The classic paneer butter masala is a must-have recipe in your recipe repertoire especially if you want to become a pro in Indian cooking! You cannot give a miss to this flagship Indian dish!
Paneer butter masala is undoubtedly the most loved paneer recipe across India. You enter any Indian restaurant and this classic paneer makhni or paneer makhanwala, as we call it in Hindi, is sure to grace the menu card. The thick and luscious gravy of a good old paneer butter masala is simply to die for and you can’t help but mop up until the last drop of it with a butter naan or kulcha. I would skip chicken for a day if I am served this delicious and perfectly cooked paneer butter masala with some Indian flat bread. Well, you can refer chicken butter masala as the soul sister of paneer butter masala for the chicken lovers, but the succulent cubes of paneer in the buttery gravy has its own addiction and I bet you can’t get over it!
As the name rightly suggests, paneer butter masala is not a weight-watchers’ friendly dish. It is as sinful as it can get and I admit it. You won’t be able to devour this classic paneer dish every other day and that’s a given. Such gorgeous dishes are for special occasions when you want to recreate the restaurant like ambience at your home and delight your friends and family or simply wanna soak youself in self-indulgence! This recipe is perfect to create the restaurant style paneer butter masala; at the same time, you will have control on how much butter you want to put in your own customized dish. Make this exotic paneer makhni in your next potluck and you will surely steal the show! That’s a guarantee from me!
- Panner or Cottage Cheese – 250 gms, cut in cubes
- Onion – 1 large, chopped
- Green chillies – 2
- Garlic – 4 to 5 cloves, chopped
- Ginger – 2 inch piece, chopped
- Tomato puree – ½ cup
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Tandoori masala – 1 tsp
- Cumin powder – ½ tsp
- Coriander powder – ½ tsp
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Sugar – 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Butter – 3 tbsp
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Fresh cream – 2 tbsp
- Fresh mint leaves – 1 or 2 sprigs to garnish
- Here is a very quick and easy way to keep your panner soft – boil enough water in a pan and drop all your panner cubes in the boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Drain well before using.
- Heat the oil in a skillet.
- Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.
- Saute for 5-10 minutes till the onion turns pale brown.
- Remove from fire and blend the fried onion mix using a hand blender or in a mixer grinder.
- Now heat the butter in the same skillet.
- Add the onion paste and saute it till it turns golden brown and oil starts separating.
- Add tomato puree and all the spices – turmeric, cumin, coriander, tandoori masala, cardamom powder, sugar and salt.
- Saute till the raw smell of tomato puree is gone.
- Now add the paneer cubes and a cup of water [Add hot water if possible, it adds extra flavor.]
- Bring the mixture to boil on high heat.
- Now simmer and cover it for 5 minutes till the gravy thickens.
- Add the fresh cream and mix well.
- Remove from fire and garnish with mint sprigs while serving.
- Serve with roti or rice.
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