Butter Paneer Masala

How to prepare Butter Paneer Masala

As promised, I am sharing my recipe of butter paneer masala.

This recipe is rich in taste compare to recipe of Instant Butter Paneer Masala, which I have shared few days ago.. Paneer butter masala also known as paneer makhanwala is probably one of the most popular Indian recipe. 

Butter Paneer masala recipe, which i will share today, in this recipe, all ingredients are sauteed and then grounded to smooth paste.

In this recipe i have added tomatoes in sliced form and sauteed, but blanching and then pureeing tomato also work for this recipe.

Ingredients

◾200 gm Paneer

◾1tbsp Butter

◾2tsp Cooking Oil

◾1 small Onion - sliced

◾3 medium size Tomatoes - sliced

◾1 green chilly

◾2  garlic cloves

◾¼ tsp ginger paste or very small piece

◾15-20 gms Cashew nuts (broken)

◾2tsp khus khus (Poppy seeds)

◾½ cup Milk

◾2-3 tbsp Cream

◾1tsp cumin seeds

◾2 Green cardamom

◾2 cloves

◾½ tsp black pepper

◾½ black cardamom

◾¼tsp nutmeg powder (freshly grated)

◾3 tsp Chilly powder

◾3 tsp kasturi methi leaves

◾2tsp sugar

◾Salt to taste

Method; 

Step 1 - Soak poppy seeds and cashew nuts in milk

Soak poppy seeds and cashew nuts in milk for 30 minutes.

Step 2 - Chop vegetables and paneer

◾Slice onions and tomatoes

◾Peel ginger and garlic 

◾cut paneer in cubes

Step 3 : Cooking Time

◾Heat oil and butter in a non stick pan, add sliced onions, saute on high flame till the onion turns pink....

◾Slow the gas flame, add cumin seeds, pepper corns, cloves, green and black cardamom, ginger garlic, green chilly, mix all well, saute for 10-15 seconds, (why cumin seeds and other ingredients added after onion and not before, because to keep the flavors intact, if added before onion, then possibly it may gets burnt and give strong flavors, which we don't want in this recipe)

◾Add soaked kaju and poppy seeds (milk in which poppy seeds are soaked should not be added now, but need to keep aside)

◾Now add sliced tomatoes and sauté them on slow flame for 2 minutes.

◾Add dry ingredients that is red chilly powder, sugar, salt to taste and grated nutmeg powder, mix all well, switch off the gas stove.

◾Let this mixture cool down and then we will grind it to smooth paste.

Step 4: Make smooth paste

◾After cool down, put the cooked mixture in mixer grinder, add 1 tbsp cream and milk (in which poppy seeds and kaju were soaked)

◾Make a smooth paste.

Step 5 : Cooking Time 

◾Put this smooth paste in non stick pan and cook on high flame for 1-2 minutes, add half cup water, mix well. 

◾Add 1tsp kaju, kasturi methi leaves and paneer pieces, (leave 3-4 pieces for garnish). Simmer again for 1-2 mins, keep stirring gently on a medium flame till the gravy thicknesses. Switch off the gas stove. Add left over cream and mix well.

◾Serve hot with roti or naan, garnished with paneer pieces and kasturi methi..