Paneer Tikka Masala

Method

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1. Toast the gram flour in a dry pan for 2 minutes and cool.

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2. Whisk the yoghurt with the toasted gram flour, ginger and garlic paste, 1 tsp of the chilli powder, the garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice and 0.5 tsp of the salt.

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3. Fold in the paneer, pepper and onion petals and marinate 20 minutes.

   Mark done

4. Heat the grill to its highest setting and spread the marinated pieces on a foil-lined tray.

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5. Grill 10 minutes, turning once, until charred black at the corners. Set aside.

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6. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions for 10 minutes, until deep golden.

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7. Add the ground coriander and remaining chilli powder and cook 30 seconds.

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8. Add the tomatoes and remaining salt and cook 8 minutes, until the oil separates.

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9. Blend the drained cashews with 100 ml water and stir into the pan. Simmer 5 minutes.

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10. Fold in the grilled paneer and vegetables, take off the heat, stir in the cream and crushed fenugreek, and scatter the coriander over.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Char it properly. Black corners, not golden.
• Grill the peppers and onion with the paneer, not separately.
• Cream off the heat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Garlic naan
• Jeera rice
• Onion salad

Storage & Reheating

Keeps 3 days refrigerated. The char softens but the flavour stays.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.