Diet by Priyanka
Paneer tikka with cucumber, onion and pomegranate
Pan-seared paneer tikka cubes tossed with cucumber, onion and pomegranate seeds. One plate is 392 kcal, 28.4 g protein and 17.1 g net carbohydrate.
Why this dish works
Pomegranate is fruit, and it is on the plate for a reason: two tablespoons give the dish a sweet and sour edge that no spice can. Two tablespoons is also where it stops, because at four the carbohydrate figure stops being useful.
Pan-searing paneer in a dry hot pan before anything else touches it gives you a browned surface that holds the masala. Paneer added to a wet masala just absorbs water and goes soft.
This is the highest-carbohydrate paneer dish on the site at 17.1 g, and the onion and the pomegranate are the reason. Halve both and you are at about 11 g.
What you need
Makes one plate:
- 150 g paneer, cut into thick cubes
- 1 tsp oil or ghee
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cucumber, diced
- ¼ onion, sliced fine
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- A handful of coriander leaves
- Juice of half a lemon
How to make it
Toss the paneer cubes with the chilli powder, salt and half the cumin, using no water at all.
Heat the oil in a heavy pan until it is hot, add the paneer in one layer, and leave it alone for two minutes so a crust forms. Turn each cube once and give it another minute.
Take the paneer off the heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Hot paneer will wilt the cucumber.
Toss the paneer with the cucumber, onion, coriander, lemon juice, chaat masala and the rest of the cumin. Scatter the pomegranate over the top instead of mixing it in, so it stays whole.
Nutrition per plate
| Calories | 392 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28.4 g |
| Fat | 22.8 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 17.1 g |
| Fibre | 2.4 g |
Figures are for one plate built on 150 g of paneer, half a cucumber, a quarter onion and 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds. The onion and pomegranate account for most of the 17.1 g.
Who this suits
Twenty eight grams of vegetarian protein on one plate makes this useful when meat is not an option. The vegetarian protein page covers where else that comes from.
At 17.1 g of carbohydrate this is not a strict keto plate. On a prediabetes plan, drop the pomegranate and it becomes one.
Have a question about this recipe?
Priyanka answers WhatsApp herself. Ask about ingredient swaps, portion size, or whether this dish suits what you are working on:
There is no charge for a question, and you will be talking to Priyanka, not an assistant.
More from Priyanka’s kitchen
Every published recipe is listed on the low-carb recipes page, with macronutrients listed for each.
If this one worked for you, these are close cousins from the same plans:
- Paneer bhurji plate with raita and chutney
- Dry paneer sabzi with capsicum and tomato
- Dry paneer chilli
- Low-carb paneer and vegetable jalfrezi
Recipes work best inside a plan built around your history and your routine. To start there, book a Discovery Call with Priyanka.
These meals come from the same plans Priyanka builds for PCOS, thyroid, prediabetes and fatty liver support.
Written by Priyanka Chanana, nutritionist, practising since 2021. Nutrition support runs alongside medical care rather than replacing it.