How To Marinate Paneer for Tikka, Grills And Curries

Paneer is one of the most interesting and popular ingredients that a party host works with while planning a gathering. On its own, paneer itself has very subtle flavours, which means it can be infused with the tastes of different spices and masalas to lend it a lift. Marinating paneer for tikkas, grills and curries is a skill that would enable the host to masterfully prepare some delicious treats for a party.

One thing that a good party host is perpetually concerned about is the menu that would feed guests. While paneer is an excellent core protein by itself, it has very subtle tastes of its own, which means it is up to the home host and cooking enthusiast to infuse it with different masalas and spices. From appetisers to main course, that is from tikkas and grills to curries and gravies, marinated paneer is a precious ingredient for a good host. A good marinade is all about tenderising paneer and protecting it from drying out as it cooks. When you have people coming over at home and you want to experiment with different ways of marinating paneer, some easy options can turn a simple recipe into a restaurant-quality tikka or gravy.

Understand Paneer Before Marination

Before marinating paneer slabs or chunks, understand its textures and cooking requirements. This will make it easier to design the marinades required for making tikkas and gravies.

Now, paneer is high in moisture, yet it is very delicate. This means, paneer needs to be handled carefully during the marination process to prevent it from crumbling or falling apart. It is also an ingredient which is non-porous. So, paneer will absorb sparse amounts of the actual marinade or outer masalas. But its creamy contrast pairs well with the tikka or grill mixes, facilitating layered flavour combinations. 

Most importantly, overcooking the paneer can make it rubbery. Spending too much time in a dry marinade mixture will also dry the paneer out completely. Evidently, marinades made for the paneer should coat and moisten chunks of the protein: they should cling to the paneer without dripping. The cook on the paneer should be gentle and precise.

Marinating Paneer For Tikkas

While the base ingredients for most marinades remain the same: curd, ginger-garlic paste, lime juice and salt, subtle ingredient differences introduce complexity in the final taste. For tandoor-style or convection tikkas, the marinade should be thick and clingy and low on moisture. Adding kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masalas, roasted besan and mustard oil brings a little bit of smoky depth into the tikka marination. Keep the marinated paneer in the fridge for a couple of hours before popping it in the oven. Brush the paneer lightly with oil ahead of making the tikka to prevent it from drying out. 

Marinating Paneer For Grilling Or Fry Pan

While using a skillet or grill pan to make smoky, grilled paneer appetisers, the rules of experimentation would shift slightly for the home host. The trick to clever marination for fry pan-style paneer is keeping the coating light and balanced. This facilitates quick cooking of the masalas without the ginger-garlic paste or any other single ingredient tasting raw or undercooked. Make a simple marinade using lemon juice, salt, pepper, a bit of smoked paprika and some mustard sauce. Add an assortment of herbs like finely chopped coriander or crushed rosemary for a flavour fusion. Some carom seeds or ajwain introduce another fresh lift into the marination. 

Keep paneer in the marinade for no longer than 20 minutes and fry it immediately. Let a crust form on the paneer as it cooks on the skillet and only then turn it over so all its edges brown evenly.

Marinating Paneer For Curries And Gravies

Curry and gravies are more complicated. The marinade on the paneer has to complement the flavours of the curry itself because many times it will end up becoming part of the gravy. Gentle flavours and soft textures characterise the marinade that will be used for making the curries and gravies. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and ginger paste to the marinade recipe along with curd and coriander. The chef who likes to experiment can try marinating paneer in a creamy dressing in lieu of the curd, to make it slightly dense and luxurious. This indulgence will seep into the actual gravy too.  

Marinate the paneer for about 10-15 minutes and sautée it separately on a pan so it cooks slightly. Add it to the gravy only when it is nearly ready. Otherwise the paneer can overcook and turn rubbery. Fold the leftover marinade into the gravy so the curry flavours develop even more. This is an especially useful hack for making curries like paneer tikka masala, paneer pasanda or paneer kali miri.

Golden Rules For Paneer Marination

Remember, there are some easy and precise ingredient formulas to craft a base marinade while experimenting with paneer delicacies.

– Use fat, acid and spice: First things first, these three ingredients are absolute essentials for marinating paneer. Curd, cream or oil can be used as the fat which keeps paneer moist. Lemon juice or vinegar bring the acidic element that brightens flavours. Spices and aromatics add depth and fragrance to the marinade and they bloom when the paneer cooks.

– Cut paneer at room temperature: Whether you are using homemade or store-bought paneer, ensure that it is at room temperature before slicing it into slabs and cubes. Cold paneer cannot absorb marinade well and has a tendency to be very brittle.

– Avoid Over Marination: Once paneer is coated in the marinade, it can be grilled or cooked in the tandoor within a matter of half an hour to one hour. Unlike meat or chicken, paneer requires very little marination time. Over marination can make the paneer crumbly and increase the risk of drying it out.