Paneer Malai Tikka

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What’s better than just the Paneer Tikka? I’d say a Malai Paneer Tikka! It’s velvety, creamy and oh-so delicious. The malai tikka is also one of the most popular varieties of tikka that features on the menu of almost every restaurant that serves North Indian or Mughlai cuisine. As compared to the paneer tikka, the malai paneer tikka has milder flavors, yet is able to satisfy your taste buds and melt your heart. This time, make it at home with this recipe that I’ve got just for you.

paneer malai tikka served on a rectangular white platter with sliced onion and lemon wedges, and text layover.

About Paneer Malai Tikka

First things first, since in this recipe of Paneer Malai Tikka, I have used hung curd in the marination; I will suggest you follow this post of How To Make Hung Curd and make your own batch at home.

There’s nothing better than using ingredients that are completely made from scratch at home. But yes of course, do this only if you have time in hand as this will be an extra procedure. If short of time you could also opt to use store brought greek yogurt.

This base marination is what exactly gives the dish a beautiful white hue along with making it smooth and creamy for the palate. Almost like a melt-in-mouth vegetarian tikka.

Cream is also added in this marinade mixture, which is probably why it is actually named as Paneer Malai Tikka. Cream is ‘malai’ in Hindi. This is also the layer of clotted cream that you get on top of heated milk.

More on Malai Tikka

Besides if you are preparing the hung curd at home, the recipe of this tikka is also as easy as any other tikka recipe is.

You just have to marinate the main ingredient, which in this case is the paneer or cottage cheese, along with others and keep it for baking or grilling. Nicer, if you have a portable tandoor at home on which you can cook these tikkas.

As I have grilled the Paneer Malai Tikka in an oven, this recipe is only meant for an oven. In case you do plan to shallow fry the tikkas, then do not forget to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of gram flour (besan) or rice flour in the marinade.

paneer malai tikka served on a rectangular white platter with sliced onion and lemon wedges, and text layover.

I have also used onion and capsicum that are skewered with the paneer cubes and get grilled. This breaks the monotony of just the cottage cheese and makes for a balance in flavors as well as textures.

This malai tikka is best served hot or warm as a starter snack, but can be wrapped in rotis/chapatis to make rolls, wraps and frankies too.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Paneer Malai Tikka

Making marinade

1. In a bowl, take 5 tablespoons of hung curd or Greek yogurt or thick curd.

hung curd added to a bowl for making the marinade.

2. Whisk for a minute till smooth.

whisking hung curd till smooth.

3. Then, add ⅓ cup low fat cream (25% to 35% fat cream) or light cream. You can also use whipping cream. If using whipping cream, add about 4 to 5 tablespoons.

low fat cream added to whisked hung curd.

4. Whisk to an even and smooth mixture.

cream whisked well with the hung curd.

5. Then add the following ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
  • ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder

You can also 2 to 3 pinches of crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) at this step.

ginger-garlic paste, carom seeds, black pepper powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and crushed dried fenugreek leaves added to the hung curd-cream mixture.

6. Add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. If you plan to fry the paneer cubes on tawa or griddle, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons besan or rice flour to the marinade at this point.

adding lemon juice to the hung curd-cream mixture.

7. Mix again very well.

mixing ingredients with the hung curd-cream mixture.

Marinating Paneer

8. Add ⅓ cup of onion squares, ⅓ cup of capsicum squares and 250 grams of paneer cubes.

paneer cubes, onion squares and capsicum squares added to the marinade.

9. Gently mix with a small silicon spatula or spoon. Take care not to break paneer cubes when mixing.

mixing paneer, onion and capsicum with the marinade gently.

10. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes. If keeping longer, then refrigerate to marinate for a couple of hours.

Below is the picture after 30 minutes. Before grilling, preheat oven at 240 degrees C for 15 minutes.

marinated paneer, onion and capsicum.

Grilling Paneer Malai Tikka

11. Now, thread the onion, capsicum and paneer cubes on bamboo skewers. Place the skewers on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil or parchment paper.

Lining the tray with foil or parchment makes it easier to clean.

Also remember to rinse bamboo skewers with water before using them. You can also soak the bamboo skewers in water for 10 minutes.

marinated paneer, onion and capsicum skewered onto bamboo sticks and placed on an aluminium foil lined baking tray.

12. Grill the tikka at 240 degrees C for 15 to 20 minutes. Use the grill mode if using an OTG.

Since temperatures in ovens vary, keep a check as the tikka can take less or more time to get grilled. Keep the tray in the center rack.

grilling paneer malai tikka in the oven.

