Air Fryer Paneer Skewers

Paneer skewers, also known as Paneer Tikka, are one of my favourite vegetarian recipes for summer. These chunky paneer pieces are tossed in a yogurt-based marinade full of warm and vibrant spices, creating a smoky skewer that can be cooked on a grill, in an air fryer, pan, or oven. Serve this dish with fresh naan, minty cilantro chutney and pickled onions.

• Paneer: I love the texture and thickness of paneer for skewers and any type of paneer will work.
• Peppers: Bell peppers or capsicums add a beautiful crunch and colour.
• Onions: For skewers, I love adding red onions for the sweetness, but you can substitute it for white onions.
• Spices: This recipe uses garam masala, coriander seeds, kasuri methi (fenugreek), tandoori masala, salt and hot cayenne for a little heat.
• Lemon juice: Use only fresh lemon juice and avoid using the bottled juice since it is too sour for this marinade.
• Garlic and ginger: Freshly grated ginger and garlic are a must for paneer skewers as the freshness really extenuates the flavours of this dish, but you can also use store-bought garlic and ginger paste for convenience.
• Yogurt: Any thick curd works, whether dahi (Indian yogurt) or Greek yogurt. But I would not recommend low-fat yogurt as the fats are required to thicken the marinade.
• Mustard oil: Mustard oil is my favourite for paneer tikka due to its unbeatable flavour. However, I don’t usually cook with mustard oil so my trick is to use a spoonful of mustard oil from a container of achar (south-asian pickle). So it’s basically a two-in-one, where you get mustard oil infused from the mangos and spices within the achar. You can substitute the mustard oil with extra virgin olive oil, but the flavours will not be the same.

Step 1: Dice up the paneer, onions and bell peppers into 2-inch squares.

Step 2: In a bowl, combine the yogurt, kasuri methi, garlic, ginger, mustard oil, garam masala, crushed coriander seeds tandoori masala, cayenne, and salt. Mix with a whisk.

Step 3: Add the cubed paneer, onions and bell peppers into the yogurt mixture and stir. Ensure that all the paneer and vegetables are evenly coated. Allow the paneer and vegetables to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Step 4: Soak your wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes before assembling.

Step 4: Depending on the length of your skewer, add an even amount of paneer, onions and peppers. I usually add about 2 paneers, 3 bell peppers and 3 onion pieces onto each skeweer.

Step 5: Preheat the air fryer to 375 Fahrenheit. Place the skewers an inch apart in the air fryer basket. Either spray or brush the paneer with some oil and air fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Then flip the paneer, add more oil and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Avoid overcooking the paneer or else it will turn chewy.