Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
paneer and marinade
- 300 g paneer, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 120 g whole milk greek yogurt, whisked until smooth
- 15 ml mustard oil
- 20 g ginger-garlic paste
- 8 g kashmiri chili powder
- 4 g garam masala
- 3 g ground roasted cumin
- 3 g chaat masala
- 2 g kasuri methi, crushed between palms
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 4 g fine sea salt
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2.5 cm squares
- 1 red onion, cut into 2.5 cm squares and separated into petals
mint-cilantro chutney
- 40 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, rinsed and dried
- 20 g fresh mint leaves, stems removed
- 1 green bird's eye chili, stemmed
- 1 garlic, peeled
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 45 g whole milk greek yogurt
- 2 g fine sea salt
wraps and assembly
- 4 whole wheat parathas, raw or precooked
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 10 g fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 g chaat masala
- 15 g ghee, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 575 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbohydrates
- 43 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Water
- 120 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the paneer cubes, prepared red bell pepper squares, and separated onion petals on a clean cutting board.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 120g Greek yogurt, 15ml mustard oil, 20g ginger-garlic paste, 8g Kashmiri chili powder, 4g garam masala, 3g roasted cumin, 3g chaat masala, 2g crushed kasuri methi, 15ml lemon juice, and 4g salt, whisking until fully uniform.
Add the paneer cubes, bell pepper squares, and onion petals to the marinade bowl, folding gently with a spatula to thoroughly coat every piece without breaking the cheese.
Allow the paneer and vegetable mixture to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to absorb flavor.
In a small blender, combine 40g fresh cilantro, 20g fresh mint, 1 green bird's eye chili, 1 peeled garlic clove, 15ml lemon juice, 45g Greek yogurt, and 2g salt, processing until a smooth, vibrant green chutney forms.
Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat until faint wisps of smoke appear, reaching approximately 220°C (428°F).
Using tongs, lay the marinated paneer cubes, bell peppers, and onions in a single layer into the hot skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once or twice, until deeply blistered and charred on the edges while remaining tender.
Transfer the charred paneer and vegetables to a plate and wipe out excess blackened bits from the cast iron skillet.
Place one whole wheat paratha into the medium-hot skillet at approximately 180°C (356°F) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, brushing lightly with melted ghee, until puffed, pliable, and marked with golden spots; repeat for all 4 parathas.
Lay each warm paratha flat on a clean board and spread 20 to 25ml of mint-cilantro chutney down the center stripe.
Divide the seared paneer, bell peppers, and onions evenly across the chutney-lined center of each flatbread.
Garnish each portion with sliced raw red onion rings, fresh chopped cilantro, and a light dusting of chaat masala.
Tightly fold the bottom third of the paratha up slightly, then roll the sides inwards to enclose the filling snugly into a roll, securing the base in parchment paper, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Raw mustard oil provides an indispensable pungent earthiness typical of Punjabi and Mughlai tandoori cooking; if unavailable, neutral vegetable oil can be used with a small dab of English mustard powder.
- If using store-bought commercial block paneer that feels firm or dense, soak the cut cubes in lukewarm salted water for 10 minutes prior to marinating; this hydrates the casein network for a tender texture.
- Do not scrape off excess marinade from the paneer before cooking; the caramelized yogurt solids create the signature smoky crust that mimics a clay tandoor oven in a cast iron skillet.
- Rinse sliced red onion rings in ice water for 5 minutes and pat dry before garnishing to purge the sharp raw sulfur notes, leaving a clean, sweet crunch.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the cooked paneer filling and chutney in separate airtight containers. Assemble wraps fresh to prevent sogginess.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze only the cooked paneer filling in a vacuum-sealed bag or freezer container. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat leftover paneer filling in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until steaming and heated to at least 74°C (165°F) throughout before assembling.
Troubleshooting
Paneer cubes become rubbery, tough, and dry
Cause: The paneer was cooked too long over moderate heat, driving out moisture from the curd matrix.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Drizzle extra mint-cilantro yogurt chutney over the filling to compensate for the moisture loss.
Prevention: Sear over high heat (at least 220°C/428°F) quickly for just 6 to 8 minutes total so the exterior chars before the interior dries out.
Marinade drips off and fails to adhere to the paneer and vegetables
Cause: Yogurt contained too much whey liquid, thinning the coating.
Fix: Stir 10g of roasted gram flour (besan) into the marinade mixture to naturally thicken and bind the liquid to the solids.
Prevention: Use ultra-thick Greek yogurt or strain regular curd in a cheesecloth for 30 minutes prior to blending the marinade.
Flatbread tears and splits down the seam while rolling
Cause: Flatbread cooled down and lost elasticity, or was overstuffed.
Fix: Wrap the fractured roll tightly in aluminum foil or parchment paper to structurally bind the roll together for eating.
Prevention: Keep cooked parathas wrapped in a clean tea towel to retain steam and roll while still warm and pliable.
Cultural Context
Paneer Tikka is an iconic North Indian vegetarian specialty conceived as a meatless counterpart to traditional tandoori seekh and boti kebabs. Wrapped inside layered parathas with herbaceous chutneys and raw sliced onions, it follows the lineage of the Kolkata-born Kathi roll, which transformed plated royal kebabs into portable, handheld street food during the mid-twentieth century.
