Paneer Tikka (पनीर टिक्का) — Indian Grilled Marinated Cottage Cheese Skewers

• 450 gpaneer, cut into 3 cm cubes
• 200 gred bell pepper, cut into 3 cm squares
• 200 ggreen bell pepper, cut into 3 cm squares
• 180 gred onion, cut into 3 cm petals
• 200 gplain whole-milk yogurt
• 18 gginger-garlic paste (about 1 tbsp)
• 15 mllemon juice
• 15 mlneutral oil
• 2 tspkasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
• 2 tspkashmiri red chili powder (for color and mild heat)
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 2 tspground coriander
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 1 tspchaat masala
• 1.25 tspfine sea salt
• 12 ggram flour (besan) (about 1 tbsp, helps the marinade cling)
• 15 mlunsalted butter, melted (for basting)
• 4 wedgelemon wedges

Instructions

1. 1

   If using wooden skewers, soak 8 skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don’t burn. Pat the paneer cubes dry with paper towel; removing surface moisture helps the marinade stick and improves browning.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth, then mix in ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, oil, kasuri methi, chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chaat masala, salt, and besan. Stir until the marinade is thick and uniform with no dry pockets of flour.

3. 3

   Add paneer, bell peppers, and onion to the bowl and gently fold until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes; this time lets the spices bloom and lightly tenderizes the vegetables without making paneer mealy.

4. 4

   Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (about 230°C) or preheat an oven broiler on high for 10 minutes with a rack set 10–12 cm from the heat. Lightly oil the grill grates or line a sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top to encourage even charring.

5. 5

   Thread the skewers in a repeating pattern of onion, bell pepper, and paneer, leaving a small gap between pieces for heat circulation. Scrape excess marinade back into the bowl; a thin coating chars better than a thick layer that can drip and steam.

6. 6

   Grill or broil the skewers for 10–12 minutes total, turning every 3–4 minutes to color all sides. During the last 2 minutes, brush with melted butter and cook until the edges are lightly charred and the paneer is warmed through but still soft.

7. 7

   Rest the skewers for 2 minutes, then slide the tikka onto a serving plate. Squeeze 1 lemon wedge per serving over the top and serve immediately while the exterior is smoky and the center remains tender.