Fresh Paneer Tikka with Tomato Salad
By Srishti Jain
Paneer tikka is a creamy, spicy, smoky dish that is simple to make at home with everyday ingredients. Pieces of homemade cheese are marinated in spiced yogurt, then roasted on high heat to have a charred crust with a tender middle. The whole dish is topped with marinated tomato salad, tangy and savory from black salt. The paneer provides a perfect base for the juicy, sweet topping.
What takes this dish to the next level is the inclusion of fresh paneer, which is easier to make than you may think. Milk is simply heated and curdled, then strained and shaped to result in a gently creamy, springy cheese.
Ingredients (16)
Ingredients (16)
Paneer
Marinade
Instructions
Make the paneer
In a pot, bring the heavy cream (2 cups), milk (8 cups), and salt (2 tsp) to a hard simmer on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning, and keep your eye on the pot to make sure the milk does not boil over.
When the mixture reaches a low boil, add the lemon juice or vinegar (2 Tbsp), allowing the mixture to curdle. Continue simmering the milk for 2 to 3 minutes, until it visibly separates.
Turn off the stove and remove the mixture from the heat for 5 minutes.
Line a large, fine mesh sieve with a cheesecloth, and set on a bowl or pot with adequate room to hold the liquid from the paneer. Carefully strain the hot liquid.
Rinse the paneer under cold water for 1 minute, until the curds have cooled down.
The remaining liquid (whey) can be stored in the fridge and used in place of water or milk in pie crusts and cake.
Wrap the paneer in the cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as possible. Place the covered paneer in a square or rectangle shaped tupperware to help shape it into a block, and place something heavy on top.
Place aside for at least an hour, and overnight in the fridge for best results.
Prep the marinade
Combine the yogurt (½ cup), turmeric (1 tsp), chili powder (1 tsp), garam masala (1 tsp), salt (1 tsp), lemon juice (1 Tbsp), and olive oil (1 Tbsp) in a small mixing bowl. Grate the garlic (2 cloves) into the yogurt. Thoroughly mix and set aside.
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Srishti Jain is a Californian-Indian author, recipe-developer, and pastry chef. Her first cookbook, Make It Plant Based! Indian, was released by Artisan in Spring 2025, and focuses on the produce-forward nature of Indian and Californian cooking. She is known for her supper clubs and pop-ups in San Francisco, New York, London, and beyond, as well as her work as a chef at various Brooklyn restaurants. She lives in New York with her fluffy black cat, Clam.