13. Once you see the top light browned or halfway through the grilling, remove and turn the skewers. Brush some oil on the paneer, onion and capsicum cubes, if you want.

grilling paneer malai tikka.

14. Put the tray back in the oven and continue to grill till the edges of a few paneer cubes, onion or capsicum are charred a bit.

grilling paneer malai tikka till charred a bit.

15. Serve Paneer Malai Tikka hot or warm with a side of sliced onions, lemon wedges and mint-curd chutney. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka while serving.

paneer malai tikka served on a rectangular white platter with sliced onion and lemon wedges, and text layover.

Expert Tips for Malai Tikka

  1. This recipe is best suited to be done in an oven. If you want to shallow fry the tikka, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of either besan or rice flour or cornstarch to the marinade mixture.
  2. The curd for the marination has to be either hung curd, thick curd or Greek yogurt.
  3. I have used a low-fat cream with 25% to 35% fat. You can also use about 4 to 5 tablespoons of whipping cream.
  4. While adding the spice powders in the marinade masala, you can also enhance its flavor by adding 2 to 3 pinches of crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi).
  5. The more you marinate, the better the flavors will be absorbed by the paneer. So, you should keep it for a minimum of 30 minutes to marinate. If you want to keep it for longer, then refrigerate it for some hours.
  6. Since temperatures in different ovens vary, the malai tikka might take more or less time to get grilled. Keep a check on it once you put it in the oven.
  7. You can grill only the paneer cubes without the onion and capsicum. You can also choose to add veggies like tomato, baby corn, various color bell peppers.

More Paneer Recipes To Try!

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paneer malai tikka recipe, malai paneer tikka recipe

Paneer Malai Tikka | Malai Tikka

Paneer Malai Tikka is a popular and delicious variant of tikka that is served in restaurants. This Malai Tikka is made with soft paneer cubes marinated in a base of hung curd, cream, spices and herbs.
4.84 from 12 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Snacks, Starters
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

for tikka marination mixture

  • 5 tablespoons Hung Curd or hung yogurt or thick curd
  • cup low fat cream – 25% to 35% fat
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • ¼ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or white pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 to 3 pinches crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – optional
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt as required

other ingredients

  • cup onion – cut in squares
  • cup capsicum (bell pepper) – cut in squares
  • 250 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
  • oil as required for brushing on tikka

Instructions
 

making marination for malai tikka

  • In a bowl take 5 tablespoons hung curd or or greek yogurt or thick curd.
  • Whisk for a minute till smooth.
  • Then add ⅓ cup low fat cream and mix very well.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste and all the spice powders including salt. 
  • You can also add 2 to 3 pinches of crushed kasuri methi (dried fenureek leaves).
  • Then add ½ teaspoon lemon juice. If you plan to fry the paneer cubes on tawa or pan, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons besan or rice flour to the marination.
  • Mix very well.
  • Add ⅓ cup onion squares, ⅓ cup capsicum squares and 250 grams paneer cubes.
  • Gently mix with a small silicon spatula or with a spoon. Take care not to break paneer cubes when mixing.
  • Cover and marinate for 30 minutes. If keeping longer for marination, then marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.

making paneer malai tikka

  • Now thread the onion, capsicum and paneer cubes on bamboo skewers. Place the skewers on a pan which is lined and wrapped with aluminium foil. Rinse bamboo skewers with water before using them. 
  • Before grilling, preheat oven at 240 degrees for 15 minutes. 
  • Grill paneer malai tikka at 240 degrees celsius for 15 to 20 minutes. Use the grill mode if using an otg.
  • Once you see the top light browned remove and turn the skewers. Brush some oil if you want on the paneer, onion and capsicum cubes.
  • Keep back in the oven and continue to grill till the edges of a few paneer cubes or onions are charred a bit.
  • Serve paneer malai tikka hot or warm with a side of sliced onions, lemon wedges and mint-curd chutney.

Notes

  • This recipe is only meant for an oven. If you do plan to shallow fry then do not forget to add 2 to 3 tablespoons besan or rice flour in the marination.
  • Remember to use soft and tender paneer. If using packaged or frozen paneer then follow the instructions on the pack before using the paneer.
  • The grilling time will vary from oven to oven. So make a note of this point.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Paneer Malai Tikka | Malai Tikka
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 31mg1%
Potassium 86mg2%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 680IU14%
Vitamin C 17.1mg21%
Calcium 337mg34%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Paneer Malai Tikka Post from the blog archives, first published in November 2017 has been republished and updated on December 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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