Achari Paneer Tikka

 

           Check out this yummy Achari Paneer Tikka. The paneer cubes and the veggies were marinated in homemade raw mango pickle, yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste and other spices. I first shallow fried them in a pan. Then threaded them into greased skewers. To give a Smokey flavor, I placed the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grilled on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          

            These yummy small bites are best enjoyed with green chutney and accompanied with sliced onion, lime and green chilies. They can also be served in sandwiches or as a paneer roll for a light meal on the go. You can pack them up for lunch in parathas. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 200 gms. paneer cubes
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 2 tbsp. hung yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour 
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. grated raw mango pickle (recipe given below)
• few wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• few dices of onion and tomato
• chopped coriander leaves to garnish
• any chutney, sliced onion, lime & green chilies to serve

           Make a paste of yoghurt, raw mango pickle, roasted chickpea flour, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, 1 tbsp. mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste and salt.   

          Add the the paneer cubes and the diced onion and tomato. Marinate them with the achari paste for an hour in the refrigerator.

          Heat the remaining oil in a pan and sauté the marinated paneer and veggies for a few seconds on all sides. Keep aside.

          Thread the sautéed paneer and veggies into greased skewers.

          

          To give a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve along with any chutney, sliced onion lime and green chilies as an appetizer. 

     

             Make a paste of yoghurt, raw mango pickle, roasted chickpea flour, 

              Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, lime juice, 1 tbsp. 

               mustard oil, ginger-garlic paste and salt.   

                          Add the paneer cubes & the diced onion and tomato.

             Marinate them with the achari paste for an hour in the refrigerator.

                       Heat the remaining oil & sauté the marinated paneer.....

                       and veggies for a few seconds on all sides. 

                            Keep aside.

                   Thread the sautéed paneer & veggies into greased skewers.

                    For a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh fire 

                grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

              Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with any chutney, sliced

                  onion lime and green chilies as an appetizer. 

Raw Mango Pickle - 

• 2 medium raw mango, grated
• 2 tbsp. dry roasted panch phoron, powdered
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 3 tsp. red chili powder

          In a bowl, combine all the ingredients well and store in an airtight container. 

          Refrigerate it and consume after a week.

        

Note - 

         1.  Panch Phoron - (equal quantity of fennel, fenugreek, mustard, cumin & nigella seeds).


2.  The quantity of fenugreek seeds in the panch phoron masala may be reduced due to its bitterness.

Hariyali Paneer Tikka

 

          These are delectable small bites of homemade Hariyali Paneer Tikka, restaurant style, which are absolutely simple to make. In this recipe, paneer cubes are marinated in a green chutney paste and are pan grilled to perfection. To give a smoky flavor, I fire grilled on the stove top. 

          

            They can be served as appetizers with any chutney and salad of your choice. For more variation, you can also roll them in chapattis / parathas along with some sliced onion and chutney for a wholesome snack or a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great party recipe,

• 200 gms. paneer cubes
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1" ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds, crushed
• few wooden skewers / satay sticks soaked in water for an hour
• few dices of onion, tomato & capsicum
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala, to garnish

     

          Make a paste of coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, ginger, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, mustard oil and yoghurt in a blender. 

          To it add, roasted chickpea flour, salt, pepper powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, kasuri methi and carom seeds. 

          Marinade the paneer cubes and all the diced veggies with this green paste for an hour.

          Grease the wooden skewers and thread the marinated paneer and the veggies. 

          Grease the grill pan with some oil and pan grill the skewered paneer in batches till done on all sides. Brush with some oil in between.

          

          To give a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve them hot as an appetizer with any chutney and salad of your choice.

 

                  Make a paste of coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, ginger,                                                  garlic, lime juice, lime zest, mustard oil & yoghurt in a blender. 

                       Add, roasted chickpea flour, salt, pepper powder, garam masala powder, 

                  roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, kasuri methi & carom seeds. 

