Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer butter masala is a tangy and sweet gravy almost always paired with naan. It's the vegetarian version of the butter chicken masala, made by replacing chicken with paneer or cottage chees.e
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 200 g Paneer/Cottage cheese (cubed)
- 3 medium sized ripe tomatoes
- 1 big onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1" piece ginger
- 3 cashew nuts
- 3-4 whole Kashmiri chillies
- 1/2 cup fresh cream
- honey/sugar to taste
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder/all-spice powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- a big pinch kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
- salt to taste
- water as needed
Replacement for cream
- 1 tbsp milk powder
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1 tsp condensed milk
Instructions
- Soak the frozen paneer cubes in hot water for about 10 minutes. Once it softens, lightly squeeze out the water. Saute the paneer cubes in a tsp of butter, till it just heats up all over, and keep aside. The paneer should not change color.
- In a bit of butter, around 1-2 tsps, add the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, cashews, and red chillies. Add 1/2 tsp of salt. Saute well till the raw flavor of the onions and garlic disappear.
- Once it fries, add the chopped tomatoes and 1tsp of sugar, to mellow down the tanginess of the tomatoes.
- Saute well till all the water from the tomatoes evaporate. Cool down and grind in a blender or mixer. Strain the puree using a big-eyed sieve to remove the tomato seeds.
- In the same pan melt a tbsp of butter. Add the strained puree and cook.
- Once it starts boiling, add the turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and Kasuri methi.
- If the gravy is too thick add half a cup of water and the required salt.
- Cook till you get a nice aroma, and the gravy thickens a bit. Now add the sauteed paneer pieces and cook for 2 minutes. Add the honey.
- Simmer the flame and add the cream, little by little slowly stirring till it all incorporates into the gravy. Once it reaches the required consistency switch off and garnish with coriander leaves. Do not let the gravy boil once you add the cream, as it will curdle.
- But if you are like me, and you do not have a stock of cream in your house, then create the dummy cream using the recipe above, and use it in place of cream.
- Serve hot with Naan.