Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala is a North Indian dish. It is a sweet, tangy and mild spicy curry. It can be prepared with onion garlic or without onion garlic. This recipe is without onion garlic.

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 250 gm (shredded 2 tbsp and remaining cubed)
2. Ripe tomatoes - 3 large size
3. Cloves - 2
4. Cinnamon - 1/2" piece
5. Cardamom (black/green/both) - 10 - 15 seeds
6. Bayleaf - 1 small
7. Corriander seeds - 12-15
8. Kashmiri chilly - 1
9. Chilly powder - 1/3 tsp
10. Kasuri methi - 1/3 tsp
11. Cashewnuts - 6
12. Butter - 2 tbsp
13. Fresh Cream/malai - 2 tbsp
14. Oil - 1 tsp
15. Ghee - 1tbsp
16. Sugar - 1.5 tsp
17. Corriander leaves (chopped) - for garnishing
18. Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat oil in a pan and add spices numbering 3 to 8.
• Take the spices out as soon as they give out aroma.
• Heat 1 tbsp butter in the same pan and add tomatoes.
• Once the tomatoes turn mushy, add crushed cashew nuts.
• Let it cool.
• In the meanwhile, grease a frying pan with ghee and shallow fry paneer till slightly golden brown.
• Grind spices and tomatoes to a fine paste.
• Heat remaining butter in a pan add the ground paste.
• Add chilly powder,  kasuri methi, sugar and salt to taste.
• Add water as per your requirement.
• Simmer for 3-4 min.
• Add shredded paneer and paneer cubes.
• Put the flame off and add fresh cream, stir well.
• Garnish with corriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti, naan etc.

Tip:

• You may use onion and garlic in the preparation. Fry 1 large sliced onion and 5 to7 garlic cloves before frying tomato and grind it along with tomato and spices. Add 1/2 tsp of kitchen king masala.
• This basic gravy can be used for veg makhanwala also.