                        Add the paneer cubes & all the diced veggies.

                         Marinate with this green paste for an hour.

                  Grease the wooden skewers & thread the marinated paneer & the veggies. 

                     Grease the grill pan with some oil & pan grill the skewered paneer

                            in batches till done on all sides. Brush with some oil in between.

          

                     For a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh & fire 

                          grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

                     Sprinkle chaat masala & serve with chutney & salad of your choice.

Pan Grilled Chicken with Sauteed Veggies

            Chicken, fried or grilled, is an all time favourite with one and all. It is perfect as an appetizer or as a light and healthy meal, accompanied with some salad. So let me share a simple and an easy pan grilled chicken recipe. 

          It is a complete and a wholesome comfort meal. Brush with some melted butter, which is purely optional and enjoy. I served with some sauteed veggies. You can add more varieties of veggies, other than what I have used. 

          A little bit of any dressing over it will tickle your taste buds. I added my own choice of yoghurt-kasundi dressing along with some labneh balls to the chicken and that went absolutely well for a light dinner. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 Chicken breast
• 2 bowl of mixed veggies. julienne
• butter to shallow fry
• 1/4 cup labneh 
• 1/4  cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp. kasundi (bottled mustard sauce)

1st marination - 

• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

2nd marination - 

• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. tomato paste
• 2-3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp/ garam masala powder

          Pound the chicken breast to make them flat and marinate with the first marination for 2 hours. Then marinate with the second marination, preferably overnight. 

          Steam the veggies till soft. Keep aside. For the sauce, mix yoghurt with mustard sauce. For the labneh balls, take a tsp. of labneh and mould them into small round shape.

          Heat some butter in a grill pan and saute the steamed veggies along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper powder, for a few seconds or till you get a nice glaze. Keep them aside. 

          Heat some more butter and pan grill the marinated chicken breast on both sides till done. 

          Serve the chicken with the sauteed veggies, labneh balls and a drizzle of the yoghurt-kasundi sauce. 

                                  Pound the chicken breast to make them flat.

                                Marinate with the first marination for 2 hours. 

                           Then marinate with the second marination, preferably overnight. 

                    Heat some butter in a grill pan & sauté steamed veggies with a sprinkle
                    of salt & pepper powder, for a few seconds or till you get a nice glaze. 

                   Heat some more butter & pan grill marinated chicken breast on both 
                   sides till done. 

                    Serve chicken with sautéed veggies, labneh balls & a drizzle of yoghurt-
                    mustard sauce. 

Pan Grilled Eggplants

          For all you Eggplant lovers, here are some quick, simple and a healthy version of pan grilled eggplants, marinated in sesame oil. They can be made in a jiffy and relished along with salads with a dash of lime. 

          I sometimes roll them in chapattis with some sliced onion, coriander leaves, lettuce leaves and red chili flakes for a wholesome lunch box meal. Another great way of serving them is in sandwiches or Burgers along with some sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese. How about as toppings on pizza? Choice is yours...... So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 long eggplant, cut into 1/3" roundels
• salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste

          In a bowl, combine sesame oil, salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Marinate the eggplants in it for an hour.

          Heat a grill pan and place the marinated eggplants in batches and fry on a low flame for 2-3 minutes on one side or till it is brown in colour.

          Then gently flip it over and roast the other side too, till done. Serve as salads with a dash of lime and the leftover marinade drizzled on the top. It can also be relished as an appetizer with some green chutney.

                            Combine sesame oil, salt, turmeric powder & red chili powder. 

                                Marinate eggplants in it for an hour.

                      Heat a grill pan & place marinated eggplants. Fry on a low flame for
                      2-3 minutes on one side or till it is brown in colour.

                               Then gently flip it over & roast the other side too, till done.

                                Drain on a kitchen towel.

                     Serve as salads with a dash of lime & the leftover marinade drizzled on
                     the top. It can also be relished as an appetizer with some green chutney.