Thecha Paneer Tikka

 

          Brighten up your party tonight with this amazingly spicy THECHA PANEER TIKKA. Thecha is a traditional Maharashtrian chutney that is usually served as an accompaniment with Indian flat bread like jowar bhakri, bajra roti, thalipeeth, chapatti, etc. It is also called Hirvi Mirchi Thecha in the local lingo. This spicy & tangy chutney is prepared with fresh green chilies, garlic, coriander leaves with stems and peanuts. 

          Coming back to the recipe, this particular dish of paneer is marinated with the thecha chutney and pan fried till well browned on all sides. Serve as an appetizer with green chutney, any dip, mayo or tomato sauce. My personal choice is tomato sauce as both sweet and spicy goes well hand in hand. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these yummy small bites. 

       You can substitute hot chilies with some green chili pepper if you wish, to have less spicy. This Thecha is generally crushed in a mortar & pestle. However, it can also be ground in a mixer jar coarsely. You can refrigerate it for a couple of days to be had later. So these Thecha Paneer Tikka is to die for and is a perfect party recipe.

• 1/2 cup green chilies, roughly chopped
• 8-10 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves with stems
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. oil
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. lime juice 
• 300 gms. Paneer cubes

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, green chilies and cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes.

          Add the coriander leaves + stems, asafoetida and salt to taste. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. Allow it to cool down. 

          Add the roasted peanuts and then pound them in a mortar and pestle into a coarse consistency. (You can also blend in a mixer jar coarsely without adding any water). 

          When done, drizzle some lime juice. Coat all the paneer cubes with the thecha.

          Heat oil in a pan / grill pan and fry them, few at a time, till well browned on all sides. 

          Serve hot as an appetizer with green chutney, any dip, mayonnaise or tomato sauce. 

        Heat oil & sauté garlic, green chilies & cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes.

  Add coriander leaves + stems, asafoetida & salt. Mix well & switch off the flame. 

                        Allow it to cool down. 

                        Add the roasted peanuts.

      Pound them in a mortar & pestle into a coarse consistency.

                    Drizzle some lime juice. 

                               Cut the paneer into cubes.

                   Coat all the paneer cubes with the thecha.

  Heat oil & fry them, few at a time, till well browned on all sides.

                   Fry the remaining cubes and transfer to a plate.

Serve hot as an appetizer with green chutney, any dip, mayonnaise or tomato sauce. 

Malai Paneer Tikka

 

       These melt-in-the-mouth Malai Paneer Tikkas are just irresistible. They can be made at home, restaurant style, for some perfect appetizers. These delectable snacks goes well with tomato sauce or green chutney and onion rings. And not to forget with a sprinkle of chaat masala. So go ahead and try these party specials this Christmas and New Year.

        

         I tried to keep the cream and butter to the minimum. In that way one can have these Tikkas guilt free. These Tikkas can also be stuffed in parathas along with some coriander leaves and ketchup / kasundi / mint chutney and served as paneer rolls. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this delectable treat.

• 250 gms. Fresh Paneer cubes
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. green chili paste
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. carom seeds
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/3 cup hung yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. fresh cream
• 1 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• oil to grease the pan / tawa
• few cubed onion, capsicum & tomato
• few wooden skewers, soaked in water for an hour
• 2 pinches of chaat masala
• green chutney / tomato sauce and onion rings to serve

         In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients starting from ginger-garlic paste to chickpea flour. 

          Marinate the paneer and the veggies with the prepared paste for an hour in the refrigerator.

          Grease the skewers with a little oil and string the paneer cubes and the veggies.

          Heat some oil in a pan and roast the skewered paneer on all sides till done. Baste with the leftover marinade halfway.

          For a Smokey effect, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh directly on the flame and fire grill them till it is slightly charred. 

          Sprinkle chaat masala and serve, garnished with onion rings and tomato sauce / green chutney.

          

      In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients starting 

      from ginger-garlic paste to chickpea flour. 

             Add the paneer and the veggies to the prepared paste.

            Mix everything well and marinate for an hour in the refrigerator.

 Grease the skewers with a little oil & string the paneer cubes and the veggies.

      Heat some oil in a pan & roast the skewered paneer on all sides till done. 

      Baste with the leftover marinade halfway.

                   Now they are half done. 

      For a Smokey effect, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh directly 

       on the flame & fire grill them till it is slightly charred. 

       Sprinkle chaat masala & serve, garnished with onion rings &

       tomato sauce / green chutney.

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.

Achari Chicken Tikka Masala

 
          Chicken Tikka Masala is a very popular dish in most of the Indian restaurants and dhabas. They are served with naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, pulao, jeera rice or plain biryani for a nice satisfying meal. This is basically homemade grilled boneless chicken tikkas cooked in a yummy restaurant style gravy. 

          However, I gave a slight twist to the recipe by adding some homemade grated mango pickle masala for some achari flavor. I made use of some yoghurt instead of cream, to give a healthy touch to some extent. Any leftover Tikkas can be easily turned into this yummy side dish.

Achari Chicken Tikka - 

• 200 gms. boneless chicken cubes
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. vinegar 
• 1 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1-2 tbsp. bottled pickle masala
• few wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Tikka Masala Gravy - 

• chicken tikka 
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. homemade mango pickle masala
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 cup yogurt, beaten
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          
Achari Chicken Tikka - 

          
          Marinate the chicken cubes with the above mentioned ingredients, preferably overnight. Grease the skewers and thread the chicken cubes in them.

          Place them on a greased rack and grill for 15 minutes. Then flip it over and grill the other side for another 15 minutes. Keep aside.



Tikka Masala Gravy - 

           Heat oil and butter in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the onion. Fry till light brown.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste, mango pickle and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Fry till the oil separates. 

         Now add the beaten yoghurt and cook till almost dry. Add the chicken tikka and give it a stir. Cover and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

          When done, switch of the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve this yummy restaurant style Achari Chicken Tikka Masala with naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, pulao, jeera rice or plain biryani.