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Indian Vegetarian Recipes

Classic Onion Pakoda | Crispy Onion Fritters

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Onion pakoda are basically onion fritters made with gram flour (besan). You can even make these with chickpea flour. Onion Pakoda are a popular Indian street food as well.

Like many Indian recipes, onion pakoda is made differently in various parts of India. It is one snack that is easy to prepare and tastes good too.

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There are many variations of making onion pakora in the vast Indian Cuisine. In this post I am sharing 2 delicious variations.

  1. Classic Onion Pakoda – North Indian Punjabi Style
  2. Onion Fritters – Crispy South Indian Style (With Rice Flour)

About Classic Onion Pakoda

This recipe of onion pakoda is a North Indian style recipe. A basic onion pakoda will have gram flour (besan), onions, salt with some herbs & spices – though there will be variations with the type of spices and herbs used.

Generally in the Indian pakoda recipes, the spices and herbs that are added help in digestion. In this punjabi style onion pakoda recipe, the spice that aids in digestion is carom seeds (ajwain). They also lend some sharp aromatic notes to the fritters. I also add some asafoetida (hing) but it can be skipped.

The recipe makes for crispy fritters having the texture of some onions caramelized from the outside. While the texture inside the pakoda is in contrast with softened onions in a well cooked batter.

In my home crispy crunchy onion fritters are very much in demand during the rainy season or during winters.

You can serve Onion Pakoda with some fried salted green chillies and a green chutney or sweet chutney. This whole combo can also be served with the Indian chai.

Which type of onions for onion pakoda

You can use any variety of onions to make onion fritters – be it red onions, yellow onions or white onions.

Just make sure to slice the onions thinly to get a crisp texture. I always use a chef’s knife to slice the onions thinly. You can even use a food processor.

Onion fritters are made in a variety of ways in regional Indian cuisine.

Some more varieties

Tips for making Onion Pakoda

  1. Slicing onions: The onions have to be sliced thinly and not thickly as thin slices will get cooked faster than thick slices. If the slices are thick, then while frying the gram flour gets cooked but the onion slices remain half cooked. Thinly slices also give a crispy texture in the pakoda.
  2. To add or not to add baking soda: Some cooks use a pinch of baking soda in the batter to add that extra fluffiness to the onion pakora. We don’t like the taste and flavor of baking soda, so I have not used it. Adding baking soda helps the pakoda to have a soft texture.
  3. Adding hot oil in the batter: in the gram flour batter, you can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil. This makes the onion pakoda crisp and it absorbs less oil while frying.
  4. Frying temperature: The temperature of the oil has to be correct while frying. The oil should not be too hot or cold. If it is hot, then the outside of the onion pakoda will get fried but the inside will be undercooked. If it is not hot, then the pakoda will absorb oil while frying and will be too oil-laden once fried.
  5. Additional ingredients: You can add a variety of herbs and spices in the gram flour batter – like crushed coriander seeds, red chilli powder, red chilli flakes, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, ground cumin powder, coriander leaves (cilantro). You can add some rice flour in the batter too. This will make the pakoda crunchy. You can add more red chilly powder to get a spicy pakoda. Basically, you can add your choice of spice powders in the batter.
  6. For a gluten-free pakoda: Store brought asafoetida (hing) has some amounts of wheat in it. To make a gluten-free pakoda, skip the asafoetida or use wheat-free asafoetida.
  7. Crisp vs softer pakoda: To get crisp onion pakoda, slice onions thinly and add less water in the batter. To make soft pakoda, add some more water in the batter. Addition of baking soda or baking powder also helps in making pakoda soft and light.
  8. Baking or air-frying: You can also bake or air fry them. Baked onion pakoda will taste differently than fried ones. Baked or air fried onion fritters won’t be as crisp as the fried ones. I have made onion fritters both in the oven and in an air fryer. In terms of crisp texture, the pakoda fried in oil were better. If you want to have a fried version, then just best to make that and enjoy the hot onion pakoda with a steaming cup of Indian chai.
    A) if baking, then bake at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven till the pakora look crisp and golden. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the batter. Add less water just enough to coat the onion slices.
    B) if air-frying, then air fry at 180 degrees celsius. Preheat air fryer for 10 minutes and then air fry till crisp. In between remove the air fryer pan and shake or turn over each pakoda.

How to make Onion Pakoda

1. Slice the onions evenly & thinly. Take them in a mixing bowl. Also, add chopped green chilies. If you do not have green chilies, then add red chili powder. You can also add chopped coriander leaves if you want.

