PANEER BUTTER MASALA

Preparation timing 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• Paneer  (cottage cheese) -  250 gm

• Butter - 3 tbsp

• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch

• Green cardamom - 2

• Cloves - 4

• Bay leaf - 1 

• Onion - 1 large ( sliced)

• Tomato (quartered) - 2 medium

• Green chilly - 2 

• Ginger - 2 inch

• Garlic - 7 to 8 cloves 

• Cashew nuts - 10 to 15

• Coriander powder - 1 tsp

• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

• Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp

• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

• Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

• Kasuri methi - 1/4 tsp

• Fresh cream - 100 ml

• Salt to taste

Direction :

• Firstly  cut the paneer ( cottage cheese ) into small cubes.

• Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a pan and add 2 inch cinnamon stick , 2 cardamom , 4 cloves , & 1 bay leaf. Dry roast the whole spices till aromatic.

• Then add 1 large onion ( sliced), 2 tomato quartered , 2 green chilly, 2 inch ginger, 7 to 8 cloves of garlic , 10 to 15 cashew nuts , 1/2 tsp of salt & a dash of water. Mix well.

• Cook the mixture till tomato become soft and mushy.

• After that transfer the mixture into another bowl and allow it to cool down completely.

• When the mixture is completely cool down , transfer the mixture into a blending jar and make a smooth puree. 

• In the mean while heat 1 tbsp of butter in a kadai and put the paneer cubes and  fry them till golden brown from each side of the paneer.

• Now remove the paneer cubes from the kadai and keep them aside.

• In the same remaining butter add 1 tsp of Kashmiri chilly powder, 1/2 tsp of  turmeric powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder and 1/2 tsp of  cumin powder. Dry roast the masalas  for 10 secs then add the prepared puree ( makhani gravy) and mix it really well.

• Cover it and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes and  till the oil separates from the gravy. 

• Now add fresh cream and fried paneer cubes. Coat the gravy by mixing gently.

• Lastly add 1/4 tsp of garam masala and crushed kasuri methi, mix it really well.

• Now paneer butter masala is ready to serve.

~Happy Cooking~