Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil (15 ml)
• 2 green cardamoms (or 1/4 to 1/3 tsp ground cardamom/elaichi)
• 1 cup onions (130 grams; sliced or diced from 1 medium yellow or 2 small red onions)
• 1 inch ginger (10 grams; peeled & sliced or use 1.5 to 2 tsp ginger garlic paste)
• 5 large garlic cloves (12 grams; peeled, omit if using ginger garlic paste)
• 2 cup tomatoes (350 grams; sliced, use up to 420 grams from 2 large or 4 medium)
• 15 whole cashew nuts (30 grams; use up to 18 nuts if using more tomatoes or use almonds)
• 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp jaggery or sugar (optional)
• 0.75 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (or paprika; adjust to heat & color preference)
• 0.75 tsp garam masala powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
• 1 cup cold water (240 ml, for blending)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (30 grams)
• 1 small bay leaf (optional)
• 2 inch Ceylon cinnamon (or 1 inch dalchini; optional)
• 3 cloves (optional)
• 250 g paneer (up to 300g (9 to 10 oz); cut to 3/4 inch cubes)
• 0.5 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, crushed)
• 3 tbsp heavy cream (up to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml); sub with fresh cream or cooking cream)
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves (up to 2 tbsp; finely chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a pan and add the 2 green cardamoms, 1 cup of onions, ginger, and 5-6 garlic cloves.

2. 2

   Saute the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions turn transparent.

3. 3

   Add 2 cups of tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and 15 cashews. Mix well and cook covered until the tomatoes turn mushy and break down, about 7 minutes on medium heat. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of water.

4. 4

   Stir in the red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the spices are aromatic. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down.

5. 5

   Pour 1 cup of cold water into a blender jar and transfer the cooled onion-tomato masala. Blend until it becomes a silky smooth puree.

6. 6

   On low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan used earlier. Add the optional whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves.

7. 7

   When the spices begin to sizzle, stir in an optional pinch of red chili powder for color. Hold a strainer over the pan and pour the blended onion-tomato masala through it, stirring with a spoon to ensure a smooth texture.

8. 8

   Pour an additional 1/2 cup of water into the pan and mix well. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thick but still flowy. You should see traces of fat on the surface when it is ready.

9. 9

   Remove and discard the whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves). Taste the sauce and adjust salt or garam masala if needed.

10. 10

    Stir in the jaggery (or sugar), 1/2 tablespoon of crushed kasuri methi, and the paneer cubes. Cook covered for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.

11. 11

    Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish.

12. 12

    Garnish the paneer butter masala with the reserved cream and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Basmati rice or Naan.

Notes

If your paneer is hard or frozen, soak it in warm water for 5-10 minutes before adding to the curry. For a richer texture without cream, you can slightly increase the amount of cashews. The 10-12 minute simmering time after blending is crucial for developing the silky texture.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Vegetarian
• Indian
• Paneer
• Curry
• Restaurant Style
• Dinner