2. Add the spices – carom seeds (ajwain), turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt as required. Asafoetida is optional and can be skipped for a gluten-free pakoda. You can even use gluten-free asafoetida.

3. Mix everything well. Cover and keep the onion, chilies and spice mixture aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. the onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter.

5. Add gram flour (besan). For a soft and light texture in the pakoda, you can add 1 pinch of baking soda. Adding baking soda is optional.

6. Add the required amount of water to make a medium-thick batter.

7. stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands. The onion pakora batter is ready to be fried. You can either shallow fry or deep fry.

Frying onion pakoda

8. In hot oil, add spoonfuls of the pakora batter.

9. Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t overcrowd the onion pakoda while frying.

10. When the pakora is a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.

11. You will have to turn the pakora a few times for even frying.

12. Fry the onion pakoda, till they look crisp and golden.

13. Remove fried onion pakora with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed.

14. In the same oil fry slit green chilies.

15. Sprinkle some salt on the green chilies and mix well.

16. Serve onion pakoda or kanda bhaji with the fried green chillies or coriander chutney or mint chutney or tomato sauce.

Serving onion pakoda

Onion pakoda is a tea time snack and can be served with some chutney or sauce and a few fried & salted green chillies. At my mom’s place they are served with bread or pav (bread rolls). So I am so used to eating these crispy & crunchy onion pakoda with soft bread slices or bread rolls. We sandwich the pakoda between the bread and have them dipping in some spicy coriander chutney or any spicy sauce.

At my in-law’s place, onion pakoda is had with (hold your breath) – Chapati. so they make pakoda for lunch or dinner and not as a snack. Onion pakoda, chapati and some coriander chutney is their favorite combination. In my home, I just serve these plain as an evening snack with some chutney or sauce.

Few more pakoda recipes

Note: This onion pakoda recipe is from the archives (Aug 2009) and has been republished and updated on 14th June 2020.

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

Classic Onion Pakoda (Punjabi Style)

Onion pakoda are onion fritters made with thinly sliced onions, gram flour or besan batter and some spices. This is a classic Punjabi style onion pakora recipe and one that I make at home as a tea-time snack.

Servings (change the number to scale):4

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

making pakoda batter

  • Slice the onions thinly and take them in a mixing bowl. Also, add chopped green chillies.
  • If you do not have green chillies, then add red chilli powder. You can also add chopped coriander leaves if you want.
  • Add the spices – carom seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
  • Mix everything well. Cover and keep the onion, chillies and spice mixture aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • The onions would release water and then you can add water as required in the batter.
  • Add gram flour (besan). If you plan to add baking soda, then add at this step.
  • Add the required amount of water to make medium-thick batter.
  • Stir the whole mixture very well with a spoon or with your hands. The batter is ready to be fried.

making onion pakoda

  • In hot oil, add spoonfuls of the batter.
  • Depending on the size of the kadai or pan, you can add less or more. Just make sure you don’t over crowd the onion pakoda while frying.
  • When the pakora are a bit cooked, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.
  • You will have to turn them a few times for even frying.
  • Fry them till they look crisp and golden.
  • Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towels for excess oil to be absorbed.
  • In the same oil fry slit green chilies.
  • Sprinkle some salt on the green chilies and mix well.
  • Serve onion pakoda With the fried green chilies or coriander chutney or tomato sauce.
  • Baking & Air-frying: You can also make baked onion pakoda or air-fry them. But the taste and texture of baked onion pakora will be different than the fried version. For both baked and air-fried onion pakoda, add less amount of water which just about coats the flour mixture on the onion slices. The mixture should look kind of dry and should not have a batter like consistency.
    • for baking: Bake at 180 degrees celsius in a preheated oven till the pakora look crisp and golden. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the batter. Add less water just enough to coat the mixture on the onion slices.
    • for air-frying: Air-fry at 180 degrees celsius. Preheat air fryer for 10 minutes and then air fry till crisp. In between remove the air fryer pan and shake or turn over each pakoda.
  • Texture:  For a softer pakoda, add some more water. For a crisp pakoda, slice onions thinly and evenly.
  • Scaling: Recipe can be halved or doubled or tripled.
  • Slicing onions: The onions need  to be sliced thinly and not thickly. Thin slices will get cooked faster than thick slices and also give a crispy texture in the pakoda.
  • Baking Soda: You can choose to add baking soda or avoid it completely. We don’t like the soapy taste and flavor of baking soda, so I do not add it in the recipe. Though adding baking soda helps the pakoda to have a soft texture.
  • Adding hot oil in the batter: in the gram flour batter, you can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil. This makes the onion pakoda crisp and it absorbs less oil while frying.
  • Frying temperature: The temperature of the oil has to be correct while frying. The oil should not be too hot or cold. If it is hot, then the outside of the onion pakoda will get fried but the inside will be undercooked. If it is not hot, then the pakoda will absorb oil while frying and will be too oil-laden once fried.
  • Additional ingredients: You can add a variety of herbs and spices in the batter – like crushed coriander seeds, red chilli powder, red chilli flakes, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves, ground cumin powder, coriander leaves (cilantro).
  • For a gluten-free pakoda: To make a gluten-free pakoda, skip the asafoetida or use wheat-free asafoetida.

