Hariyali Paneer Tikka is a delicious starter snack that is made by marinating paneer cubes in a green paste or green chutney that are grilled or pan-fried. It is also one of those Paneer Recipes, which is a family favorite too as it serves for a great starter for our house parties and get-togethers. This delicious recipe can be made both in the oven as well as the stovetop. In this post, I have shared both these ways of making this lovely dish with Indian cottage cheese a.k.a paneer.
About Hariyali Paneer Tikka
Paneer Tikka, be it the classic one, this Hariyali Paneer Tikka or any other variation, is one of the easiest starter or snack recipes that can be made. Although the marination bit does take up some time, but otherwise, the preparation method is quite simple.
The word ‘hariyali’ means ‘greenery’ in Hindi language. Since, this recipe has a marinade made of fresh green herbs that lend a green color to the Indian cottage cheese (paneer) tikka, the name is Hariyali Paneer Tikka.
Most of the North Indian restaurants usually feature a couple of tikka varieties on their menus. Where the regular paneer tikka recipe is popular, even this Hariyali Paneer Tikka is widely popular with many folks. It is not just sumptuous but also beautiful to look at.
Though you might find the list of ingredients of this recipe lengthy, they are not difficult to get. Most of them are always available in an Indian home kitchen. So, you just have to get everything together and begin prepping up for the recipe.
You simply have to marinate the paneer cubes in the green marinade and then either grill or pan fry. There are many variations of making this popular dish and this recipe is one such variation.
Some other tasty tikka variations that you must try are this Malai Paneer Tikka, Achari Paneer Tikka and Amritsari Paneer.
About My Recipe
The recipe that I have shared here is a simple and easy recipe, but one, which results in a scrumptious tikka. The paneer cubes that are made in the pan have a crispy texture as they are pan fried.
For the main element, that is the hariyali or green chutney paste, you will require fresh coriander leaves, fresh mint leaves, ginger, garlic, green chili and curd (yogurt).
You just have to blend all of this together to a smooth paste, without adding any water. Also, make sure not to add the whey of the curd as it can add to the thinning of the marinade.
Rest of the ingredients that go in the marinade are a bunch of your regular spices – carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dried mango powder and chaat masala powder. Also, some rice flour, lemon juice and salts.
Serve it as a starter with any North Indian meal or relish the flavors of the tikka by wrapping them in tortillas or rotis to make an on-the-go, delish tikka wrap.
How to make Hariyali Paneer Tikka
Make Hariyali Paste (Green Paste)
1. In a blender jar, take ½ cup rinsed coriander leaves.
2. Then, add ¼ cup rinsed mint leaves.
3. Add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.
4. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green chili.
5. Then, add 3 tablespoons of thick fresh curd (yogurt). Do not add the whey of the curd. Just add the curd or else the marination becomes thin.
You can also use Greek Yogurt or hung curd. The marination has to be thick. If not, then it won’t coat the paneer cubes and you will just get a bland taste of grilled paneer.
6. Blend to a fine and smooth paste, without adding any water.
Prepare Marinade
7. Take the prepared green paste in a bowl. Then, add the following ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur powder)
- ¼ teaspoon chaat masala powder
8. Next, add 1 tablespoon rice flour. You can also use 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan) or chickpea flour or cornflour, instead.
9. Next, add ¼ teaspoon black salt and ¼ teaspoon regular salt or as required.
10. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
11. Mix everything very well. Check the taste and add more salt, if required.
Marinating paneer
12. Add 200 grams paneer cubes to the prepared marinade. You can even add 1 small onion, 1 small tomato and 1 small capsicum (all cubed), if you want. I have not added them.
13. Gently mix the paneer cubes with the marinade.
14. Cover with lid and keep aside to marinate for minimum 30 minutes at room temperature or a couple of hours in the refrigerator.
Below is the picture after marinating for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Grill In Oven
15. Now, coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and thread on a bamboo or metal skewer.
Rinse or soak bamboo skewers (for 10 minutes) in water, so that they do not get burnt while grilling.
Place the skewers on a metal rack (kept on top of baking tray to collect the drippings) or straightaway on a tray.
It is better to line the baking tray with parchment or foil for easy clean up.
16. Keep the tray in an oven which is already preheated at 250° C/480° F for 10 minutes.
Keep in the center rack and grill at 250° C/480° F, with only the top heating element on.
17. Carefully remove the tray from oven, roughly after 8 to 10 minutes.
18. Brush some oil on the tikka. You can skip oil, if you prefer.
19. Turn over and brush oil on the other side too.
20. Keep the tray back in the oven and continue to grill for 8 to 10 minutes or till you see a few charred spots at the edges of the paneer cubes.
Overall, you need to grill for a total of 16 to 20 minutes.
22. Serve grilled tikka with mint-curd chutney or coriander chutney. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also, accompany with some onion slices and lemon wedges.
Pan Frying
23. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a flat skillet or tawa. Coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and place them on the tawa.
Pan fry paneer cubes on medium heat.
24. When one side is crisp and golden, turn each paneer cube and fry the second side.
25. Fry the second side also till crisp and golden. Flip a couple of times, for even frying. Add more oil, if required. This way fry the paneer in batches of 2 to 3.
Make sure not to over do the frying of paneer cubes as this can make them chewy or dense.
26. Remove the paneer cubes on a plate. You can place them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
27. Once the heat is enough to handle, then you can thread them on toothpicks if you like. Or you can simply serve the tikka directly with small fork or toothpicks.
