This hariyali paneer tikka is a refreshing take on your usual paneer dishes. Super simple ingredients but BIG flavours! Plus with my secret tip, you can easily achieve the same restaurant-style charred paneer and smoky flavour without a tandoor.
Hariyali paneer tikka might not be your go-to restaurant order, but believe me, it is totally worth a try. Imagine soft pieces of paneer coated in a bright and refreshing marinade made of coriander, mint and spices. This paneer is then charred to perfection for that authentic tandoori tikka flavor. The result is a mildly spicy and fragrant paneer that’s soft and juicy on the side and perfectly charred on the outside. Sounds delicious, doesn’t it?
Since most of us don’t have a traditional tandoor at home, I have made this pudina tikka entirely on the stovetop, including getting those perfectly charred edges. Additionally, apart from making the marinade, the actual cooking time is less than 20 minutes. Perfect for when you want to make a quick vegetarian appetizer for a large crowd.
Here’s Everything You Need to make Hariyali Tikka
- Paneer: I prefer using store bought malai paneer for this tikka as it doesn’t break apart easily
- Fresh Coriander: Responsible for the bright green color and delicious earthy flavors of this dish.
- Mint: Adds a dash of instant freshness to the whole dish. Use only leaves, discard stems
- Green chillies: For heat. I have used just one here, but feel free to increase or omit entirely
- Ginger and garlic: For flavor and aroma.
- Cardamom: Peeled cardamom pods add a hint of sweetness to the marinade.
- Cream: Gives the sauce a nice creamy consistency. A little goes a long way.
- Salt and Sugar: For seasoning and balance
- Besan: Roasted until light pinkish brown. Gives the marinade body and helps it stick to the paneer
- Hung curd: Flavour plus helps bring together the marinade. I usually make hung curd at home by tying it up in a muslin or cheesecloth for a few hours, which helps get rid of the whey it with non-flavored Greek yogurt in a pinch
- Mustard oil: Really enhances the flavor of the dish as well helps keep the paneer soft until the very end.
- Veggies: I have used diced onions and capsicum for this recipe as they help to add a lovely crunch. Other vegetables that would taste amazing with this recipe are mushrooms and red and yellow peppers.
- Oil: Any neutral flavour oil with a high smoke point - canola, vegetable oil, sunflower oil
How to make the Best Hariyali Paneer Tikka
1. In a blender, combine coriander, mint, green chilli, ginger, garlic cloves, cardamom pod (peeled), cream, salt, and sugar. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into a bowl.
2. Roast besan on a tawa on a low flame until the raw aroma goes and add it to the blended paste. Add hung curd and mustard oil. Whisk well until combined.
3. Add paneer, capsicum, and onions to the mixture. Toss well until coated, and set aside to marinate for ½ hour.
4. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes.
5. Skewer the marinated paneer, onions, and capsicum, alternating between the three.
6. Heat a little oil on a non-stick pan. Place the skewers on the pan and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side to get a little browning.
7. Take a skewer and place it directly on the flame, rotating in 10-second intervals until you see some charring all around.
8. Serve hot with lime wedges and mint chutney.
Richa’s Top Tips to make the Best Hariyali Paneer Tikka
- Be mindful of how long you’re cooking the paneer for. Overcooked paneer can taste rubbery and chewy, thereby spoiling the entire dish. Between cooking it in the pan and then on an open flame, make sure to not cook the paneer for more than 4 to 5 minutes in all.
- If you are using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 20 minutes as well to prevent them from burning when cooked.
- Do not add any water while blending the marinade as we want it to be thick. If the marinade is too thin, then it won’t coat the paneer nicely.
- Make sure the hung curd or yogurt is as thick as possible. This will make sure the marinade clings to the paneer
FAQs
Paneer tikka is a very common Indian starter that is made with cubes of paneer marinated in spices and then grilled in a tandoor or an oven along with veggies. It is a great vegetarian alternative for chicken tikkas.
Marinate paneer for 30 minutes or up to two hours. Too long and the salt in the marinade will leach out water, drying out the paneer and making the marinade watery.
Paneer becomes chewy when it loses moisture. This can happen due to high heat exposure or overcooking. Make sure to cook the paneer for no more than 4 to 5 minutes in total to keep it soft until the end.
The earthy and refreshing flavors of hariyali paneer tikka will definitely win you over. Even though this one is usually eaten as a starter, I love making a meal out of it with naan, chutney and marinated onions served as a roll. It’s definitely something we eat at least a couple times a month, and it gets wiped clean each time!
If you want to go the more traditional route, then be sure to check out my tandoori paneer tikka recipe cos that one’s a bomb too!
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Hariyali Paneer Tikka
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ½ Cup Coriander Leaves 14 Grams
- ¼ Cup Mint 5-6 Grams
- 1 Green Chilli
- ½ Inch Ginger
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Cardamom Pod Peeled
- 1 teaspoon Cream
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Besan Roasted
- ⅛ Cup Hung Curd Or Greek Yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
For Skewering:
- 250 Grams Paneer
- 1 Capsicum Cut Into Squares
- ½ Onion Cut Into Petals
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable/Canola/Sunflower Oil
Instructions
Preparing the Marinade:
- In a blender, combine coriander, mint, green chilli, ginger, garlic cloves, cardamom pod (peeled), cream, salt, and sugar. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into a bowl.
- Roast besan on a tawa on a low flame until the raw aroma goes and add it to the blended paste. Add hung curd and mustard oil. Whisk well until combined.
- Add paneer, capsicum, and onions to the mixture. Toss well until coated, and set aside to marinate for ½ hour.
Skewering and Cooking:
- If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes.
- Skewer the marinated paneer, onions, and capsicum, alternating between the three.
- Heat a little oil on a non-stick pan. Place the skewers on the pan and cook on high heat for 1-2 minutes on each side to get a little browning.
- Take a skewer and place it directly on the flame, rotating in 10-second intervals until you see some charring all around.
- Serve hot with lime wedges and mint chutney.
Notes
- Be mindful of how long you’re cooking the paneer for. Overcooked paneer can taste rubbery and chewy, thereby spoiling the entire dish. Between cooking it in the pan and then on an open flame, make sure to not cook the paneer for more than 4 to 5 minutes in all.
- If you are using bamboo skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 20 minutes as well to prevent them from burning when cooked.
- Do not add any water while blending the marinade as we want it to be thick. If the marinade is too thin, then it won’t coat the paneer nicely.
- Make sure the hung curd or yogurt is as thick as possible. This will make sure the marinade clings to the paneer
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