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Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala

Slightly sweet and creamy curry of paneer (fresh cheese made from curdled milk) made with mainly tomato, cream and cashew along with spices.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Paneer cubes
  • 3 tbsp Butter salted or unsalted is fine
  • 2 cup Tomato Roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup Onion Roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup Cashew nuts
  • 2 pieces Cinnamon
  • 3 qty Kashmiri red chilies
  • 3 qty Green cardamom
  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 1 +1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Kasuri methi
  • 1 tbsp Fresh cream

Method
 

To make gravy
  1. Heat 2 tbsp of butter, add roughly chopped onions, cinnamon, kashmiri red chilis, green cardamom, ginger garlic paste, cashew nuts & tomato. Mix all ingredients well.
  2. Add a pinch to half tsp of salt. Adding salt helps ingredients like tomato and onion release water and cook quickly.
  3. Cover the lid and cook till tomato's are soft, this will take approximately 5mins
  4. Let the mixture cool and then grind it to fine paste, gravy is ready
  5. To make paneer butter masala
  6. Add remaining 1 tbsp of butter in the pan, add 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala to melted butter & fry quickly, do not let it burn
  7. Pour the masala paste prepared earlier & add water to maintain creamy consistency
  8. Cover and cook until oil is released, this will take approximately 5 minutes
  9. If masala paste becomes too thick, add water to adjust consistency
  10. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar & 1 tsp kasuri methi, mix it well
  11. Add paneer cubes and mix gently in the gravy
  12. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes and then let it simmer for some more time to get desired consistency
For garnishing
  1. Garnish with some heavy cream, butter and chopped coriander leaves
Serving instructions
  1. Serve hot with naan, roti, paratha or steamed basamati or jeera rice
  2. Accompany it with some sliced onion, green chili and pickle

Notes

  • Salt : Adjust quantity of salt if you are using salted butter
  • Gravy : Make sure to add salt as soon as you add tomato as this will release the water and help tomato get softer fast
  • Cream : You can add fresh cream before adding Paneer if you desire more creamy taste
  • Paneer : Use soft paneer either store bought or homemade. You can optionally fry the paneer cubes before adding to gravy