28. Serve crispy Hariyali Paneer Tikka with mint chutney or coriander chutney. Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also, accompany with some onion slices and lemon wedges.
Expert Tips
- Ensure that you are not adding the whey of the curd while making the green paste. It can make the marinade thin. Also, you can use hung curd or Greek Yogurt in place of fresh curd for the paste.
- The marinade has to be thick. If not so, then it will not coat the paneer cubes properly and you will end up with bland tasting grilled paneer cubes.
- Be sure to use fresh paneer. Homemade paneer is always better.
- You can make this recipe with tofu, instead of paneer.
- In place of rice flour, you can also use chickpea flour or gram flour (besan) or cornstarch (cornflour).
- Vegetables like onion, tomato and capsicum (bell pepper) can be added in the marinade, along with paneer cubes.
- You can add the spice powders more or less, according to your taste preferences.
- Oil can also be skipped, if you prefer.
- If using bamboo skewers, then rinse or soak them in water for about 10 minutes before using them. This will ensure that they don’t get burnt while the paneer is getting cooked or grilled in the oven.
More Paneer Recipes To Try!
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Paneer Recipes
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Hariyali Paneer Tikka (Oven & Stovetop)
Ingredients
For hariyali paste (green paste)
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- ¼ cup mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon ginger – chopped or 1 inch peeled ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic – chopped or 4 medium peeled garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon green chili – chopped or 1 green chili, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Curd (yogurt) – thick
Other ingredients
- 200 grams Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- ¼ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder or 1 to 2 pinches turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ¼ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
- ¼ teaspoon chaat masala powder
- 1 tablespoon Rice Flour or besan (gram flour) or chickpea flour or corn flour
- ¼ teaspoon black salt
- ¼ teaspoon regular salt or add as required
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For basting (oven method)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons oil – optional
For pan frying (stovetop method)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil
Serving suggestions
- 1 onion – medium-sized, thinly sliced
- 1 lime or lemon, quartered
- chaat masala to sprinkle, as required
Instructions
Making green paste
- In a small blender jar take the rinsed coriander leaves and rinsed mint leaves.
- Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies.
- Then add fresh curd or yogurt.
- Grind to a fine and smooth paste without adding any water.
Making marination
- Take the finely ground green paste in a bowl.
- Add the following ingredients one by one – carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dry mango powder and chaat masala powder.
- Next add rice flour followed by ¼ teaspoon black salt and ¼ teaspoon regular salt or add as required.
- Add the lemon juice and Mix everything very well.
- Add paneer cubes.
- Gently mix the paneer cubes with the green marinade.
- Cover with a lid and marinate for minimum 30 minutes at room temperature or a couple of hours in the fridge.
Grilling in oven
- Now thread the paneer cubes in a bamboo or metal skewer.Rinse or soak bamboo skewers (for 10 minutes) in water, so that they do not get burnt.
- Place the skewers on a metal rack (kept on top of a baking tray to collect the drippings) or straightaway on a baking tray that is lined with a foil or parchment paper.
- Keep the tray in an oven which is already preheated at 250° C/480° F for 10 minutes. Keep in center rack and grill at 250° C/480° F with only the top heating element on.
- Halfway through grilling, remove the pan from oven, roughly after 8 to 10 minutes.
- Brush some oil on the paneer cubes. You can skip oil if you prefer.
- Turn over the skewers and brush oil on the other side of the paneer cubes too.
- Keep the tray back in the oven and continue to grill for 8 to 10 minutes or till you see a few charred spots at the edges of the paneer cubes. Overall you need to grill the tikka for a total of 16 to 20 minutes.
- Serve grilled tikka with mint-curd chutney or coriander chutney.
- Sprinkle some chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Also accompany some onion slices and lemon wedges.
Pan frying Paneer Hariyali Tikka (Stovetop Method)
- Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a tawa or flat skillet.
- Coat the paneer cubes well with the marinade and place them on the skillet or tawa. Pan fry paneer cubes on medium heat.
- When one side is crisp and golden, turn each paneer cubes and fry the second side.
- Fry the second side also till crisp and golden. Flip a couple of times for even frying. Do add more oil if needed. This way fry the paneer cubes in batches of two or three.
- Remove the pan-fried paneer cubes in a plate. You can place them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
- Once the heat is enough to handle, then you can thread them on toothpicks. Or you can just serve them directly with small fork or toothpicks.
- Serve crispy pan-fried Paneer Hariyali Tikka made with mint chutney or coriander chutney. Sprinkle a few pinches of chaat masala on the tikka before serving. Opt to accompany some onion slices and lemon wedges if you like.
Notes
- Veggies like onion, tomato and capsicum (bell pepper) can be added in the marination together with the paneer cubes.
- Oil can be skipped if you prefer.
- You can add the ground spice powders more or less as per your preferences.
- Tofu can be substituted instead of paneer.
- Note that the approximate nutrition info is for the grilled tikka made in the oven.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Hariyali Paneer Tikka from the archives first published on March 2014 has been updated and republished on March 2023.
Can we prepare this recipe in the bati making tandoor??
You can try
Most awaited recipe n atlast found on ur website only.. very happy.. thanks a lot Dassana:))))**
welcome pooni and do try. this recipes gives very good chatpata taste.
How can make them without oven? Please suggest.
fry the paneer cubes in 2 to 3 tablespoons oil on a tawa till crisp and golden. i will share the tawa version in a few days.
Lovely recipes which i follow mostly everyday. Thank you.
welcome sonu