Chetna Makan’s coconut paneer tikka recipe

This is one of Chetna Makan’s favourite recipes from her new cookbook

The coconut paneer tikka – you cannot stop eating it,” she says excitedly. “It is really, really moreish. It’s easy: in 30 minutes you have that big plate of amazing paneer.”

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4)

For the paneer:

200ml natural yogurt

1tbsp tandoori masala

½tsp salt

450g paneer, cut into 2.5cm cubes 2tbsp sunflower oil

For the masala:

2tbsp sunflower oil

1tsp black mustard seeds 1tbsp urad dal

10 fresh curry leaves

2-4 dried red chillies

3 onions, thinly sliced

60g fresh coconut, grated ½tsp ground turmeric

½tsp chilli powder

¼tsp salt

METHOD

1. 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.

2. 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.

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

4. 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 five minutes, turning halfway through, until lovely and golden all over.

5. 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 five minutes, then serve.

Chetna’s 30 Minute Indian by Chetna Makan, photography by Nassima Rothacker, is published by Mitchell Beazley, priced £20. Available now.