Paneer Tikka Sizzler

As much we both love sizzlers, more than that Paneer Tikkas. What else can be best when there is a combination of both, a real treat, right?

This Sizzler is normally accompanied by Makhni Sauce, which I skipped as I thought to surprise Ashu with dinner when he is back from his MBA classes but he came back early that day, not giving me enough time to prepare it. But even then we loved it!

Let's collect the ingredients for Paneer Tikkas:

1½ cups paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cut into square pieces

½ cup Onions, cut into thick wedges

½ cup Capsicum, cut into pieces

½ cup Pineapple, cut into pieces

½ cup thick curd

½ teaspoon Gram flour (besan)

1 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp Garlic paste

2 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Tandoori masala

½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

½ tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Oil

Salt to taste

Let's collect ingredients for Yellow Rice:

1 cup long grained rice (I used Basmati)

½ tsp Cumin seeds

1" stick Cinnamon

2 Cloves

1 bay leaf
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tablespoon Oil

Salt to taste

Let's collect the ingredients for Stuffed Capsicum:

1 potato, boiled and mashed

1 tsp Chili powder

½ tsp Turmeric powder

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Coriander, chopped

¼ cup corn kernels, boiled

¼ cup Green Peas, boiled

Salt to taste

Let's grill the Paneer Tikkas first:
1. Combine curd, gram flour, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, Tandoori masala, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil and mix well to prepare a marinade.

2. Add the Paneer, onions, Pineapple and capsicum pieces to it coat well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Arrange them on skewer sticks.

4. Place them in already heated oven on 200 C for about 30 mins or till the brown spots starts appearing.

Let's cook yellow rice:

1. Clean, wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the cumin seeds, cloves and bay leaf and stir.

3. When the seeds crackle, add the rice, turmeric powder and salt and sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Add 2 cups of hot water. Cover and cook over a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes till the rice is cooked. Keep aside.

Let's stuff the capsicum next:

1. Cut the capsicum into halve horizontally, ( i made a zigzag pattern on the edge) scoop out the seeds to create an empty shell.

2. Parboil the capsicum in salted water, drain and keep aside.

3. Combine all rest of the ingredients well, leaving some corn and peas apart to decorate it with.

4. Fill this mixture in the capsicum halves, top it with corn and peas we kept aside and keep aside till required.

Let's assemble the Paneer Tikka Sizzler :

1. Heat sizzler plate over an open flame till they are red hot and place them on their respective wooden trays.

2. Arrange half the warm yellow rice in the centre of cast iron plate.

3. Place one stuffed capsicum on one side of each sizzler plate and some french fries on other side.

4. Top with 2 skewers of the Paneer Tikkas.

5. Pour the oil-water mixture over the cast iron plates for a sizzling effect.

6. Serve immediately with the makhani sauce or whatever you want to serve with like i did with just plain curd raita !