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Paneer tikka masala recipe, how to make paneer tikka masala

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Paneer tikka masala recipe, restaurant-style paneer tikka masala with pre-made paneer tikka pieces.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

When I posted the recipe for paneer tikka, a few people commented that I am quite the paneer lover. More than loving to eat paneer, I love cooking with it. It’s so versatile! Cheese that lends to grilling, frying, crumbling, and rolling has got to rank up high in any cook’s list, right?

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

Anyway, I had been meaning to try Paneer Tikka Masala for ages now but just didn’t get the mojo until last weekend. I made paneer tikka in the evening and then used that for this paneer tikka masala gravy for dinner.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

The gravy for this paneer tikka masala is loosely adapted from a Sanjeev Kapoor Khana Khazana booklet called “Paneer”. I bought it many years ago but never cooked from it until this rainy Sunday evening last weekend. I have cut out some of the ingredients and steps to make it quick and easy, the way I like my recipes.

Browse all paneer recipes here. My favourites include: paneer makhani, paneer shashlik, dry chilli paneer, paneer jalfrezi.

Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe
 
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Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: Serves 4
Author:
Recipe type: Paneer
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1-2 cups of paneer tikka cubes (
  • how to make paneer tikka
  • )
  • 1 cup onion onion, minced
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp of canned tomato paste (or 1 pureed tomato)
  • 1 tsp of coriander powder
  • ½ tsp of jeera / cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chilli powder (or ½ tsp regular chilli powder)
  • 1 tsp of minced ginger
  • ½ tsp of crushed garlic
  • 1 tbsp of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • ¼ cup of cream
  • Salt to taste
  • Ginger slivers for garnish
  • Coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
  • 1 tsp of tandoori masala (optional but recommended)
  • 1 tbsp of oil
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
  2. When they sizzle and turn aromatic (5-10 seconds), add the minced onion.
  3. When the onions begin to turn a dark brown, add the ginger and garlic. Saute for 10 seconds.
  4. Add all the spice powders - red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and some salt.
  5. Fry for 20 seconds until the mixture turns fragrant. Take care not to burn the spice powders by keeping the flame at medium low.
  6. Now add the tomato paste and pureed tomatoes along with about 1 cup water.
  7. Mix well and cook on low flame until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 mins.
  8. Add the kasuri methi and the cream.
  9. Mix well, keep flame on low and heat through. Don't boil the mixture for more than 5 seconds or so
  10. Finally add the paneer tikka pieces, tandoori masala, coriander leaves (if using) and more salt if required and mix well.
  11. Once the gravy and the paneer are heated through, remove from fire.
  12. Garnish with ginger slivers before serving.

Step by Step Instructions for Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle and turn aromatic (5-10 seconds), add the minced onion.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

2. When the onions begin to turn a dark brown, add the ginger and garlic. Saute for 10 seconds.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

3. Add all the spice powders – red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and some salt. Fry for 20 seconds until the mixture turns fragrant. Take care not to burn the spice powders by keeping the flame at medium low.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

4. Now add the tomato paste and pureed tomatoes along with 1/2 to 1 cup water. Mix well and cook on low flame until the mixture thickens – 3-4 mins.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe
Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

5, Add the kasuri methi and the cream. Mix well, keep flame on low and heat through. Don’t boil the mixture for more than 5 seconds or so (the difference in colour of the gravy is due to lighting, not the kasuri methi!)

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe
Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

6. Finally add the paneer pieces, tandoori masala, coriander leaves (if using) and more salt if required and mix well. Once the gravy and the paneer are heated through, remove from fire. You can add whatever vegetables you used for the paneer tikka to the gravy too. I had used red bell pepper so added that in.

Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe
Paneer Tikka Masala-Restaurant Style Paneer Recipe

Garnish with ginger slivers before serving.

Paneer Tikka Masala goes great with tawa naan and roti but I was too lazy to make any for dinner that night so served it with a super quick jeera rice made in rice cooker.

For paneer tikka masala recipe in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar.

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  1. Unfortunately this turned out quite bland for me. I used cumin powder instead of seeds (didn't have them), and no tandoori masala (didn't want to spend $3.99 for a box). I also used a pureed tomato instead of the paste– which was listed as an option. It got to be very soupy so I had to cook it down to get rid of some of the liquid. The 3 medium size tomatoes alone were about 3C liquid. In the end the consistency was okay, but I think the liquid just drowned out the spices. My brother in law thought it was a good attempt so I'd like to try it again, but perhaps double the spices or use the recommended masala. We all loved the paneer which I pan fried first for crunch. Any suggestions? Michelle

    Reply

    • sorry to hear that michelle. i think the issue is with the size of the tomatoes available globally and i really must stop saying "medium-sized" etc, in my recipes. the soupiness can be countered with a thickening agent like cream or cashew paste (soaked ground cashew nuts) so that should be fine. you really need to add the tikka masala though, and also coriander powder and cumin seeds for it to be flavourful. hope the next attempt comes out nice 🙂

      Reply

  3. This was deeeelicious! Ever since spending time in India in 2005-2006 I've been searching for good paneer tikka masala in restaurants here in San Franciso. You know, something with a lot of flavor, with some larger pieces of vegetables, with a complex tasting sauce that highlights the paneer rather than muddling it. No luck – every time I order paneer tikka masala, I wind up with something more like paneer butter masala, with a very creamy yet bland sauce, and tiny unsatisfying chunks of paneer. I finally decided to try making it myself – your recipe was very easy to follow and came out great!

    As I didn't feel like pureeing the tomatoes ahead of time, I added them diced, and when the gravy was partly simmered (right before adding the cream) I just pulled out my stick blender / immersion blender and pureed about half the sauce in the pan. It worked very well and was a huge hit.

    Now to tackle the rest of your paneer recipes!

    Reply

  20. Paneer dishes are always my party hit. Don't know, guests love it. Well, who doesn't love the paneer.

    I make tikka masala in huge batch and grill the paneer right before adding to the sauce. I love your pictures. Neat and clear.

    Reply

  21. God thats outright delicious!!! Anything with Paneer, I am game for it!! I can never these tikkas for the gravy.. How can someone resist something as yum as this?! 🙂

    Reply

  22. With those delicious paneer tikkas,how can you resist ? It's unarguably rich and yummy..And the handi {?} has given it the royal look again…Cheers!

    Reply

  23. With those delicious paneer tikkas,how can you resist ? It's unarguably rich and yummy..And the handi {?} has given it the royal look again…Cheers!

    Reply
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