India

Paneer tikka bao

A pillowy bun hugging a charred tikka. Taiwan and Punjab, sitting together nicely.

120 minTime

22 gProtein each

mediumSpice

Make it your way

Grandma's wayThe original. Handle with reverence.

The original

557kcal

22 gprotein

3 gfibre

120minutes

Per serving, worked out from the ingredient table. Grandma's way is the starting point the other versions are compared with.

Maida (all-purpose flour, plain flour)2 cups

Instant dry yeast1 tsp

Sugar1 tbsp

Baking powder¾ tsp

Milk½ cup plus 1 tbsp, lukewarm

Cooking oil (vegetable oil)1 tbsp, divided

Salt1 tsp, divided

Paneer250 g, cut into 8 slabs

Hung curd (greek yogurt)¼ cup

Kashmiri chilli powder1½ tsp

Garam masala½ tsp

Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)½ tsp

Ginger garlic paste2 tsp

Lemon juice2 tsp

Mustard oil2 tsp

Onion1 medium, thinly sliced

Vinegar1 tbsp

Cucumber½, cut into sticks

Eggless mayonnaise (eggless mayo)3 tbsp

Mint leavesa handful, chopped

7 steps

1Mix the maida, yeast, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add the milk and 1 tsp oil and knead 8 minutes. Cover and prove 1 hour.
2Divide into 8. Roll each into a 12 cm oval, brush lightly with oil and fold in half over a small strip of parchment. Rest 20 minutes on parchment squares.
3Steam over boiling water for 10 minutes. Wait 3 minutes before opening the lid.
4Meanwhile mix the hung curd, chilli powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, mustard oil and remaining salt. Coat the paneer and rest 20 minutes.
5Toss the onion with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Mix the mayo with the mint.
6Sear the paneer on a hot tawa with the remaining oil, 2 minutes a side, until charred in spots.
7Open each bao, spread mint mayo, add cucumber, a paneer slab and pickled onion.

Serve it like this

Stand the bao upright in a row on a board, fillings facing out, with extra mint mayo on the side.

Bloom picks tonight's dinner for your diet and allergies, then cooks it with you step by step.