Paneer tikka with herb chutney

Paneer is a delicious Indian cheese, and because it is firmly pressed, it doesn't melt when you grill it. It's perfect as the star in this dish, served with a super simple herby chutney.

Credit: Mary Makes It Easy

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Paneer

• 1 cup (250 ml) plain yogurt
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1½ tbsp finely minced ginger
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 3 tsp (15 ml) canola oil
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 1½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (about 350 g) brick paneer, cut into large cubes
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 red onion, large diced
• 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into large dice

Chutney and garnish

• ½ cup (125 ml) yogurt
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 small bunch coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1 small bunch mint leaves
• ½ green chilli, such as jalapeño or serrano, finely chopped
• 3 tsp finely minced ginger
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• ½ tsp granulated sugar
• kosher salt
• 4 naan or other flatbreads
• shredded cabbage, for serving

Marinating time: 2 hours or overnight.

Instructions

1. For the marinade, whisk together the yogurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, oil, garam masala, smoked paprika, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper in a large bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Add the paneer and vegetables and carefully stir to coat. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. While the paneer marinates, soak 8 bamboo skewers in water.
3. Make the chutney by adding the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, coriander, mint, chilli, ginger, garlic and sugar in the bowl of a small food processor. Blitz to finely chop.  Season with salt. Add a splash of water or more yogurt to reach a saucy consistency. Transfer the chutney to a container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days until ready to use.
4. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat or broiler to high with a rack set to the top position. Thread the paneer and vegetables onto the soaked skewers. Lightly oil the grill or a large baking sheet and grill or broil for 10 to 15 minutes, turning every couple of minutes until lightly charred and the vegetables are tender.
5. Serve hot with naan, cabbage and drizzled with herb chutney.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.