Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Aloo Tikki (Crispy & North Indian Style)

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aloo-tikki-aloo-pattice-recipe-made-from-leftover-potatoes/

An Aloo Tikki recipe that is crispy, crusty and so good. In Hindi language, aloo are potatoes and tikki are patties. So these are potato patties made the Indian way – spiced, herby and delicious.

I have updated this recipe post to a better version of stuffed Aloo Tikki made with green peas. Yes, stuffing aloo tikki with a spiced mixture of green peas or chana dal (split chickpeas) or paneer makes the aloo tikki taste only better.

Aloo Tikki vs Aloo Patties

The aloo tikki made in the streets carts of North India are usually stuffed with a spiced filling of peas and paneer or chana dal and served with chana masala or chole (spicy chickpea curry).

This platter is then topped with onions, sweet tamarind-jaggery chutney and hot green chutney (cilantro+green chillies dip). Sometimes curd (yogurt) is also added.

Of course, you can always skip the stuffing and make plain potato patties. Aloo Tikki made without stuffing also tastes nice.

In Western India, aloo tikki is known as aloo pattice or aloo patties and usually made without any stuffing. The method of making them is the similar with some variations in the spices added.

A popular street food In Mumbai are these crisp aloo patties served with Ragda (white peas curry) and is also known as Ragda pattice.

Tips for making Crispy Aloo Tikki

Binding Ingredients: I always add a binding agent while preparing aloo tikki. It helps to keep the tikki in shape and they do not crumble while frying. They also help in crisping up the patties while frying. Breadcrumbs work very well and make for a truly crispy aloo tikki. I prefer to have a combination of both arrowroot flour and breadcrumbs. You can use either. In place of arrowroot flour, you can even use corn starch, rice flour, gram flour, roasted besan (roasted chickpea flour), potato starch or tapioca starch. But do not skip on the breadcrumbs as they make the aloo tikki nicely crispy and crusty.
Types of Binding Ingredients: Since making aloo tikki for decades, I have had the opportunity to use various types of flours like corn starch, rice flour, bread crumbs, soaked bread slices, arrowroot flour as a binding agent on various occasions. All of them work well in binding the potatoes. Just remember that when you add any thickener, the potato has to be cooled down completely. Otherwise the mixture becomes sticky, if the thickener is added in hot or warm potatoes.
Leftover Bread Slices: If you have leftover bread, then you soak the bread in water. Squeeze out the water completely and then add this bread to the potatoes. Here bread is added as a binding agent.
Crumb Coating: If you prefer, you can crumb coat the tikki before frying. Traditionally it is not done in India.
For fasting: If making aloo tikki for Hindu fasting days, then only add arrowroot flour or buckwheat flour or water chestnut flour or tapioca flour. Also add rock salt, instead of regular salt.
Skipping Stuffing: You can easily skip the green peas stuffing. In place of green peas stuffing, you can even use cooked chana dal (split chickpeas), but they should be cooked well and remain separate without being pasty or mushy.
Frying Twice: You can fry aloo tikki twice for more crispiness. Initially fry till pale golden. Then fry for the second time till crispy and golden.
Freezing: You can even freeze these Indian potato patties after shaping them and keep them stored in a sealed container or a ziplock bag. Before frying these frozen aloo tikki, thaw them first.

Serving Suggestions

Aloo Tikki is served as an evening snack with some green chutney (cilantro dip) and tamarind chutney. You can even serve with tomato ketchup. If you have made chana masala, then serve with chana masala.

Here are a few recipe ideas with Aloo Tikki

Aloo Tikki Chaat – Fried potato patties topped with a tangy-sweet chutney and curd.
Aloo tikki burger – Crisp aloo tikki sandwiched in burger buns and then topped with veggies and spiced with chutneys.
Dahi Aloo Tikki – Potato patties topped with yogurt, sweet chutney, green chutney and spice blends.
Aloo tikki chole – Potato patties served with a spicy North Indian chickpea curry along with various chutneys.
Frankie recipe – A delicious frankie made with thin wheat rotis stuffed with crisp aloo cutlet, veggies and yogurt raita.

How to make Crispy Aloo Tikki

Cooking potatoes and green peas

1. The potatoes and green peas have to be cooked together first.

a) Cooking in Stove top Pressure Cooker: In a 3 or 4 litre pressure cooker take 4 to 5 large potatoes and 2.5 cups water. Place a small trivet and keep a bowl containing ½ cup green peas in it. Pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium to medium-high flame.

b) Cooking in Instant Pot: Place 4 to 5 large potatoes in the steel insert of a 6 quart IP. Add 2.5 cups water. Place a trivet. On top of the trivet, keep a bowl containing ½ cup green peas. Pressure cook on high for 20 to 25 minutes in the Instant Pot.

