PANEER TIKKA

PANEER TIKKA

In South Africa and in many southern African countries barbecue is called braai. Braai word came from the Afrikaans language which is now one of the official languages of South Africa. This language was spoken by early Dutch settlers of Africa. This language has adopted words from many African and European languages (such as Portuguese and English), and now is widely spoken in South Africa and Namibia.

After my long stay in southern Africa, now I am so much used to this word- braai, that I am finding barbecue is a long word to pronounce. Anyhow I will have to get used to it, as the proverb says – “When you are in Rome do as Romans do”.

When I talk about braai I mean barbecue, I remember one incidence of the early 90s, when I was teaching in Africa, in my school there was a party for teachers, in which they were planning to do a braai in the evening. It was a social gathering for all staff members of the school, and they had no idea of roasting anything for vegetarians like me. I thought I will attend the party for a short time and then will go home and eat my dinner later at home.

While I was thinking about that, a colleague of mine said, “You don't know what are you missing, because you do not eat meat, what are you going to eat this evening, are you going to roast cabbage”? I felt offended but was not in a mood to answer him back then and there. In the evening, when we were chatting in the braai gathering, I asked the same colleague of mine, “Do you smoke?”, he quickly answered “No, not at all”, then I told him, “Oh no, you do not know what are you missing because you do not smoke”. He looked at me and realized his mistake and said “sorry, I didn't mean to offend you”.

20 years ago, being vegetarian in Africa was a twofold challenge. One is to get vegetarian food in social gatherings and another one was to convince people about vegetarianism so as to have a respect for it. But now things are changing in Africa, people are slowly becoming conscious of vegetarian food and their importance for good health.

Coming to the recipe, this is a very good, and a very well recognized Indian barbecue recipe - Paneer Tikka, which is available in many Indian Restaurants in India and Abroad. In Restaurants, it is mainly served as starters to increase the appetite. This can also be served as a side dish with other light meals or salads during a barbecue party.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS-

• 500 grams Paneer, cut in big square pieces
• 2 big red pepper, chopped in big pieces
• 2 big green pepper, chopped in big pieces
• 200 grams pineapple (fresh or tinned), chopped in big pieces
• 200 grams baby potatoes
• 2 big onions chopped in big pieces

To marinate

• ½ L dahi (yoghurt)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• a small piece of ginger
• 2 tbs chat masala
• salt to taste

Method

• Mix all the spices well in yoghurt.
• Take all the vegetables and wrap this mixture separately and leave them aside to marinate for 2-3 hour.
• Arrange them in the same order in skewers as shown in the picture.
• Roast on barbecue stand for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally till they are roasted.
  Serve hot with other salads or as the starter.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post entry for What'd you do this weekend and- with Meatless Monday, and with Creative kids and with Hearth and Soul blog hop,, and with Healthy and Happy party,and with Cook Blog Share, and with What are you working on the project on Wednesday, with two favorite things on Thursday, and with Treat petite for July, with Extra veg for July and with Helen at Fuss free flavours, and with Fabulous Friday and with Food and Fitness Friday and with Funtastic Friday, and with Fiesta Friday and Real Food Friday.