning), and if you have an outdoor grill, the smokiness will enhance the flavors!

I have tried roasting them in the oven, but prefer to roast them on the stovetop where I have more control over the individual pieces.

Ingredients (serves 6):

Marinade:

1. 2 cups whisked, smooth yogurt
2. 2 tablespoons besan flour / chickpea flour
3. 2 tablespoons rice flour / corn flour
4. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
5. 2 teaspoons garam masala / tandoori masala
6. 1 teaspoon chilli powder
7. 1 teaspoon coriander powder
8. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
9. 1 teaspoon dry mango powder / amchur
10. 1 teaspoon salt
11. 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
12.  1 tablespoon ginger garlic  paste
13. 1 teaspoon sugar

For the tikka:

1. 1.5 cups cubed paneer
2. 1 bell pepper, cubed 
3. Some toothpicks, soaked in water (so they don't burn while frying)
4. A few tablespoons oil for frying/roasting

Preparation:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients to a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonigs
2. Add the paneer and bell peppers and mix well. Make sure the paneer doesn't crumble
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. 
4. You would need to fry the marinated panner and bell peppers in a couple of batches. For each batch, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide pan. Gently place the paneer and bell peppers (try not to add all the yogurt) in the pan and fry each side on medium-high heat, gently turning them on all sides until crispy. 
1. You can alternatively skewer the marinated paneer and peppers on toothpicks, and then roast/fry. But turning the toothpicks in the pan became a little messy 
5. Remove from pan, and when cool enough to touch, skewer on the toothpicks. Do not overcrowd the toothpick. 

Serve hot with the remaining marinade (can be used as chutney) and a squeeze of lemon juice