Creamy and Flavorful Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Introduction

If you ever felt a craving for the rich and creamy flavor of Indian food, then Paneer Butter Masala is the perfect dish for you! One of the easiest methods of preparation, it packs in so much flavour that it is quite irresistible, especially for beginners venturing into the luscious expanse of Indian cuisine. This dish is perfect to delight your family and friends with its smooth tomato based sauce and paneer (which is known as Indian Kutte Paneer and is soft and cubed). You don’t need to be a skilled chef, just follow these simple instructions, and in no time you’ll be preparing a dinner that’s restaurant level!

Why Paneer Butter Masala Is Popular

This Paneer Butter Masala recipe, known locally as “Makhni Gravy”, is a rich, creamy dish in which paneer (Indian Kutte Paneer) is cooked in a sauce made of tomatoes, butter, and cashews. The combination of the tang of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the cream makes it smooth and almost irresistible.

In school, I learned the recipe for butter chicken, also called chicken makhani. This is a quick adaptation of that that has become the favorite vegetarian dish with me; it is often called “butter paneer”. I do get how impossible it seems that I can cook non-vegetarian food. It feels like a long time ago!

With my easy, quick, and delicious recipe, you can easily make this restaurant style paneer butter masala at home. Believe it or not, it is so simple that even on busy weekdays, you can make it. This easy dish requires only ten minutes of preparation and thirty minutes of cooking the sauce on the stove.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Rich & Creamy: Each paneer piece is completely coated in makhani gravy, which makes it extremely delicious.
• Simple: As simple as this dish is, the taste is just as unique and different.
• Vegetarian Delight: Can be great for vegans and meat eaters.
• Perfect for special occasions: If you want to surprise your guests or create a memorable lunch for your family, serving this recipe is a great way to do it.

Ingredients

For cashew paste

• 18 to 20 cashews – whole
• ⅓ cup hot water – for soaking cashews

For tomato puree

• 2 cups tomatoes – diced, or 300 grams tomatoes or 4 to 5 medium sized, pureed

For ginger-garlic paste

• 1 inch ginger – peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves – small to medium, peeled

Other ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or 1 tablespoon oil + 1 or 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), optional
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or deghi chilli ½ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika
• 1.5 cups water or add as required
• 1 inch ginger – peeled with julienne and reserve a few for garnish
• 1 or 2 green chillies – slit, saving a few for garnish
• 200 to 250 grams of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) – cubed or diced
• 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) – optional
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Garam Masala or tandoori masala
• 2 to 3 tablespoons light cream or half & half or 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream – optional
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon sugar – optional, add as required depending on the sourness of the tomatoes
• salt as required

For garnish

• 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, (cilantro) – optional
• 1 inch ginger – peeled and julienned
• 1 tablespoon light cream or 1 tablespoon heavy cream – optional
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Butter – optional

Instructions

Preparation

• Soak cashews in hot water for twenty to thirty minutes. While the cashews are soaking, to get ready other ingredients you can chop tomatoes, make ginger-garlic paste, chop paneer etc.
• Drain then combine or blender-grinder the soaked cashews.
• Add two to three tablespoons water and combine to a smooth, fine paste free of any microscopic cashew fragments or chunks.
• In the same blender, combine the tomatoes that have been somewhat chopped. Tomatoes need not be blanched before blending.
• Blend till tomato puree becomes smooth. Set aside. Blend the tomatoes without adding any water.

Making tomato gravy

• Low heat on a pan will melt butter. Add tej patta and sauté until the oil smells fragrantly, two to three seconds.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for ten to twelve seconds till the raw scent disappears.
• Well mixed, add the tomato puree. Cooking, stirring now, for five to six minutes.
• Next stir once more adding kashmiri red chilli powder. Sauté until the tomato paste’s sides begin to show oil leaving them.
• The tomato paste will start to come together as one single lump and thicken really drastically.
• Next stir thoroughly adding cashew paste. Sauté the cashew paste for a few minutes, or until the oil begins to leave the edges of the masala paste.
• The cashew paste will start to steam quickly. Low heat should have around three to four minutes. So keep stirring constantly.

Making paneer butter masala

• Add water and mix well. Low to medium-low simmer.
• Curry will boil. After 2–3 minutes of boiling, add ginger julienne. Keep some for garnishing. Also, the curry will thicken.
• After adding julienned ginger and green chillies, salt, and sugar, boil the curry until thickened.
• After 3–4 minutes, add slit green chillies. Optional: add salt to taste and ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Sugar amounts might range from ¼ tsp to 1 teaspoon or more, depending on tomato sourness.
• You can avoid sugar. With cream, you need less sugar.
• Stir thoroughly and boil one minute.
• When the gravy thickens to your liking, add paneer cubes and stir gently. I keep gravy medium.
• Now add the grated kasuri fenugreek, garam masala and cream. Just mix gently; Turn off the fire.

Serving Suggestions

• Present the curry with ginger julienne and coriander leaves.
• Even drip some cream or sprinkle some butter to dot the gravy.
• Serve Paneer Butter Masala hot alongside simple Naan, Roti, Paratha, steaming basmati or jeera rice, or even peas pulao.
• One might create side accompaniments from pickle or an onion-cucumber salad. Also present by the side some lemon wedges.

Tips For Perfect cooking

• Tomato Purée: Be sure to purée tomatoes well. Strain tomato purée if desired.
• Cooking Tomato Purée: Cook the tomato purée thoroughly. Butter should leave sautéed tomato puree sides to indicate doneness. Without proper sautéing, tomato puree will taste raw.
• Cashew Paste: Soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes to mix well. Use raw cashews, not dried.
• Taste and Flavor: Add sugar (up to 1 teaspoon) or cream to tangy or sour sauce. Also, adding cream may require less sugar in the gravy.
• Cheese Frying: Fry cheese cubes and serve with gravy or sauce.

Conclusion

Paneer Butter Masala: This dish is not only a way of cooking; it is in itself an experience. Whether cooking it for your special occasion, family dinner, or just to give oneself that delicious treat on the weekend, it’s sure to make that long-lasting impression. Due to soft pieces of cheese and creamy, flavor-filled sauce, it has become a traditional favorite in Indian cuisine. Taking in this easy recipe, you can easily cook such an excellent meal from the comfort of your home, no less than food given out in restaurants.

FAQ’s