Paneer Butter Masala Recipe : one of the most popular paneer recipes in India and for good reason too! Indian paneer cubes dipped in a delicious mildly spiced creamy tomato sauce. With a video and step-by-step guide, you can easily make this restaurant-style paneer butter masala recipe at home!
Why is Paneer Butter Masala a winner?
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe is a rich and creamy recipe of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a tomato, butter and cashew gravy, called here ‘makhani gravy’.
Also known as ‘butter paneer’, this delicious and popular vegetarian dish is made with butter chicken, also known as butter chicken. Inspired by the chicken makhani recipe I learned to make during my culinary school days. I know, I know, the idea of cooking with meat sounds crazy. It seemed like almost a lifetime ago!
You can prepare restaurant style butter paneer masala at home with my easy, quick and delicious recipe. In fact, it’s so easy, you can even do it on busy weeknights! This simple meal takes only 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes on the stove.
Don’t just take my word for it. You can read the comments at the end of the post, which has a lot of positive comments and reviews from readers and fans.
How to make Paneer Butter Masala
You need to do a little preparation before making this delicious dish. – First, soak the cashews and make tomato puree and add it to the soaked cashews.
Preparation
1. Soak 18-20 cashews in 1/3 cup hot water for 20-30 minutes.
2. While the cashews are soaking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Prepare the mixture by chopping tomatoes, making ginger and garlic paste and cutting paneer into cubes.
3. To make the ginger and garlic paste, crush 1 inch of peeled ginger and 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle. Continue mashing till you get half grain or fine paste. I will keep
Note: Do not add water while making ginger-garlic chew.
4. After 20-30 minutes, drain the water and add the soaked cashews to a blender or mixer grinder.
Also add 2-3 tbsp of fresh water to it (or make a smooth paste).
5. Blend the cashews till it becomes a smooth paste and there are no lumps or kernels left in it. Remove the cashew paste from the blender and keep it aside.
6. In the same blender, add 2 cups of chopped or roughly chopped tomatoes.Blend till a smooth tomato puree is formed. Set aside.
Note: It is not necessary to blanch the tomatoes or wash the blender jar before blending.
Note: Do not add water while blending the tomatoes.
Make Tomato Gravy
7. Heat a heavy-bottomed or heavy-bottomed frying pan. Reduce the flame to low or medium. Add 2 tablespoons of butter (or 3-4 tablespoons for thicker butter) to the pan. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
Tip: Alternatively, you can add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1-2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Adding oil prevents the butter from burning.
8. Reduce the flame. Add 1 medium bay leaf and sauté for 2-3 seconds or until the aroma comes out.
9. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon each of ginger and garlic or prepared ginger and garlic paste.
10. Saute the ginger and garlic for about 10-12 seconds until the raw smell goes away.Add the remaining tomato puree.
Note: Be careful while adding the puree as it will curdle.
11. Mix well with the butter.Start cooking the tomato puree on low to medium flame. Stir occasionally. The tomato puree mixture will start to boil.
12. If the tomato puree splatters too much while cooking, cover the vessel slightly with a lid or cover it completely with a strainer-proof lid.
13. Keep stirring occasionally boil the puree for 5-6 minutes .Add 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or daagi mirch.
You can add just 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder or you can add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, chili powder or your favorite red chili powder.
14. Mix well and keep roasting the tomato puree.Saute until the butter starts to ooze out from the sides of the pan and the tomato puree turns into a thick paste.
Note: This whole cooking/stirring process should take around 14-17 minutes on low to medium-low flame. Time will vary depending on the thickness and size of the pan, strength of the flame, etc.
Add cashew paste
15. Add the prepared cashew paste. Mix the cashew paste well with the cooked tomato puree and keep stirring and sauteing on low to medium flame.
16. After adding the cashew paste, keep stirring the gravy continuously. When the cashew paste is cooked, saute it till the oil leaves the masala side.
17. Cook the cashews quickly in 3-4 minutes on low flame. And don’t forget to stir!After this, add 1.5 cups of water.
Make Paneer Butter Masala
18. Mix the tomato cashew masala and water well. If there are any lumps, break them with a spoon or mix with the help of a wire whisk.Simmer the curry on low to medium flame. Stir occasionally.
19. After 2-3 minutes, add ginger julienne (about 1 inch ginger, cut into thin matchstick-sized slices). I keep a few pieces for garnishing. The curry will start thickening.
20. After 3-4 minutes, add 1-2 pieces of green chilies and stir. Add salt and add 1/4 to 1 teaspoon sugar depending on the acidity of the tomatoes.
Tip: If you have to add cream,to reduce the amount of the sugar.no need to add sugar to cream.
21. Mix well and cook on low flame for 1 minute. Once the gravy reaches the desired consistency, add paneer pieces (200-250 grams).
Tip: Check the desired consistency before adding paneer. Cook for just a few seconds till the paneer is completely hot. You can also fry the paneer and add it too once the gravy tastes the way you want.
22. Gently add the paneer pieces to the gravy. You can turn off the flame at this point.
Tip: If the paneer is raw at this point, reduce the flame until you add the cream in step 35.
23. Next, quickly add 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi leaves) and 1 teaspoon garam masala to the gravy.
Note: Adding crushed dried fenugreek leaves gives this curry a restaurant-like taste, but it is optional and can be skipped.
24. Next, add 2-3 tablespoons of low-fat or light cream or 1-2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream.
25. Stir slowly and thoroughly. If you haven’t done so already, turn off the flame.
26. Serve the paneer butter masala hot with 1-2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and the remaining ginger julienne. It is also delicious if you add a little cream or some butter while serving. Enjoy your meal.
