Paneer Tikka Masala with Homemade Cheese

Preparation

• 1
  First, we prepare the paneer cheese. Bring 1 liter of whole milk to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from burning.
• 2
  Once the milk boils and forms foam, add the lemon juice. The milk should immediately begin to curdle. Continue stirring gently until the solids have completely separated from the whey. If necessary, add a little more lemon juice.
• 3
  Line a sieve with a clean kitchen towel and pour the curdled milk into it. Let the liquid drain. Wrap the towel and carefully squeeze out the remaining liquid (caution, very hot!).
• 4
  Briefly rinse the cheese in the towel under cold water (only the outside of the towel), place it back in the sieve, and weigh it down with a heavy object (e.g., a mortar). Let the cheese press for about 40 minutes.
• 5
  In the meantime, we prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Blend the garlic, peeled ginger, 1 tbsp oil, and a pinch of salt into a smooth paste.
• 6
  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add 2 tbsp of the ginger-garlic paste and the finely diced onions. Fry everything over medium heat until golden brown.
• 7
  Add the diced tomatoes and fry them until they soften and the oil slightly separates.
• 8
  Stir in the Tikka curry paste and 100 ml water. Let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool briefly.
• 9
  Stir the Greek yogurt into the cooled sauce until a smooth, creamy Tikka Masala base forms. Season with salt.
• 10
  Cut the finished paneer into cubes of approx. 2-3 cm. Fry them in a pan with a little oil until golden brown and set aside.
• 11
  Return the Tikka sauce to the pan. If it is too thick, add a splash of water. Add the paneer cubes, the remaining onions, and the finely chopped bell pepper and let everything simmer together briefly.
• 12
  Garnish the dish with fresh cilantro. Serve the Paneer Tikka Masala with cooked Basmati rice and warm naan bread.