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Paneer Tikka Masala

A classic North Indian curry made with spongy soft paneer, red onion and green peppers marinated with best spice mix and cooked with spicy tangy onion tomato onion based gravy.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Paneer Marinade

  • 425 gram Paneer, cubed can be sub with extra firm tofu
  • 1 large Red Onion, cubed
  • 1½ medium Green Pepper, cubed
  • ½ cup Full Fat Greek Yogurt preferably Fage 5% plan greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Minced Serrano
  • 1 tbsp Tandoori Masala preferably Shan tandoori masala
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 2 tsp Cumin Coriander Powder
  • ½ tsp Kasuri Methi
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Lime/Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbsp Mustard Oil any oil of your choice would work
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp Salted Butter, for cooking BUTTER IS NOT PART OF THE MARINADE

Gravy Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp Salted Butter
  • 1¼ cup Finely Chopped Yellow Onion
  • 2 cup Finely Chopped Tomato
  • ¼ cup Tomato Paste
  • 1 tbsp Grated Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Minced Serrano
  • 4 whole Cloves
  • 4 whole Peppercorn
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 whole Black Cardamom
  • 4 whole Green Cardamom
  • 2 whole Dry Red Chilis
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 tsp Tandoori Masala preferably Shan tandoori masala
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 2 tsp Cumin Coriander Powder
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • ⅓ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
  • 1 tbsp Honey

Instructions

If using Tofu

  • Break tofu into small uneven pieces so that the edges are rough. Bring a pot of water to boil with 1 tsp of salt. Add in tofu pieces and boil them for 5-7 minutes. Then drain it.

Marinate the Paneer

  • Mix everything listed under "Paneer Marinade" MINUS paneer/tofu, onion, pepper and butter.
  • Once the yogurt marinade is well mixed, add in cubed paneer OR prepared tofu cubes, onion, pepper and coat it all well. Cover and let it sit in the refrigerate for an hour or four. Over night marinate is the best!

Make the gravy

  • In a wide heavy bottom pan, melt in 4 tbsp of salted butter. Once melted add in cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorn, cinnamon stick, black & green cardamom, bay leaf and whole dry red chilis.
  • Cook whole dry spices in butter for 20-23 second on medium heat or until the cumin seeds start to fragrant and change into deeper brown color.
  • Add chopped onions with 1 tsp of salt. Mix well and cook for about a minute on medium heat.
  • Add in ginger, garlic, serrano. Mix well and cook on medium heat until raw smell of garlic is gone and onions are translucent. Do not burn them.
  • Add in chopped tomatoes and tomato past. Mix well.
  • Add in all the other spices listed under gravy (tandoori masala, garam masala, cumin coriander powder, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and 1 tsp of salt). Mix well.
  • Add in 1 cup of water as the tomato paste makes this spice mix clumpy and some what dry. Mix well, cover and cook until the added water starts to evaporate and butter starts to separate. Uncover and mix few times during this step.
  • Once the spice mix is ready, remove the bay leaf. Take it out in a high speed blender. Once it cools down a little, blend it smooth. Once done, keep aside.

Making of Paneer Tikka Masala

  • In the same pan you made the sauce, add in 2 tbsp of salted butter.
  • Once melted, add in marinated paneer/tofu, onion, pepper mix. Mix well and cook until the grease starts to separate from the paneer/tofu. It will look dry at first, then it will turn liquidy, and eventually it will start to burn the moisture and start to separate the grease.
  • Once the grease starts to seperate and onions start to look translucent, add in blended sauce with 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp of kasuri methi that you first rub between your palms. Mix well, cover and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Keep stirring few times during this step.
  • Once the gravy comes to desired consistency, add in ⅓ cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 tbsp of honey. Mix well. If the consistency is too thick, you can add in some water to thin it down.
  • Once done, simply serve it with butter naan, garlic naan, plain or flaky paratha, or simply just roti!