History/Trivia and Fun Facts
Tikka is a dish consisting of pieces of meat or vegetarian alternatives, with its origins tracing back to the ancient Babylon. The term 'tikka' was given in the mughal era. It is made by marinating the pieces in spices and yogurt, and cooking them in a tandoor. Tikka is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent and also in the United Kingdom.
Origin
The precise origin of the dish is uncertain. Recipes for cooked meat enriched with spices and mixed within a sauce date back to 1700 BCE found on cuneiform tablets near Babylon, credited to the Sumerians. During the Mughal dynasty, the Mughals called"boneless pieces of cooked meat" Tikka to India
There are different varieties of the dish, both meat inclusive and vegetarian. Generally, the dish is defined as "an Indian dish of small pieces of meat or vegetables marinated in a spice mixture".
Preparation
Tikka consists of boneless pieces of meat or vegetarian alternatives such as paneer, which are marinated in spices and yogurt and subsequently strung through a skewer to be cooked. It is generally cooked in a tandoor and served dry.
Variations
Indian-subcontinent variations: The Indian variations of Tikka are the roots of the Western variations, including Chicken tikka and Paneer tikka, which are generally served dry. Cross-cultural variations: Regular chicken and paneer tikka have been combined with dishes from other cultures such as Mexican cuisine to create hybrid dishes such as Tikka Masala Burritos, which are served with either chicken or paneer as their main ingredient
Popularity
In Britain
A study was undertaken in the 1990s that revealed British interest in foreign food, with chicken tikka being a favourite filling in the British Rail sandwich.
In India
A study of 670 foreign tourists at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, attempted to show the street food preferences of foreign tourists in the city, along with the reason for their selection. Of the 17 most preferred street foods, chicken tikka was the most favoured, with tourists preferring mildly flavoured foods that are hygienically prepared.
During the cricket World Cup in 2018, restaurants in the host city served dishes named after cricket players using cricket terminology. For instance, paneer tikka was renamed Dhoni da Tikka after former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and chicken tikka was renamed Virat's Straight Drive after Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli.
Marination Trivia
Marination is the process of soaking foods in a liquid before cooking. The idea is to add flavor, and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat..
The liquid in question, the 'marinade', may be acidic (made with ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or wine) or enzymatic (made with ingredients such as pineapple, papaya or kiwifruit). In addition to these ingredients, a marinade often contains oils, herbs, and spices to further flavour the food
The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines. For example, in Indian cuisine the marinade is usually prepared with a mixture of blends.
Paneer Trivia
Paneer (pronounced [/pəˈniːr/]), also known as ponir (pronounced [po̯nir]) or ̯ Indian cottage cheese, is a fresh acid-set cheese common in the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) made from cow or buffalo milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese made by curdling milk with a fruit- or vegetable-derived acid, such as lemon juice. Its acid-set form (curd) before pressing is called chhen
Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is readily available in restaurants, so we must wonder why to make it at home. Here are some of the reasons why I prefer making it at home
1. You can use the best quality ingredients to make it. When you get it from a restaurant, you cannot be sure of the quality of the paneer, chicken or vegetables used and the spices used.
2. Homemade tastes much better.
3. It is much more economical to make it at home.
4. Homemade tikka is free of any artificial colors and flavor enhancers.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃)
- Thread the marinated Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable in the skewers along with onions and green bell peppers (capsicum).
- Line the skewers on a foil-lined baking tray.
- Grill for 10-12 minutes.
- Pull the tray from the oven and brush the skewers generously with salted butter. Flip and brush with butter on the other side as well.
- Return the tray to the oven and grill for another 10-12 minutes.
- Change the oven setting to BROIL and broil the skewers for 3-4 minutes until they are slightly charred.
- Remove the tikka from the oven and serve hot.
- Line the drip tray of the fryer with aluminum foil.
- Place the marinated Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable pieces in the basket in a single layer.
- Air fry at 400℉ (200℃) for 8-10 minutes.
- Brush with butter, flip, and brush with butter on the other side.
- Air fry for another 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked and slightly charred.
- Thread the marinated Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable in the skewers along with onions and green bell peppers (capsicum).
- Add 2 tablespoon oil to the frying pan and place the skewers on it.
- Cook from one side for 4-5 minutes or till the chicken is nicely brown. Brush with butter, flip, and apply butter on the other side. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable is cooked through.
- Now roast the skewers over direct heat for a few seconds on each side to get that slightly burned flavor. Sprinkle lemon juice and chaat masala over it and serve.
- Preheat the microwave to 400 F (200 C) on the convection setting.
- Thread the marinated Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable in the skewers along with onions and green bell peppers (capsicum).
- Place the skewers on the grill pan in your microwave and put a tray underneath to catch drippings.
- Cook for 25-230 minutes or till the Paneer/Chicken/Vegetable is nicely grilled and turns brown from all sides. Turn them around in between and apply some butter to get even color on the tikka