Subj : Achari Paneer (Tikka Skewered Cheese) To : All From : Ben Collver Date : Sun Aug 25 2024 12:57:21 MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Achari Paneer Tikka (Skewered Indian Cheese) Categories: Indian Yield: 2 Servings 400 g Paneer; pierced with a fork; -cut into 1" cubes 1 md Orange bell pepper; seeded -and diced 10 Grape tomatoes; up to 12 1 md Red onion; diced Oil; for brushing Lemon wedges; for garnish Cilantro; for garnish 10 Bamboo skewers; up to 12 MMMMM--------------------------MARINADE------------------------------- 1/2 ts Cumin 1/2 ts Fennel 1/2 ts Coriander 1/2 ts Brown mustard seeds (raai) 1/4 ts Nigella 1/4 ts Fenugreek seeds 4 Dry red chillies; up to 5 - -OR- Red pepper flakes; to taste 2 cl Garlic; minced 1 tb Ginger; grated 3 tb Greek yogurt; slightly sour 1 tb Fresh lemon juice 2 ts Mustard oil (preferable for -better taste, can be -substituted with canola, -olive, or corn oil) Salt; to taste Paneer is easily available in Indian stores under different brands. Paneer can be replaced by extra firm Tofu or Halloumi or any cheese which can withstand grilling or roasting without melting. You can use any vegetables of choice here - zucchini, mushrooms work great. Just ensure that the cooking times of vegetable don't vary much. Dice the vegetables smaller/thinner than paneer, because it takes less time to cook than vegetables. For the non-vegetarian version: Use boneless & cubed lamb, mutton, beef, chicken (dark portions), or shrimp. If using bamboo/wooden skewers soak them in water for atleast 2 to 3 hours. Soak the cubed paneer in enough warm water seasoned with salt for about 15 minutes. Once soaked, drain and pat dry with a paper towel. In a small sauce pan, on high heat, lightly dry roast all the seeds under the "Marinade" ingredients. Roast for about 20 seconds or until you smell the aroma. Remove into a small bowl and let cool. Next, in the same pan, roast the whole red chillies for about 20 seconds. Tip the cooled, roasted spices along with red chillies into mortar or coffee grinder. Grind to a smooth powder to get a achari spice mix. In a bowl (big enough to hold the marinade & ingredients), combine the yogurt, achari spice mix, ginger, garlic, oil, lemon juice & salt. Whisk well to mix. Combine the paneer with the achari marinade, toss gently, cover the bowl with a cling film and set to marinate for 30 minutes, refrigerated. Add the vegetables to the marinade 5 minutes before ready to cook the skewers. This is important to keep the moisture of vegetables intact. Once marinated, thread the marinated paneer & vegetables on soaked bamboo skewers. Brush with oil on all sides. Cooking the Tikka: I grilled the skewers on high for 4 minutes each side. You can cook them in my broiler until the paneer edges started to turn brown. About 10 to 12 minutes. You will need to flip them sideways to cook on all sides. Alternatively you can cook them in a skillet/griddle (about 8 to 10 minutes). Serve warm with green coriander-mint chutney and flatbreads or rice. Notes: If using red meat or chicken for making this recipe, marinate the meat overnight or at least 6 hours to get better flavors. Recipe by sanjuro Recipe FROM: MMMMM .