Paneer Tikka Sizzler with Makhni Sauce and assorted vegetables

2:28 PM

The word "sizzler" comes from the sizzle that one hears when, after heating the dish under a grill , the gravy is poured on, which dribbles on the hot plate and heats up. Sizzler" is an open-roasted, grilled or shallow fried piece of meat, chicken, fish or vegetables, served with french fries, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, french beans etc., served on a metal or stone hot plate, kept on a wooden base.

Sizzlers are a hot favorite with people of all ages and tastes. They are basically a combination of one main dish served with a choice of sauces and a large variety of accompaniments, and are a complete meal by themselves. Sizzlers can be either sweet, sour or of any flavor. The most common sizzlers are the non vegetarian ones — fish, mutton, and chicken, but the vegetarian ones tastes yummy as well. Vegetable sizzlers are always a special offering of all the star restaurant of today.

Sizzler is a dish which I usually don’t make at home. Because it needs different utensil made with iron (because it retains heat for long time) and consist wooden stand to hold the iron plate. The food that will be served on sizzler plate should be made earlier, then heat the plate for long time(at least 5 minutes). Before serving assemble the food, put some sauce on the top which makes the sizzler sizzle and serve immediately.

So when this week’s theme of Sizzlers are chosen by my fellow bloggers for our 20th Foodie Monday Blog Hop theme , I was a little apprehensive , how to make this dish in the absence of a sizzler plate. I am so fortunate to have these charming friend of mine Rupal and Wagmi who encouraged me to try this dish at home and can be served on any hot nonstick thing available at home. This prompts me to think about the possibility of making what kind of sizzler dish and how to get the sizzling effect I could bring in the dish. The whole process was a learning experience from cooking the dish, learning about it’s history and photographing it.

When we look into the type of sizzler dish you can try at home, the choice is endless with Continental Sizzler, Indonesian Sizzler, Italian Sizzler, Lebanese Sizzler, Indian Sizzler, Mexican Sizzler, Thai Sizzler to name a few. Sizzlers are fun, no doubt, but is it possible to indulge in that fun without the scare of excessive calories? Yes, you can try this Indian Sizzler of Paneer Tikka served on sweet rice and some assorted winter vegetables and with the rich makhni gravy to balance out the flavour of the dish. Shake off the guilt occassionally and enjoy this sizzler as a one dish meal piping hot, with an excellent company on a lazy weekend.

Ingredients For The Paneer Tikkas:

500 grams paneer cut into cubes

1 cup hung curd

2 nos of large onions cut into thick wedges

1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 Green Bell Pepper and 1 yellow Bell pepper cut into squares

1 teaspoon Besan

1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste

1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder

½ teaspoon garam Masala

½ Teaspoon dried Kasoori Methi

1 small bunch of Coriander Leaves finely chopped

2 tablespoon of Mustard Oil

Salt

Let's Learn How to make these Paneer Tikka:

Combine the curd, besan, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, chopped coriander, salt ,1 tablespoon of mustard oil and mix well to prepare a marinade.

Add the paneer, onions and capsicum to it and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

Soak the wooden sticks in water for 15 minutes , if you are using barbecue skewers you do not need to do this.

Arrange the paneer, onions and capsicum on these bamboo sticks.

Heat 1 tablespoon of mustard oil on a non-stick tava and sauté the paneer tikkas on all sides till they are lightly browned.

Ingredient for the saffron Flavoured Sweet Rice

1 cup basmati rice

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoon desi ghee

3 to 4 black pepper

2 to 3 cloves

2 green cardamom

1 black cardamom

1 bay leaf

1 small pieces of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 1/2 cup warm water

1 tablespoon Cashew nuts for garnishing

1 tablespoon Raisins for garnishing

1 tablespoon milk

a generous pinch of saffron

Lets learn how to make the saffron flavoured Sweet Rice:

Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water and spread it on a clean cloth and keep under a fan so that no water remains in the rice. Smear turmeric on the rice and keep aside.

Place a heavy bottomed pan on the stove. Add one spoon of desi ghee and when the ghee gets heated, add the cashew nuts and raisins into the pan.

Roast them till they turn golden brown color and then remove the nuts from the pan.

Now pour one more spoon of ghee into the pan then add pepper, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, green and black cardamom into the pan. Sauté for few minutes. Add the rice and fry on medium heat till the rice turns a little brown.

Add warm water and salt into the pan. Add the saffron infused milk ,mix well and cover with a lid.

Cook on a low flame till the rice is half cooked and then add the sugar and cook till the rice is fully done.Switch off the stove.Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

Ingredients for the Makhni Sauce

4 large tomatoes , roughly chopped

2 cloves

10 cashew nuts

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 large onion finely chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

3 tbsp fresh cream

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp kasoori methi

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

1 tsp of sugar

Lets learn how to make the Makhni sauce:

Boil the tomatoes, cloves, cashewnuts and oil with ¼ cup water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Blend to a smooth purée and strain the purée through a sieve and keep aside.
Melt the butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.When the seeds crackle, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds. Add the onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown. Add the strained purée, chilli powder, sugar and salt.
Cook with ¼ th cup of warm water and when it reduces to the desired consistency, add the cream, garam masala, kasuri methi and take it away from heat.