PANEER BUTTER MASALA / PANEER MAKHANI

 Paneer butter masala - A delicious 

punjabi recipe with soft paneer chunks cooked in a tomato based gravy with the richness of cream and cashews. 
 This recipe is for my close friend Mekha, who is a big fan of paneer.

Ingredients : 

Paneer  : 200g, cubed

Onion  : 2, Cubed

Ginger : 1inch piece

Garlic : 5cloves

Green Chilli :  2

Chilli Powder  : 2tsp 

Corander Leaves ; 1/4Cup, Chopped 

Garam Masala : 1/2tsp

Cumin powder  : 1/2tsp

Kasoori Methi Powder : 1/2tsp 

Tomato : 2, make a paste

Cashew  : 10, Soaked in water  

Cream : 1/2Cup 

Salt 

Sugar : 1tsp

Butter  : 1tbsp 

Oil : 1tbsp

Tomato Sauce : 2 1/2tbsp

Orange-Red Food Color : a pinch

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan and cook the onions for 5minutes.Remove from fire and let it reach room temperature. Now grind along with soaked cashews. Keep aside.

2. Make a paste of ginger, garlic, green chillies and half of coriander leaves. 

3. Heat butter in a kadai. Add the paste of  ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander leaves and saute for 5minutes in medium flame.

4. Now turn to low flame and add chilli powder and cumin powder. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce after few minutes and saute well till oil appears and water absorbs completely from tomatoes. 

5. Now add 1 1/2 Cups of water and close the kadai with a tight lid. After 5minutes add the paneer cubes, Onion-cashew paste,  salt, garam masala, kasoori methi powder, sugar and food color (mixed with 1tbsp of water). 

6. Cook for 5minutes in medium flame and finally add cream and coriander leaves. turn of the flame immedietly after combining cream to the gravy.

7. Serve hot with  any indian flat bread / pulao

Note  :You can add capsicum or green peas to the butter masala. if adding capsicum add it in the 4th stepbefore tomato paste. If your choice is green piece add it along with paneer cubes in 5th step.

Similar Recipes :

• Paneer Mutter masala in roasted coconut gravy (Varutharacha Paneer Curry)
• Paneer Tikka