Paneer Shawarma Dip

paneer with hummus arranged on a platter with naans placed on the side

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With layers of hummus, spiced paneer, fresh onion-tomato salad and topped with tahini sauce and pomegranate, this Paneer Shawarma Dip is a definite crowd pleaser for holiday gatherings!

Prep Time1

Cook Time15

Resting Time30

Total Time1 45

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: people

Author: Manali Singh

Ingredients

For the paneer marinade

3 tablespoons yogurt I used Greek Yogurt, if using plain yogurt, make sure it's thick
2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 & ½ tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste, around 1/4 teaspoon
black freshly freshly ground
500 grams paneer as blocks, do not cut into cubes

For the hummus

16 oz hummus I used store-bought hummus
1 teaspoon sambal oelek or any hot sauce, add more to taste
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the tahini sauce

2 large garlic cloves grated
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
3 tablespoons water cold, adjust to desired consistency

For the onion-tomato salad

1 medium red onion thinly sliced
10-12 cherry tomatoes halved
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
¼ teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
black pepper to taste

naan, pita bread, naan crisps, to serve

pomegranate arils, to serve

Instructions

Make the marinade

To make the marinade for the paneer, in a large bowl, add all the ingredients listed under "for the paneer marinade". Use a wire whisk to mix everything together.
Add the paneer blocks and coat the blocks with the marinade evenly from all sides. Cover and refrigerate this for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 to 3 hours. This step can also be done overnight to save time in the morning.

Make the hummus

Transfer store-bought hummus into a bowl and add the hot sauce and smoked paprika to it. Mix with a wire whisk until combined. Taste test and add more of the hot sauce if desired. Set this aside.

Make the tahini sauce

To make the tahini sauce, grate garlic cloves in a bowl and add lemon juice to it and let it sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to infuse. Then strain the lemon juice using a strainer and discard the garlic. To the same bowl, now add tahini, cumin powder and mix using a wire whisk.
The mixture will be very thick in the beginning, start adding cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and keep stirring until it reaches a pouring consistency. I added around 3 tablespoons water. Set this aside.

Make the onion-tomato salad

To a large bowl, add sliced onions, cherry tomatoes, parsley, sumac, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands for a minute as this helps in releasing the moisture from the onions. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it sit 10 minutes.

Cook the paneer

Heat a cast iron pan on medium-high heat and then place the marinated blocks of paneer over it. Cook the paneer, flipping it once in between until it is nicely golden brown/little charred from both sides. You can also place it in the oven on broil for 3 minutes at the end to make it little charred.
Once cooked, remove the paneer blocks from the pan and let them cool down a little. Then cut into strips lengthwise. If you are planning to serve this dip in small cups, cut the paneer into small cubes.

Assemble the dip

To assemble the dip, take your serving platter and place the hummus at the bottom of the platter. Spread it using the back of your spoon. Top with the paneer strips, followed by the onion-tomato salad, and finally a drizzle of the tahini sauce. You can also add some pomegranate arils on top. Serve with naan, pita bread, naan crackers.
If you want to serve this in individual bowls/cups, take your bowl and add layer of hummus at the bottom. Then add the paneer cubes, some onion-tomato salad, drizzle with tahini sauce and add some pomegranate seeds on top. Serve with a naan wedge or a small pita bread.

Notes

You can do the paneer marinade a night before you plan to serve the dish. This will make it much easier to assemble the dip the next day. Use store-bought hummus to make things easier during the holiday time.

Nutrition