Home made, Tandoori Paneer Tikka in Oven.😋😋

This is the best Tandoori Paneer Tikka in the oven you make at home same restaurant style teste ,but rosted in a home oven.
Making tandoori paneer tikka in the oven at home is serious business guys ,and I have made sure this recipe is fool proof before I decided to share it here honestly, I was little nervous because tandoori paneer tikka has gift the god like in our house we are picky about our tikkas and we don’t like to mess around,they have to be light, the paneer has to be soft each piece of tikka has to be flavored just right and that smokiness. we love so much.

Tandoori Paneer Tikka.
Just jn case you aren’t familiar with our favourite Tandoori Paneer tikka is Marinated skewers of paneer which are grilled in a super hot tandoor or traditional clay. Its spicy, juicy,light and slightly smoky.its like a vegetarian alternative to tandoori chicken,fish or prawn tikka.

**Served with some veggies capsicum, onions and hot chutney 😋**

Ingredients:

Serves 2 people
Preparation Time – 4 to 5 hours or overnight
Grilling time – 20 – 30 minutes
Paneer – 150 grams (I used milky-mist paneer)
Capsicum – 1 (Big one)
Tomato – 2
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
Thick curd / Yogurt – 1 cup (125 grams)
Tandoori masala powder – 2 teaspoons (Click here for home-made tandoori powder recipe)
Red chilli powder – 2 teaspoons
Salt – As per taste (less than 2 teaspoons)
Lemon juice – 2 teaspoons (Plus extra for drizzling)
Chat Masala – As required
Kasoori Methi / Dry Fenugreek leaves – 1 teaspoon
Oil – 1 teaspoon + As required (preferably mustard oil or sunflower oil)
Extras that you’ll need
Metal Skewers / Bamboo Skewers – 3 or 4
Baking tray
Aluminium foil (wrapper paper)
Brush

Preparation mathod:

Take a cup of thick curd and hang it on a muslin cloth for 30 minutes. This helps to remove excess water.
Take this thick curd in a bowl and add red chilli powder, tandoori masala powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, kasoori methi, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp oil and mix well. (If your mixture is runny add a teaspoon of besan flour or corn flour)
Set the above curd marinade aside.
Take paneer and wash in water (I used store bought paneer), then soak it in warm water for 2 minutes, remove from water and pat dry using a tissue. Now chop into squares or rectangular cubes and set aside.
Wash tomatoes and capsicum well in water and pat dry it. Chop the tomatoes into four halves, then using a knife chop off the ends so that it resembles a square. Slice off the seeds using knife and set aside. (Use the seed part for chutneys or making gravies; check the pic below to know how I sliced tomatoes into squares)

Similarly chop capsicum into halves and remove the seed part in the center and discard it. Chop into squares and set aside.
Peel onion and chop off the ends, then cut onion into four halves, you will get the square shape already!
Now mix the paneer, capsicum, onion and tomato pieces in the curd marinade. Mix gently with your fingers and see that the marinade gets spread on all the pieces well. Do not do this by force else the paneer pieces will break easily.
marinate paneer and veggies
After this set the marinated mix in refrigerator (not freezer) for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. I let the marinade undisturbed overnight, this makes the paneer really very flavvorful.
Remove from the refrigerator the following day or after 4 or 5 hours and set aside until it reaches room temperature.

Meanwhile line the baking tray with an aluminium foil and set aside.
Preheat oven (OTG) at 200° C (app. 400 degree Fahrenheit) for 10 minutes on grill mode. (i.e. heat the top rods alone)
Now insert the marinated vegetable and paneer pieces alternatively into the skewers carefully. Do not pack very tight. (If using bamboo skewers, soak the skewers in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes before use to avoid burning)
Now spread some oil over the packed skewers using a brush. (you wont be able to brush the oil smoothly just spread it across with the help of the brush, if you apply by force the marinade will come off, so be gentle while applying oil. do not pour too much oil)
When done place the skewers on the baking tray and place on the top rack inside the oven.
pack in skewers
Grill for 10 minutes (same mode, 200° C) then open and remove the tray using oven mitts or gloves. Turn the skewers carefully and brush some oil on this side.
Grill this side for another 10 minutes. Remove again and change sides grill for another 5 minutes.
Check if the paneer has got cooked, the onion, tomato and capsicum pieces will have shrunk by now.
Now remove from Oven (OTG). I wanted a more smoky flavor, just like the ones we get from a paneer tikka cooked in tandoor, so I showed the skewers over direct flame (high flame) for a few seconds using my gas stove. It gave a nice smoky punch and burnt effect to the tikkas. Do not show for long, else paneer will become over-burnt and rubbery.
bake paneer
Transfer the skewers to a serving plate and drizzle lemon juice over it. Sprinkle chat masala.
Serve along with some sliced onions and mint chutney!!