Butter Paneer Masala
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or 1 tablespoon oil + 1 or 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tej patta bay leaf
- 3 cloves garlic – crushed or ground in a mortar and pestle or use ginger garlic paste or garlic paste
- 18 to 20 whole cashews
- 2 cups diced tomatoes or 300 grams tomatoes or 4 to 5 medium size
- ½ to 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch if using any other chilli powder you can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon
- 1.5 cups water or add as required
- 1 inch ginger julienned reserve a few for garnishing
- 1 or 2 green chili – slit reserve a few for garnishing
- 200 to 250 grams paneer cottage cheese – cubed or diced
- 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 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream – optional
- ¼ to 1 teaspoon sugar – optional add as required depending on the sourness of the tomatoes
- salt as required
Instructions
- Melt butter in a pan on a low flame. Add bay leaf and fry for 2 to 3 seconds or till the oil become fragrant.
- Add garlic paste and saute for some seconds till the raw aroma disappears.
- Add the chopped tomatos and stir well. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add kashmiri red chili powder and stir again. Continue to saute till the oil starts to leave the sides of the tomatoes.
- Then add cashews and stir well.
- Add water and mix very well. Simmer on a low flame.
- The curry will come to a boil.
- After 2 to 3 minutes of boiling,turn off the flame
- Let it cool down a little blend the gravy well .
- Strain it through a strainer n makhni sause is ready
- Add julienned ginger and green chillies, salt and sugar and simmer till the curry begins to thicken.
- After 3 to 4 minutes, add 1 or 2 slit green chillies. also add salt as per taste and ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional).
- You can add sugar from ¼ tsp to 1 teaspoon or more depending on the sourness of the tomatoes. Sugar is optional and you can skip it too. If you add cream, then you will need to add less sugar.
- Mix very well and simmer for a minute.
- After the gravy thickens to your desired consistency, then add the paneer cubes and stir gently. i keep the gravy to a medium consistency.
- After that add crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), garam masala and cream. Gently mix and then switch off the flame.
Notes
Use fresh Cottage cheese (if possible) else microwave the frozen packet paneer cubes in salted water for 1 minute strain and use it.
