Achari Paneer Tikka is the dry version of Achari Paneer Gravy that I made earlier. It is a starter item flavoured using the homemade achari masala. Let me tell you that both achari tikka and achari paneer gravy has this masala as a common ingredient. Click the links to browse individual recipes.
We will jump to the making part since we have ready-to-use homemade achari masala. Here we go.
For achari tikka, we need a nice and smooth masala coating on the paneer pieces. This masala coating is our curd paste. Apart from achari masala, we need several ingredients to make this paste. These are the regular masala powders, whole spices, and gram flour, aka besan.
Now gram flour here is for obvious reasons. It will act as a binding agent and help the paste stick on the paneer effortlessly. Another thing is the Kashmiri red chilli powder for natural red colour. So in a way, it is better than artificial colours.
Finally, we have achari masala. This special masala is a blend of various grounded and whole spices. I have published a detailed recipe post on this masala powder. I suggest you go through it because you will need to make the achari masala to make this achari paneer tikka further.
The essential item is curd. If you have plain yoghurt, then use it. But don’t use flavoured yoghurt. Plain yoghurt will work fine.
These are the two vegetables that will go along with the paneer pieces. Pick large onions having thick petals; otherwise, they won’t hold the shape for a long time. Do the same with capsicum. You can use yellow and red capsicum, too, if available. Remove seeds and clean them before using them.
Yes, it is crucial to marinate capsicum, onion, and paneer. The marination process will tenderize the paneer pieces and veggies. Since we are not cooking them and only grilling, they must become super soft.
The ideal time for marination is approx 30 minutes. Keeping it for more than 30 minutes will make the paneer and vegetables more juicy and soft. Then, you can mix everything and toss the bowl in the fridge. Grill them and serve.
Yes, you can grill your tikka in three different ways that suit you.
The first one is grilling in a grill pan or regular pan, just like I have done. You will have to flip the skewers to grill every side manually thoroughly. Watch the recipe video to see how it’s done.
The second option is to grill using a microwave oven or oven, toaster, griller (OTG). Nowadays, we have dedicated grill functions in the oven and OTGs hence it won’t be a tough job anymore. However, grilling in an oven or OTG requires exact time and temperature settings.
To counter this situation, you have further two options. One is to check the manufacturer’s website or user manuals. The second is to search online.
The third option is to grill on direct heat. For instance, on a sigdi or gas stove. I like this option because of the smokey taste and aroma that goes into the tikka.
If you have a sigdi, there is nothing above and beyond a coal sigdi. It’s a traditional way to cook and still relevant in rural areas. Even modern restaurants, Dhaba, and roadside eateries employ this method.
Be careful if you choose to grill on direct heat. Use expert supervision and safety measures.
We have a good amount of info on significant parts of making achari paneer tikka. Here are some extra tips to help you.
Curd or yoghurt is an excellent medium to marinate paneer, onions, and capsicum. It will make them soft and easy to digest. Hence, do not use other marinades. Instead, go with either curd or yoghurt.
Since we are making achari paneer tikka, we will be using the signature achari masala. But if you don’t have it, use kitchen king masala or any garam masala. Try and use achari masala if possible.
As I said above, marination is very important. Hence, do not hurry up or speed up the marination process. Instead, allow ample time for the ingredients to do their work. Well, marinated paneer will grill quickly & taste better.
There are metallic skewers in the oven or OTG as attachments. If you don’t have an oven or OTG, use wooden skewers. Take care that your wooden skewers don’t burn when grilling on direct heat. Use safety precautions.
Time for some questionnaire. Find your queries in the list below. Don’t lose heart if you don’t find it here. You can always get in touch via email or comments.
If you are making achari paneer tikka, it is mandatory to use achari masala. However, if you don’t have achari masala, go for regular garam masala. Then, add amchur powder (dry mango powder) to give the achari masala taste.
You can grill paneer, capsicum, and onion separately and then arrange them in skewers before serving. Make sure they don’t burn while grilling.
Besan, aka gram flour, is a readily available ingredient. Hence, try not to replace it with other flours as much as possible. I prefer gram flour over cornflour.
The only difference between regular paneer tikka and achari paneer tikka is the achari masala. You can make the achari masala powder at home.
The minimum required time for marinating tikka ingredients is 30 minutes. But if you cover and keep it in the fridge for a couple of hours, you will get the best result.
So that was our grilled achari paneer tikka.