Name: Paneer Tikka Kebabs
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons food-grade mustard seed oil or vegetable oil (see Cook’s Note); 1 tablespoon besan (fine chickpea flour); 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt; 3 tablespoons lime juice (from 2 limes); 2 tablespoons store-bought tandoori masala; 1 tablespoon paprika; 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (see Cook’s Note); 1 teaspoon yellow mustard powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric; 5 cloves garlic, grated (about 2 tablespoons); 2 to 4 Thai green chiles or 1 to 2 serrano chiles (depending on your spice level), finely chopped; One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon); 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, optional; Kosher salt; 12 ounces paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Cook’s Note); One 10-ounce container grape tomatoes; 1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; Vegetable, grapeseed or other neutral oil, for the grill grates; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee, melted; Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney, recipe follows; 2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt; 2 to 3 Thai green chiles or 1 serrano chile, coarsely chopped; 1 clove garlic, smashed; Zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice); Kosher salt; a grill, 12 metal skewers (preferably the flat variety which are easier to flip because the kebab ingredients don’t twist)

Paneer Tikka Kebabs

Course: Dinner, Main DishCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Cooking time

hour

Total time

hour

minutes

Ingredients

Marinade
2 tablespoons food-grade mustard seed oil or vegetable oil (see Cook’s Note)
1 tablespoon besan (fine chickpea flour)
1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lime juice (from 2 limes)
2 tablespoons store-bought tandoori masala
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (see Cook’s Note)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
5 cloves garlic, grated (about 2 tablespoons)
2 to 4 Thai green chiles or 1 to 2 serrano chiles (depending on your spice level), finely chopped
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, optional
Kosher salt
Skewers
12 ounces paneer, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Cook’s Note)
One 10-ounce container grape tomatoes
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 large red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Vegetable, grapeseed or other neutral oil, for the grill grates
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee, melted
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney, recipe follows
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney
2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 to 3 Thai green chiles or 1 serrano chile, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
Zest and juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
Kosher salt
Special Equipment
a grill, 12 metal skewers (preferably the flat variety which are easier to flip because the kebab ingredients don’t twist)

Directions

For The Marinade
Heat the mustard seed oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the besan and stir constantly until golden brown and toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Place the yogurt, lime juice, tandoori masala, paprika, chili powder, mustard powder, turmeric, garlic, chiles, ginger, fenugreek leaves (if using), reserved besan mixture and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl and mix well. It should have the consistency of hollandaise sauce; if it’s too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons water and mix well.
For The Skewers
Gently mix together the paneer and just enough marinade to coat in a medium bowl, being careful not to break the paneer. Add the tomatoes, peppers and onions to the bowl with the remaining marinade and toss until thoroughly coated. Cover both bowls and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
When ready to grill, preheat a grill to medium-high.
Meanwhile, thread the tomatoes, peppers, onions and paneer in an alternating pattern on 12 metal skewers, letting any excess marinade drip off, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grates. Lay the skewers on the grates and grill, uncovered, until grill marks form on the bottom of the paneer, about 3 minutes. Flip the skewers, brush with the melted butter and cook just until grill marks form on the other side, about 3 minutes more. (It’s important not to overcook the paneer as it can become hard and rubbery.)
Slide the paneer and vegetables off the skewers onto a platter. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with some Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney. Serve with the remaining chutney for dipping.
Cilantro-Yogurt Chutney
Combine the cilantro, yogurt, chiles, garlic, lime zest, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender and process until smooth. It should be the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If it’s too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Taste and add more lime juice and/or salt, if needed.

Notes

Although mustard seed oil isn’t imperative in this recipe, it does give the marinade a really nice zing. If you’d like to use it, note that the only FDA-approved food-grade mustard oil is manufactured by an Australian company named Yandilla.
Kashmiri chili powder has a lovely flavor with a little bite and a bright-red color. If you don’t have any, increase the amount of tandoori masala by 1 teaspoon.
It is especially important to use a high-quality paneer when grilling it; otherwise, it can get quite hard and won’t achieve the desired succulent texture. There is absolutely nothing like homemade paneer, but Sach Paneer (available online) and Nanak’s Malai Paneer (available at Whole Foods and other markets) are very good, too.