A delicious twist on a classic Indian appetizer using my homemade Peri Peri sauce.
So I recently posted my Peri Peri sauce recipe and while I knew people loved Nando’s, I did not expect it to be as popular as it was! It was a total hit! Of course sauce on it’s own is nice and most people will marinate chicken in it similar to how Nando’s does it, but as I mentioned in my previous post, there are SO many options to use this sauce with! So I decided to use it as a marinade for this delicious Peri Peri Paneer Tikka! It’s a fabulous twist on your traditional paneer tikka with a bang of flavor! It’s tangy, spicy, smokey because of the char from the grill and all those flavors meld together to make a mouth-watering appetizer for all to share!
My husband is obsessed with paneer and would eat it everyday if he could, but honestly, who doesn’t love paneer?! I wanted to create something that would really let the flavors of the sauce shine but also incorporate something we all know and love, that’s also vegetarian friendly. So naturally, paneer was my first choice. This dish is super easy to make; most of the time is just letting the paneer marinate so the flavors can infuse and help create the Peri Peri taste when you first bite into it. The longer you let it marinate, the more flavor you will achieve, so you can totally make this the night before you are ready to cook it.
There are a few key tips to getting this dish just right with the optimal amount of flavor:
- Marination is key! You want to let this marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the paneer can absorb all the sauce
- You don’t want your grill to be too hot or it will just burn the outside and the inside won’t cook properly and we’re aiming for a soft pillowy texture on the inside
- The last key tip is the most important; make sure you continue to brush the sauce on while the paneer is grilling. This will create a nice flavored coating and also help to achieve the beautiful color
- Keep brushing on a little bit of sauce as you flip the paneer and you’ll end up with the most delicious paneer tikka
- Pro tip: save some sauce on the side for dipping purposes
I hope you guys will give this recipe a try as it’s truly a game changer! This fusion twist of paneer tikka will be a flavor explosion in your mouth and it’s so worth it! It doesn’t take a long time and you’ll be in Peri Peri bliss quicker than you know! Don’t forget to take pictures and tag me in all your creations! As always, happy eating, friends!
Peri Peri Paneer Tikka
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peri Peri sauce plus extra for brushing refer to my homemade sauce recipe
- 8-10 oz paneer cut into 2 inch squares
- 1/2 green bell pepper chopped in cubes
- 1/2 red bell pepper chopped in cubes
- 1/2 red onion chopped in cubes
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- oil or cooking spray for grilling
- cilantro for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add the Peri Peri sauce in a bowl with the cubed paneer, peppers, and onions and let marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours
- Heat some oil or cooking spray on a grill pan on medium heat until hot
- Carefully lay the paneer and peppers on the pan with a little bit of space between each piece so it's easy to flip
- Grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until paneer is soft and charred, flipping every minute or two to ensure you get all the sides
- As you are grilling the paneer, begin to brush more Peri Peri sauce on it so that it can really absorb the flavor as it's cooking. This will also help give it a nice color
- For an extra char, you can add the cooked paneer to a skewer and hold over a gas flame
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with a side of lemon!
Notes
- You can use my homemade Peri Peri sauce recipe for this dish
- I used Gopi brand of paneer for this but you can use any
- If using frozen paneer, make sure to let it thaw fully
