Mild, squishy paneer has a talent for drinking up all of a marinade’s bold flavors, so it excels as a grillable vegetarian protein, supported particularly well here by an herby green chutney. The spice-filled yogurt-based marinade features Indian mustard oil, which adds pungency and aroma. (In America, bottles are often labeled “for external use only,” due to past restrictions; vegetable oil works as a substitute.) The paneer cubes are skewered and grilled until soft on the inside and charred on the outside. Serve with cool, crunchy lettuce and plenty of limes.
Chef Chintan Pandya says the best paneer is made at his string of New York City restaurants; since that’s not widely available, we recommend the next best version from our favorite, Sach Foods. If paneer is hard to find, use another sturdy cheese like Halloumi for similar results.
What you’ll need
Spice Mill
$60 $50 At Kitchen Aid
Stainless Steel Skewers
$7 At Amazon
Blender
$49 $40 At Amazon
Brush
$2 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$25 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$18 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Green Chutney
Paneer and assembly
Special equipment
Ingredient Information
Preparation
Green Chutney
Step 1
Purée ½ small red onion, 3 green Thai chiles or small serrano chiles, 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, one ½" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, 1½ cups (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems, 1 cup (packed) mint leaves, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. sugar, and ¼ cup water in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until ready to serve.
Paneer and assembly
Step 2
Toast 2 tsp. cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until slightly darkened in color and very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice mill or mortar and pestle and let cool, then finely grind.
Step 3
Heat ⅔ cup mustard oil* or vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high until shimmering. Immediately pour into a heatproof medium bowl; let cool until lukewarm. (Heating mustard oil reduces its pungency.) Stir in cumin, 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 tsp. garam masala, and 1 tsp. ground turmeric to combine, then whisk in 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, one 2" piece ginger, finely grated, 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, and 2 tsp. ajwain seeds or caraway seeds. Add four 6-oz. blocks paneer, cut into 4 cubes each to marinade and toss gently to coat. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
Step 4
Prepare a grill for medium heat; oil grate with vegetable oil. Remove paneer from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl, and thread onto skewers (3 or 4 cubes per skewer); discard marinade. Grill, brushing with vegetable oil and turning halfway through, until grill marks appear, 6–8 minutes total. If paneer sticks to grate, use a metal spatula to gently release.
Step 5
Line a platter with lettuce leaves; arrange skewers on top. Drizzle paneer with reserved chutney and sprinkle with chaat masala (if using). Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Do Ahead: Paneer can be marinated 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipe notes
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