Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala

(Lightly seasoned paneer dish enriched with butter and cream. An all - time favorite dish in Indian cuisine)

Serves: 3
Time required: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons (30 g) cashew nuts
1 tablespoon ginger - garlic paste
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder (or mix 2 pinches clove powder, 2 pinches nutmeg powder and 2 pinches cinnamon powder)
200 ml water (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
200 g paneer (cottage cheese), cut into desired shape & size
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh cream (or to taste)
1 teaspoon coriander leaves, chopped

Method

Grind cashew nuts in a mixer to a fine powder.

Melt butter in a non stick pan and fry sliced onions till golden color and crisp.

Add the cashew nut powder and fry till golden color on a very low heat. Stir continuously.

Add ginger - garlic paste and saute on a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes or until the raw smell disappears.

Maintain low heat. Add tomato puree, chilli powder, salt and garam masala powder (cinnamon - nutmeg - clove powder). Stir well for 2 minutes.

Add 200 ml (1 cup) water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes and cook till the gravy thickens.

Add paneer pieces and cook for 8 -10 minutes or until paneer softens / gravy thickens. Switch off the heat.

Add fresh cream, mix well.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Serve with any Indian bread of your choice (Best combination is with Naan / Butter Naan / Garlic Naan).

Consume immediately (or if kept for a long time it may become hard and less tasty).