After a long cold winter, as the weather warms up, the instinctive urge to go out is strong and in such a situation cooking outside cannot be far behind. Although I am not very good at it luckily my hubby loves to grill and loves to make his signature grilled paneer tikka recipe.
The aroma of spices mixed with charcoal smoke is simply hard to resist. It is loved by my family and friends. To my surprise, my kids who are picky eaters also love the fresh, juicy, and smoky flavor of these Indian-style grilled vegetable skewers.
The process of making vegetarian barbeque or vegetarian grilling may seem very elaborate, but in the end, it is all worth it.
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Ingredients to make grilled paneer tikka masala
To make grilled paneer tikka we need a few colorful bell peppers, onions, and paneer.
Cut the bell peppers and onions into chunks of about 1.5 to 2 inches in size. Single out the onion layers.
Other ingredients are yogurt, tandoori masala, fenugreek leaves, oil, minced ginger garlic paste, serrano peppers, and salt.
How to marinate paneer for bbq?
To marinate paneer for the grill, take some yogurt in a bowl, add finely chopped ginger-garlic and serrano peppers (to taste), oil, and turmeric powder and give it a gentle mix. Add a little crushed Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and Tandoori Masala powder for a nice flavor.
Add salt to taste and a hint of black pepper powder. Black pepper is called the king of spices and is very helpful in enhancing immunity power.
Add the chunks of bell peppers, onions, some chopped cilantro, and paneer and mix gently until everything is well coated. Cover and let the veggies and paneer marinate for about 2-3 hours.
How to make paneer tikka skewers?
While paneer and bell peppers are marinating, soak the bamboo skewers, in water. After marination is done, arrange the bell peppers, onions, and paneer on the skewers and you are all set to grill the paneer tikka masala.
A general tip while arranging the skewers is to start with the pepper and onion, followed by the paneer, and end it with pepper as well. This will prevent paneer from flowing out while grilling.
Preparing the charcoal grill
There is no special prep needed for the gas grill. Just follow the manufacturer's manual to turn it on. Once the gas burner is lit, put the cover down and let the grill plate heat to the desired temperature. In this case, it can roughly be around 350 degrees F.
However, the charcoal grill can be a little more involved but the good thing is that the steps are fairly simple and mentioned on the charcoal bag cover. We usually prefer to use wood charcoal free from kerosene.
How to heat charcoal grill?
Place the charcoal in a pyramid shape on the bottom grill plate and light it up at its base. The best thing would be to put some cardboard and newspaper on the grill before putting the charcoal. This will help in starting the fire. Charcoal lighter fluid can be used for additional help if needed for starting the fire.
In 10-15 minutes, the fire flames should die down and it is time to spread the red-hot charcoal over the grill using a glove and a tong. Put the top grill and you are all set to grill.
How to grill paneer without sticking?
Put the skewers on the grill and put the lid on. Having a grill mat over the grill would help avoid paneer sticking to the grill and potential mishap.
Grilling vegetable and paneer skewers
Grill the paneer tikka masala for about 10 minutes, turning the skewers in between so that all the four sides are cooked evenly. Use a glove and tongs to turn the skewers as they would be too hot to handle with bare hands.
How to eat paneer tikka?
Enjoy the paneer tikka masala with some green chutney or tomato ketchup. Sprinkle some chaat masala for some tanginess.
We also like to wrap it in a tortilla and make paneer tikka wraps.
Storage
Marinated paneer can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for over a month. When you are ready to use it, simply put it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Any leftover grilled paneer can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or in the air fryer before serving.
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Paneer Tikka on Charcoal Grill
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- 3 count Bell Pepper cubed
- 1 count Onions cubed
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 1 inch Ginger (chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Cilantro
- Serrano pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Oil
Spices
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Tandoori Masala
- 1 teaspoon Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek leaves)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
- Chaat masala
Instructions
Preparing the marinade
- Add yogurt, oil, salt and spices together in a mixing bowl and mix well using a whisk.
- Adjust spiciness by adding chopped serrano peppers as per taste
- Add the cubed paneer, bell peppers and onions and mix well to ensure it gets well coated by the mixture.
- Cover the bowl and keep it aside for about 3 hours
Grilling Paneer Tikka
- Arrange the marinated paneer, bell peppers and onions on the skewers
- Grill the skewers on the charcoal grill or gas grill for about 10 minutes and turning in between.
Teresa Jeffris says
This looks delicious! I have always wanted to try Indian food.
Sherelle says
Sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Nart | Cooking with Nart says
Tried the recipe and it was really lovely. Thanks so much for sharing!