Paneer is one of my all-time favourite ingredients to work with. However, I wanted to make a paneer tikka that was a departure from the regular tikka most people know, and yet I wanted to stick to basic powdered spices. So, I used sweet basil and soft Philadelphia cheese to bring a whole new dimension to the dish. The dish is especially popular with my vegetarian customers at Kutir.

  • Serves

    2

  • Cook Time

    01h

Ingredients

  • 200 gm cottage cheese, cut into cubes
  • 100 gm sweet basil
  • 50 gm spinach
  • 50 gm fresh coriander
  • 25 gm ginger
  • 2 tbsp mango chutney
  • 2 tbsp Philadelphia cheese
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 4 green chillies
  • Salt to taste
  • Chaat masala to taste

Preparation

  1. Make slits across the centre of the paneer cubes.
  2. In a bowl, combine mango chutney with finely chopped fresh mint. Stuff the slits on paneer cubes with this mixture.
  3. In a separate bowl, blitz basil, spinach, fresh coriander, green chillies, garlic and ginger.
  4. Add Philadelphia cheese, lime juice and salt, and pulse into a smooth thick marinade.
  5. Evenly and generously coat the stuffed paneer cubes with this marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  6. Finally skewer the marinated paneer pieces and cook in a charcoal-fuelled tandoor for 8-10 minutes. Make sure the paneer is nicely charred.
  7. Serve hot with salad, a dash of lime juice and a sprinkle of chaat masala.

Rohit Ghai

Rohit Ghai

Rohit Ghai – the first Indian Chef to win a Michelin star (at Jamavar) in under a year – opened Kutir in late 2018 with business partner Abhi Sangwan. Since its inception, the Chelsea restaurant has received much critical acclaim. Over the last several years, Ghai has been the Executive Chef at Bombay Bustle, Jamavar, Gymkhana, Hoppers, Trishna, Verandah (in Copenhagen) and Benares.

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