Coconut paneer tikka

Ingredients

FOR THE PANEER

200ml (7fl oz) natural yogurt

1 tablespoon tandoori masala

½ teaspoon salt

450g (1lb) paneer, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

FOR THE MASALA

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon urad dal

10 fresh curry leaves

2–4 dried red chillies

3 onions, thinly sliced

60g (2¼oz) fresh coconut, grated

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon chilli powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

For the paneer, mix the yogurt, tandoori masala and salt together in a bowl. Add the paneer cubes and gently turn in the marinade until well coated. Set aside while you start to prepare the masala.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and urad dal and cook over a low heat for a minute. Then add the curry leaves and chillies and cook for a few seconds.

Add the onions and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Then stir in the coconut and cook for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil for the paneer in another pan, add the marinated paneer with all the excess marinade and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes, turning halfway through, until lovely and golden all over.

Add the cooked paneer to the onions and coconut with the turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Mix well and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

I love paneer in any form – as a snack or for curries, kebabs or barbecues and even in desserts. Here, the tandoori masala marinade lends a lovely flavour to the paneer, and the many vibrant ingredients in the masala make the dish mouth-wateringly delicious. Enjoy with Spiced Layered Flatbread or just stuff it in a wrap for a quick lunch, or as a sabji on the side of a dal or curry.