Paneer Butter Masala

                                Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer butter masala, this dish is probably the most common dish in the history of mankind or at least in India for sure. Be it the wedding, get-together, birthday parties or any sort of family function, paneer butter masala has to be there in the menu. Most of the vegetarian people go gaga over this dish, the reason behind this is they have the only handful of variety, unlike non-vegetarians. Poor souls!

Cooking this dish doesn’t take that much of time. All you need is the right ingredients and you are good to go. As mentioned in my previous posts, I am no expert in making vegetarian dishes. So, I have to pull in my cooking expert sister Aparna aka Honey di for this dish. Despite her busy schedule, she was generous enough to take some time out and make this dish and share the recipe on top of that.

Now then, giving all possible credit to her, let’s get on to the dish.

Ingredients:

• 250 grams of Paneer.

• 4-5 medium sized tomatoes.

• 3-4 Teaspoon Ginger-Garlic paste.

• 18-20 Cashew nuts.

• 2-3 Teaspoons Chili Powder.

• 2-3 Teaspoons Kasoori Meethi.

• Salt to taste.

• 2-3 Bay leaves (Tez Patta).

• 2-3 Teaspoon Garam Masala.

• Coriander leaves for garnishing.

• Amul Fresh Cream.

• Butter or refined oil as per requirement.

• Ginger and Green Chili.

Procedure:

• Take the tomatoes and make a thick puree of them. Remember, onions are not needed for this recipe. So, it is the tomato puree which has to take care of the gravy. Make sure the puree is thick enough.Take the tomatoes and make a thick puree of them. Remember, onions are not needed for this recipe. So, it is the tomato puree which has to take care of the gravy. Make sure the puree is thick enough.

Tomato Puree

• If you are not able to get hold of paneer cubes, then cut the block of paneer in cubical shape. Now, there can be two ways to use Paneer: a) Use it as raw b) Shallow fry it and put it in warm water so that it doesn’t get hard after frying.

• Soak in the cashew nuts in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Then make a paste of it using mixer grinder.

Cashew nuts soaked in lukewarm water

Make a thick paste of the soaked cashew nuts.

• Heat the wok and add oil or butter as per requirement.

Pour in some butter when wok is heated.

• When the oil is heated add the bay leaves and ginger garlic paste to it.

Bay leaves give a nice flavor.

Add some ginger garlic paste.

• Sauté it till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste is gone.

• Add the tomato puree to the wok.

Add tomato puree to the wok.

• Sauté it for a while and then add chili powder or Kashmiri Mirch powder to it. It will help to add flavor and good texture to the dish.

• Sauté the mixture till the oil started to separate from the sides.

Make sure you don't burn it.

Note:  The tomato and ginger garlic paste should not be overcooked. Do not let them burn.

• Add the cashew nut paste to the wok.

Adding cashew nut paste.

• Sauté the mixture till the oil started to separate from the sides.

• Add salt as per taste and a little bit of water. Be careful while adding water, more water will turn the gravy watery. Trust me, you don't want your gravy to be watery.

Keep the mixture as thick as possible.

• Cut the ginger and green chilies vertically and add it to the gravy. Restaurant style swagJ

• Add paneer cubes to it. Mix it well and let it boil for 2-3 minutes.

• Add a Teaspoon of crushed Kasoori Meethi leaves. Mix it well.

This is how it should look after adding Kasoori Meethi.

• Turn off the flame. Add Garam masala to the dish.

• Take Amul fresh cream in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and whip the mixture well.

• Add the whipped cream to the dish and mix it well. Cover the wok with a lid and after sometime add the chopped coriander leaves to it.

There you go!!

• Garnish the dish with coriander leave and cream.

     Your Paneer Butter Masala is ready. Enjoy it with Nan, Roti or tawa paratha.