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1. Pat the paneer dry and cut into roughly 3cm cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, juice of the lemon, tandoori masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, Kashmiri chili powder, oil, and 1 tsp of the salt until smooth.
0.5 cup Plain full-fat yogurt,
1 piece Lemon,
2 tbsp Tandoori masala powder,
1 tsp Ground cumin,
1 tsp Ground coriander,
1 tsp Smoked paprika,
0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder,
1 tsp Salt,
2 tbsp Neutral oil (e.g. sunflower)
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2. Add the paneer cubes to the marinade and toss gently to coat every piece. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature (or up to 1 hour in the fridge for deeper flavor). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly oiled foil.
500 g Paneer
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3. Spread the marinated paneer in a single layer on the prepared tray. Bake for 18–20 minutes, turning once halfway, until the edges are lightly charred and the paneer has a golden, slightly caramelized crust. Remove from the oven and immediately dust with garam masala.
0.5 tsp Garam masala
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4. Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine with water and the remaining 0.5 tsp of salt in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
0.5 tsp Salt,
1.5 cup Basmati rice,
2.5 cup Water
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5. Finely chop the mint leaves and cilantro. Whisk together with the yogurt for the sauce, lemon juice for the sauce, and ground cumin for the sauce until smooth and vibrant green. Season to taste with salt.
0.8 cup Plain full-fat yogurt (for sauce),
0.2 cup Fresh mint leaves,
0.2 cup Fresh cilantro,
1 tbsp Lemon juice (for sauce),
0.2 tsp Ground cumin (for sauce)
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6. Thinly slice the red onion, halve the cherry tomatoes, and thinly slice the cucumber. Divide the fluffy rice among four bowls. Top generously with baked tandoori paneer, then arrange cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and red onion around the paneer. Drizzle the herb yogurt sauce over the top and serve immediately.
0.5 piece English cucumber,
0.5 piece Red onion,
1 cup Cherry tomatoes
By mansi