Paneer Butter Masala

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Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients:

    • 18 to 20 whole cashews
    • ⅓ cup hot water for soaking cashews
    • 2 cups diced tomatoes or 300 grams tomatoes or 4 to 5 medium size – pureed
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 3 to 4 medium -sized garlic cloves
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 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 mirch or ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or paprika
    • 1.5 cups water or add as required
    • 1 inch ginger – julienned, reserve a few for garnish
    • 1 or 2 green chili – slit, reserve a few for garnish
    • 200 to 250 grams Paneer
    • 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) – optional
    • ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala or tandoori masala
    • 2 to 3 tablespoons low-fat 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
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro ) – optional
    • a few ginger julienne
    • 1 tablespoon low fat cream or 1 tablespoon heavy cream – optional
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons Butter – optional
  • Fast Food Soak cashews in a hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Fast Food When the cashews are soaking, you can prep the other ingredients like chopping tomatoes, preparing ginger-garlic paste, slicing paneer etc.
  • Fast Food Then drain and add the soaked cashews in a blender or mixer-grinder.
  • Fast Food Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and blend to a smooth paste without any tiny bits or pieces of cashews.
  • Fast Food In the same blender add the roughly chopped tomatoes. No need to blanch the tomatoes before blending.
  • Fast Food Blend to a smooth tomato puree. Keep aside. Don’t add any water while blending the tomatoes.
  • Fast Food Melt butter in a pan on a low flame.
  • Fast Food Add tej patta and fry for 2 to 3 seconds or till the oil become fragrant.
  • Fast Food Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma disappears.
  • Fast Food Add the tomato puree and stir well. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Fast Food Then add kashmiri red chili powder and stir again.
  • Fast Food Continue to sauté till the oil starts to leave the sides of the tomato paste.
  • Fast Food The tomato paste will thicken considerably and will start coming together as one whole lump.
  • Fast Food Then add cashew paste and stir well.
  • Fast Food Sauté the cashew paste for a few minutes till the oil begins to leave the sides of the masala paste.
  • Fast Food The cashew paste will begin to cook fast.
  • Fast Food Approx 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. So keep stirring non-stop.
  • Fast Food Add water and mix very well. Simmer on a low flame.
  • Fast Food The curry will come to a boil.
  • Fast Food After 2 to 3 minutes of boiling, add ginger julienne.
  • Fast Food Reserve a few for garnishing. The curry will also begin to thicken.
  • Fast Food Add julienned ginger and green chillies, salt and sugar and simmer till the curry begins to thicken.
  • Fast Food After 3 to 4 minutes, add slit green chillies.
  • Fast Food Also add salt as per taste and ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional).
  • Fast Food You can vary the sugar quantity from ¼ tsp to 1 teaspoon or more depending on the sourness of the tomatoes.
  • Fast Food Sugar is optional and you can skip it too.
  • Fast Food If you add cream, then you will need to add less sugar.
  • Fast Food Mix very well and simmer for a minute.
  • Fast Food After the gravy thickens to your desired consistency, then add the paneer cubes and stir gently.
  • Fast Food I keep the gravy to a medium consistency.
  • Fast Food After that add crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), garam masala and cream.
  • Fast Food Gently mix and then switch off the flame.