Paneer and tofu tikka skewers with mint raita
35 min · 33 g protein · 386 cals / serving
Cubes of paneer and extra-firm tofu soaked in a tangy, smoky yogurt tikka marinade, threaded with peppers, mushrooms and red onion and charred under a hot grill until the edges blacken. Served with a cold cucumber-mint raita and a crunchy kachumber salad: the restaurant starter, made into dinner.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1-inch (3 cm) piece ginger, grated
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika, smoked if you have it
- 1 tsp chili powder, Kashmiri or mild
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp canola oil
Skewers
- 3 1/2 oz paneer, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 1 lb prepared extra firm tofu, pressed, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 2 large red bell peppers, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) squares
- 1 medium green bell pepper, in 1-inch (2.5 cm) squares
- 2 medium red onions, in wedges, layers separated
- 9 oz crimini mushroom, small whole ones, or larger ones halved
Raita
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 large cucumber, grated and squeezed
- a small handful fresh mint, chopped
- a pinch salt
- a pinch ground cumin
Kachumber salad
- 1/2 large cucumber, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- a handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- a pinch salt
To serve
- 1/2 lemon, in wedges
Steps
- Stir together all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and brick-red.
- Pat the paneer and tofu dry, add them to the marinade and turn gently to coat. Leave for at least 30 minutes, or covered in the fridge for up to a day.
- Add the peppers, onion and mushrooms to the bowl and toss to pick up the last of the marinade. Thread everything onto 8 skewers, alternating paneer, tofu, mushrooms and vegetables. (Soak wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes first.)
- Heat the grill or broiler to high, or a grill pan over high heat. Cook the skewers 10–14 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the paneer and tofu are golden the mushrooms are juicy and the edges of the peppers and onion are charred.
- While they cook, stir the grated cucumber, mint and a pinch of salt and cumin into the yogurt for the raita. For the kachumber, toss the diced cucumber, tomato, red onion and coriander with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
- Serve 2 skewers per person with the raita, the kachumber salad and lemon wedges to squeeze over.
Good to know
Why both paneer and tofu?
Paneer gives the milky, squeaky bite people love in tikka; extra-firm tofu soaks up the marinade just as well and chars beautifully, for far fewer calories per cube. Use all paneer for the classic, which is richer (a score of about 54 instead of 75), or all tofu with soy yogurt in the marinade and raita for a vegan version.
Will the paneer melt?
No: paneer is a non-melting cheese, so it goes soft inside and golden outside. Don't skip patting it dry, or the marinade slides off.
No grill?
Spread everything on a lined sheet pan and roast at 460°F for 15–18 minutes, then a minute or two under the broiler for char.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 63
- Protein
- (34%)
- 5 g
- Fat
- (36%)
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- (31%)
- 6 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 125 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1542 kcal goes into the pot and 2771 g of ingredients comes out as about 2430 g of food: 63 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.