4. For the stovetop pressure cooker, remove the lid after all the pressure falls in the cooker. For Instant Pot, do a quick pressure release after 5 to 7 minutes.

5. Check with a knife or fork to see if the potatoes are cooked well. The knife should be able to slid easily if the potatoes are cooked properly. If the potatoes are undercooked, then cook them for some more minutes.

Making green peas stuffing

6. Drain the water from the steamed green peas using a small strainer or colander. Take the peas in a bowl and mash them.

7. Mash to a coarse texture.

8. To the peas, add the following ingredients: ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon fennel powder, ½ teaspoon dry mango powder or ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies, 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves, 2 pinches black salt and regular salt as per taste.

9. Mix very well. Check taste and add more salt if required.

Making potato mixture

10. When you drain the green peas, also drain the water from the potatoes as well and let them become warm. Do not keep them in the hot water as then the potatoes may end up soaking the water and become soggy. Make sure all the water is completely drained.

11. When the potatoes are warm, then peel them and grate. I find it easier to grate the potatoes and then mash them. However, you can also chop them and mash with a potato masher. Let the grated or mashed potatoes cool completely at room temperature. You can even keep the potatoes in the fridge for 30 minutes.

12. After the mashed potatoes have cooled completely, add the following ingredients: ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder or curry powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon dry mango powder or ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon black salt and regular salt as per taste.

13. Next add ¼ cup bread crumbs and ¼ cup arrowroot flour. Instead of arrowroot flour, you can also add rice flour, corn flour (corn starch) or tapioca starch or roasted gram flour (roasted besan).

14. Mix everything very well.

Stuffing and Shaping Aloo Tikki

15. Divide the mixture into small or medium shaped patties with a hollow center or cup shaped discs. You can apply some oil on your palms when making the patties or tikki.

16. Place the green peas filling in the center.

17. Bring the mashed potato edges on the top and seal them.

18. Roll gently between your palms and gently flatten. Make all tikki this way.

Frying Aloo Tikki

19. Heat 2 tablespoons oil till on a skillet or tawa or frying pan till it is medium hot. Gently place the tikki and begin to pan-fry them.

20. When the base is crispy and golden, gently flip each tikki with a spatula.

21. Fry the second side till crispy and golden. You can gently flip once or twice more till the aloo tikki are golden and crisp evenly.

22. Remove and place in a strainer kept on top of a bowl. You can even drain them on paper towels. Fry all tikki this way. Add 2 tablespoons more oil when frying the second batch.

23. Serve Aloo Tikki plain with coriander chutney & tamarind chutney. You can also serve these potato patties with sweet yogurt raita.

Note: This recipe post from the archives has been republished and updated on 7 May 2020.

Many of my recipes have detailed step by step photos and useful tips to help you make it easily and perfectly.

Aloo Tikki (Crispy & North Indian Style Recipe)

Aloo tikki is a popular North Indian snack of spiced, crisp potato patties.

Cuisine:indian,north indian

Diet:vegan

Servings (change the number to scale):6 large tikki

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

For cooking potatoes and green peas

500 grams potatoes or 4 to 5 large potatoes
½ cup green peas 100 grams – fresh or frozen
2.5 cups water

Other ingredients for stuffing

¼ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
½ teaspoon fennel powder (ground fennel seeds) – optional
½ teaspoon dry mango powder or ¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger or or 1.5 to 2 inches, ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger powder – can reduce the quantity of chopped ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chillies or 1 to 2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
2 pinches black salt
salt as required

Ingredients for potato mixture

½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garam masala powder or curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
1 teaspoon dry mango powder or ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin) – optional
½ teaspoon black salt
salt as required
¼ cup bread crumbs or add as required
¼ cup arrow root flour or add as required
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
4 to 5 tablespoons oil for frying the tikki or as required

Cooking in Stovetop Pressure Cooker

Cooking in Instant Pot

Place 4 to 5 large potatoes in the steel insert of a 6 quart IP. Add 2.5 cups water. Place a trivet. On top of the trivet, keep a bowl containing ½ cup green peas. Pressure cook on high for 20 to 25 minutes in the Instant Pot
For the stovetop pressure cooker, remove the lid after all the pressure falls in the cooker. For Instant Pot, do a quick pressure release after 5 to 7 minutes.
Check with a knife or fork to see if the potatoes are cooked well. The knife should be able to slid easily if the potatoes are cooked properly.

