Paneer Tikka Masala
Low Carb Keto Friendly Paneer Tikka Masala
Once you get acquainted to Indian cuisine, certain dishes will stand out to you. Paneer Tikka Masala curry in a creamy sauce is one such dish. It is an amazing combination of spiciness, tempered by the cooling effect of the cream and paneer. This low carb keto friendly version of the paneer tikka masala is particularly tasty, eaten with some cauliflower fried rice or low carb tortillas. My husband and I like to eat Indian pickles with it too, but they are an acquired taste (do give them a try, they are amazing, albeit a bit spicy)
This is probably one of the first Indian curries I learned how to cook, courtesy of one of my friends. We have updated it and taken off things to suit a keto and low carb diet though.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 250 g paneer (homemade paneer recipe). You can also buy it at any Indian grocery store.
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
Sauce
- 1 medium onion (about 70 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 8 g jalapeno/green chilli pepper
- 2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
- 2.5 tbsp coconut oil
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the paneer into cubes and mix it with the turmeric, salt and oil. Let it marinade for about 10-15minutes.
- Heat up about 1 tbsp coconut oil in a non-stick pan and shallow fry the paneer on all sides till it gets golden brow. Remove and set aside until your sauce is ready.
- In the same pan, add 1 tbsp coconut oil and fry the onion. When the onion is golden brown, add the garlic, ginger and the jalapeno pepers. Fry till you the oil starts seeping out.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and let it cook for another 5-7 mins. Remove and puree in a food processor. An immersion blender will also work.
- Add 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil to the pan and pour the pureed mixture back into the pan. Let the water from the paste evaporate and add the spices. Let it cook for another 5-7 mins.
- Once you see some oil seeping out of the paste (the mixture will turn darker in color), add the cream and let it cook for another 2 mins. Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer for 5 mins or till it starts boiling.
- Reintroduce the paneer in the sauce and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle some cilantro on top and serve hot riced cauliflower or low carb tortillas.
Notes
- You can marinade the paneer with any spices you want, be careful though of them burning and turning bitter while frying (I would avoid chili powder, it has the tendency to burn).
- Pureed tomatoes will work really well in this curry too.
- If the curry is too spicy for your taste, add some more cream. That should help cut down on the spice level.
Nutrition Information
- Number of Servings 4
- Calories Per Serving 450
- Fat 42g
- Carbs 7g
- Fiber 1g
- Net Carbs 6g
- Protein 15g
- Fat 82%, Protein 13%, Net Carbs 5%
