One of the most loved vegetarian dishes...Paneer Butter Masala!!
We all love paneer dishes... don't we???..ranging from dry dishes...to gravys...from rice dishes to pakodas :D
I can gobble Paneer in no time :) Nowadays on any veggie day I would prefer Paneer over any other item :D... people change...I know :)
I always keep an extra slab of paneer in my refrigerator...just in case ;)
This is one of my favorite Paneer dishes...apart from this I prepare Palak Paneer, Paneer Bhurji, Paneer Kadai, Paneer Tikka Masala, Paneer Pakodas..will post recipes soon!!
You can check my recipe of Palak Paneer and Paneer Chilli Dry too!!
I love eating Paneer Butter masala with super soft chapatis or tandoori rotis...this time I made it with chapati...and loved eating it to last bite :)
Do try this recipe and enjoy!!
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Paneer (Cubed, soaked in warm water)
- 1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 2 Tomatoes (Blanched & pureed)
- A fistful Cashew nuts soaked in 1/4 Cup of Whipping Cream / Half-n-Half and Pureed
- 1/4 Cup Onion (Fried till brown) and ground to a paste
- Salt as per taste
- Sugar as per taste
- 1 Tsp Kasoori Methi
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Red Chili Powder
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 6 Cloves
- 4 Green Cardamoms
- 1/4 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
- Butter as per need ( I used a total of 5-6 Tbsp of Butter)
- a pinch of orange food color (optional)
- Cream / Milk (for gravy, qty depends on individual choice)
Method:
- In a pan, add butter (I used 2 Tbsp), when its hot add bay leaves, cloves,cardamoms and fry for a while.
- When it starts spreading aroma, add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a while.
- After 2 mins, add tomato puree and fry it till it leaves the sides of the pan. Roughly this will take around 4-5 mins.
- To this add onion paste, and cook for a while. This usually takes around 2 mins.
- Here drop in a little butter if you wish. I added 1 Tbsp butter at this step.
- To this add all masala powders, salt and sugar. I add a pinch of sugar to most of my recipes as for me it somehow enhances the taste. You can skip adding sugar if you do not like it.
- Now to this add kasoori methi and stir once. Then add Paneer cubes.
- Now cook this for a while and add food color, cashew paste and cook. This should take around 5 mins.
- Here I added another Tbsp of butter.
- Finally add more Cream or Milk as per your choice and ingredients availability.
- Serve hot with soft chapatis or tandoori roti.
- Garnish with a dollop of butter :P... Enjoy Eating!!
Tips:
- Its always better to keep paneer cubed and soaked in warm water, this way paneer is very soft when cooking.
- For tomato puree, you can use store bought puree or prepare at home.
- Fry the onions till they are brown and then cool them and grind to a smooth paste. Do not make it watery.
- Adjust the spice levels as per your choice.