Making green peas stuffing

Drain the water from the steamed green peas using a small strainer or colander. Take the peas in a bowl and mash them.
Mash to a coarse texture.
To the peas, add red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, coriander powder, fennel powder, dry mango powder, finely chopped ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, black salt and regular salt as per taste.
Mix very well. Check taste and add more salt or spice powders if required.

Making potato mixture

Meanwhile drain the water from the potatoes as well and let them become warm.
When the potatoes are warm, then peel them and grate. I find it easier to grate the potatoes and then mash them. However, you can also chop them and mash with a potato masher. Let the grated or mashed potatoes cool completely.
After the mashed potatoes have cooled completely, add the following ingredients: red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, garam masala powder or curry powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, black salt and regular salt as per taste.
Next add bread crumbs and arrowroot flour. Instead of arrowroot flour, you can also add rice flour, corn flour (corn starch) or tapioca starch or roasted besan (roasted chickpea flour or roasted gram flour).
Mix everything very well.

Stuffing and Shaping Aloo Tikki

Divide the mixture into small or medium shaped patties with a hollow center or cup shaped discs. You can apply some oil on your palms when making the patties or tikki.
Place the green peas filling in the center.
Bring the mashed potato edges on the top and seal them.
Roll gently between your palms and gently flatten. Make all aloo tikki this way.

Frying Aloo Tikki

Heat 2 tablespoons oil till on a skillet or tawa or frying pan till it is medium hot. Gently place the tikki and begin to pan-fry them.
When the base is crispy and golden, gently flip each tikki with a spatula.
Fry the second side till crispy and golden. You can gently flip once or twice more till the aloo tikki are golden and crisp evenly.
Remove and place in a strainer kept on top of a bowl. You can even drain them on paper towels. Fry all tikkis this way. Add 2 tablespoons more oil when frying the second batch.
Serve Aloo Tikki plain with coriander chutney & tamarind chutney. You can also serve these potato patties with sweet yogurt raita.

If making aloo tikki for fasting – Add arrowroot flour or buckwheat flour or water chestnut flour or sago flour. Use rock salt, instead of regular salt.
Servings: Recipe makes 6 large tikki. You can make then medium sized or large.
Spices & Herbs: You can reduce or increase the spice powder and herbs. A variation is to add fresh mint leaves to the tikki. You can even add chaat masala powder.
Crispiness: You can twice fry the tikki. First fry till pale golden. Then again fry till crispy and golden.
Stuffing: The spiced green peas stuffing can be given a skip. You can even substitute green peas with steamed sweet corn, grated paneer (cottage cheese) and cooked chana dal (split chickpeas).
Binding Ingredients: Add the binding ingredients which you have in your pantry. So in place of arrowroot flour you can add corn starch, rice flour, roasted besan (roasted chickpea flour), tapioca starch, potato starch or soaked bread slices. But do not skip on breadcrumbs as they aid in getting a nice crispy crust on the tikki.

Nutrition Facts

Aloo Tikki (Crispy & North Indian Style Recipe)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 138 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 374mg16%

Potassium 64mg2%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 508IU10%

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%

Vitamin B6 1mg50%

Vitamin B12 1µg17%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Vitamin E 4mg27%

Vitamin K 20µg19%

Calcium 22mg2%

Vitamin B9 (Folate) 16µg4%

Iron 1mg6%

Magnesium 8mg2%

Phosphorus 23mg2%

Zinc 1mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Paneer Tikka Masala

paneer curry served in a white bowl garnished with cilantro with naan in the background

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.

About This Recipe

You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.

Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.

They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.

This Paneer Tikka Masala

is super creamy, smooth.
goes well with naan, paratha.
makes a comforting meal.
leftovers are great as well!

Ingredients

There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.

Paneer Tikka

Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.

Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.

Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.

The Masala/Curry

Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.

Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.

Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!

Step by Step Instructions

1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:

1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 lime

2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).

4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.

6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.

7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.

8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:

1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar

9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.

10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.

11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).

13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.

14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.

15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.

16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:

Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.

bowl of paneer tikka masala garnished with cilantro and spoons of spices placed on the side

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:

use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
replace butter with vegan butter.
replace heavy cream with coconut milk.

Tips & Notes

I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paneer Tikka same as Paneer Tikka Masala?

No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.

What can I substitute the curry powder with?

Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.

Is Paneer Tikka Masala same as Paneer Makhani?

They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.

This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.

If you’ve tried this Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where spiced and grilled paneer tikka is added to a creamy curry. It is best enjoyed with warm naan!

Course Entree

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Manali

Ingredients

Paneer Tikka

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
1/2 lime juice of
225 grams paneer cut into cubes
1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes

Curry

1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
1 inch ginger chopped
3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
1 cup water or more as needed
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Instructions

We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.

Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper

Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.

Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.

Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.

Video

Notes

I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.