 

Nutrition Facts

Classic Onion Pakoda (Punjabi Style)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 132 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Sodium 608mg26%

Potassium 274mg8%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 15IU0%

Vitamin C 4.4mg5%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 1.3mg7%

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

About South Indian Onion Fritters

These onion fritters are crispy, crunchy and made in South Indian style. You can make these crispy fritters for a delicious tea time snack.

The taste and texture of these onion fritters are very different than the Classic Onion Pakoda I have shared above.

Addition of rice flour makes these fritters crispy and crunchy. The addition of curry leaves, coriander leaves and fennel seeds make these fritters very flavorful and also help in digestion.

These are truly crispy and taste too good with coconut chutney. Though you can also serve with tomato chutney, mint chutney or coriander chutney.

They are best served hot and a cup of hot ginger tea or filter coffee also goes very well with them. You can also sandwich them with bread slices or dinner rolls (pav).

How to make Crispy South Indian Onion Fritters

1. Take ½ cup besan (gram flour or chickpea flour) and ¼ cup rice flour in a mixing bowl.

2. Add ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, a pinch of turmeric powder and ¼ teaspoon red chili powder.

3. Next add the sliced onions, 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped. also add salt. You can also add some ginger in the recipe. You can even consider adding more onions.

4. Mix well.

5. Sprinkle 3 tablespoon water all over.

6. mix well. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

7. The onions will release their juices and the batter will become more moist. Then add 1 to 2 tablespoon more water and mix well again. I added 2 tablespoons water. I usually keep the onion fritters batter more moist than what is the norm for this recipe. As I feel some moisture helps in making these fritters not too dense. The batter has to be of thick dropping consistency.

Frying Onion Pakoda

8. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, drop spoonfuls of batter in the kadai.

9. Flip each fritter when they become pale golden.

10. While frying you can regulate the flame from low to medium.

11. Continue to fry till the onion fritters are golden and crisp, turning over them as required.

12. Once they are fried to perfection, then remove them with a slotted spoon.

13. Keep the fried onion pakoda on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed. Fry in batches this way.

14. Serve these Crispy Onion Fritters hot with tomato chutney or coconut chutney or pudina chutney or tomato ketchup. You can also have them with a cup of tea or coffee. Some people like to stuff them between bread slices and then have them with any green chutney.

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

Onion Fritters (Crispy South Indian Style)

Crisp and crunchy South Indian style onion fritters made with onions, gram flour, rice flour, herbs and spices.

Cuisine:south indian,tamil nadu

Diet:vegan,vegetarian

Difficulty Level:Easy

Servings (change the number to scale):2 to 3

(1 CUP = 250 ML)

Making Onion Pakoda Batter

  • Take 1/2 cup besan and 1/4 cup rice flour in a mixing bowl.
  • Add onions, spices, herbs and salt, except oil.
  • Then sprinkle 3 tablespoon water all over.
  • Mix well. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • The onions will release their juices and the batter will become more moist. Then add 1 to 2 tablespoon more water and mix well again. I added 2 tablespoons water.
  • I usually keep the batter more moist than what is the norm for this recipe. As I feel some moisture helps in making these fritters not too dense. The batter has to be of a thick dropping consistency.

Frying Onion Pakoda

  • Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, drop spoonfuls of batter in the kadai.
  • Flip each onion fritter when they become pale golden.
  • Continue to fry till the onion fritters are golden and crisp, turning over them as required.
  • Once they are fried to perfection, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
  • Keep fritters on kitchen paper towels so that extra oil is absorbed. Fry in batches this way.
  • Serve these crisp onion fritters hot with tomato chutney, coconut chutney, mint chutney or tomato ketchup.
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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.

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

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.

ingredients for paneer tikka masala arranged on a board

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
step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

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).

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

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.

step by step picture collage of making paneer tikka masala

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.
plate with naan and a paneer curry

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 FacebookInstagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen and on YouTube to watch my latest videos.

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

Print

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 4
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

  1. 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.
  2. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
  3. If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1803IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 1mg
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