Hariyali Paneer Tikka (Green Paneer Tikka)

About Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Hariyali means “greenery” in Hindi. This Hariyali Paneer Tikka is the green version of the classic Paneer Tikka recipe.

It is also called Green Paneer Tikka, Pahadi Paneer Tikka or Paneer Pudina Tikka.

To make this green paneer tikka, paneer cubes are marinated in a green marinade and then grilled to perfection. The green marinade gives the tikka a spicy, tangy taste and a green hue, making it irresistible.

Once the paneer is marinated, you can grill it in an oven, air fryer, or over a direct flame in a BBQ or gas stove.

If you liked my Chicken Tikka recipe, then I am sure you will love this one too.

Serve this Hariyali Paneer Tikka Recipe as a delicious vegetarian appetizer with a generous squeeze of lime juice, onion laccha, and green chutney on the side.

Ingredients

Paneer – For this recipe, I suggest using store-bought paneer (Indian cottage cheese), as homemade paneer is sometimes very soft and cannot hold its shape while grilling.

Use the best quality paneer. If it is chewy, soak it in hot water for 10 minutes.

You will find paneer at large grocery stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, etc, or any Indian grocery store.

I like to use the Haldiram brand Paneer, but you can use any good brand.

Veggies – I have used tomatoes, onions, and paneer. To make it colorful, you can also use red and yellow bell peppers or green bell peppers (capsicum). Zucchini and mushrooms are also some options.

Green Chutney is prepared using cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), fresh mint leaves, green chilies, ginger, garlic, asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, salt, and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Check out my detailed green chutney recipe here.

For an even brighter green color, you can add blanched spinach to the chutney for the green marinade.

Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – Use thick plain yogurt or Greek yogurt as the base of the marinade.

If using homemade yogurt, drain it in a strainer for 3-4 hours before using it.

Seasonings – The marinade is seasoned with basic spice powders, such as red chili powder, chaat masala powder, black salt, amchur powder (dry mango powder), garam masala powder, and dhaniya powder (coriander powder).

Others – You will also need oil, Kasuri methi, carom seeds (ajwain), ginger garlic paste, and cornstarch (cornflour).

You can replace cornstarch with roasted gram flour (besan) or all-purpose flour (maida).

You can add a dash of mustard oil to the marinade for that restaurant-style taste. I skipped it in my recipe to make it a tad bit healthier.

How To Make Hariyali Paneer Tikka

Make The Green Chutney

Add the following ingredients to a blender jar or a food processor with 2-3 tablespoons of cold water.

• ½ cup of cilantro (tightly packed, rinsed)
• ¼ cup of mint leaves (tightly packed, rinsed)
• 1 chopped green chili
• ¼-inch piece of ginger (chopped)
• 1 peeled garlic clove
• ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ice-cube

Blend until smooth. Scape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.

Tip – Sometimes, the herbs don’t come in contact with the blade of the blender, and the blending process doesn’t start. In that case, push the herbs down with a spatula a few times.

Marinate The Paneer

Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well.

• Green chutney
• ½ cup thick yogurt
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
• 1 teaspoon black salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi
• ½ teaspoon carom seeds
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch

Add the following ingredients to the bowl and mix well to coat the paneer and veggies with the marinade.

• 1 pound (500 g) paneer (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 large tomato (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 1 medium onion (quartered and petals separated)

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Soak The Skewers

If using wooden skewers, then soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning while grilling.

If using metal skewers, then skip this process.

Grill The Tikka

In An Oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Thread the marinated paneer, tomato, and onion in the skewers.

Place a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and brush it with oil.

Arrange the skewers on the tray and grill for 6-8 minutes.

Baste with butter and flip the tikka. Grill for another 5-6 minutes.

Now either broil in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes or remove from the oven and char over direct flame. Baste with some more butter and serve hot!

In An Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).

Brush the basket of the air fryer with some butter.

Arrange the skewers in the basket and baste them with butter. Air fry for 5 minutes.

Flip the skewers and air fry for another 5 minutes. Baste with some more butter and serve!

In An Outdoor Grill

Spray the heated outside grill generously with oil.

Line the grill with aluminum foil and spray it with oil. It prevents the paneer from sticking to the grill.

Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 5-7 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the paneer is roasted and has char marks on the edges. Baste with butter a few times while grilling. Serve!

In A Stovetop Grill Pan

Brush a grill pan with oil.

Arrange the skewers on the grill pan and cook over medium heat from all sides until golden and charred on the edges.

Baste with butter a few times while grilling.

Pro Tips By Neha

Do not overcook the paneer; otherwise, it will become chewy.

If you don’t have skewers, you can make the tikka by arranging the paneer and veggies directly in the air fryer basket or on the oven tray.

To save time, you can buy a bottle of green chutney and use it instead of fresh green chutney.