Recipe- Restaurant Style Paneer Masala

Here is a super satisfying Paneer Butter masala recipe for all the paneer-lovers that you can quickly cook up on a weeknight to enjoy with homemade tandoori roti or naan. Soft and succulent paneer pieces simmered in a deliciously rich and smooth gravy creates a dish that’s high in taste, low in efforts, and delights all palates!

So, forget take-out; let’s learn how to make a restaurant-style paneer butter masala at home.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Butter
½ cup Onions roughly chopped
1 inch Ginger
6 cloves of Garlic
30 Cashew nuts
1 cup Tomatoes chopped
3 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Oil
1 – Bay Leaf
1 inch Cinnamon stick
2 small Black Cardamom
2 Green Cardamom
3-4 Cloves
2¼ teaspoons Kashmiri Red chili powder
2¼ teaspoons Coriander powder
½ teaspoon Turmeric
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 teaspoon Sugar or honey
½ cup Water adjust the consistency to your liking
2 tablespoons Kasoori Methi
2½ cups Paneer cut into cubes
3 tablespoons Cream
Cilantro leaves
Cream

Method

* Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the butter starts to melt, add chopped onions to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn translucent.

* Add ginger and garlic to the onions. Sauté the ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.

* Add cashews to this mix. Cook cashews for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, stirring intermittently.

* No add chopped tomatoes to the pan. Sauté the tomatoes with onions + cashews. Lower the heat to the low setting and cover the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and tender.

* Once the tomatoes are soft, uncover the pan. Take it off the heat and allow the masala to cool.

* Once cooled, transfer this mix to a blender. Puree the cooled masala in the blender until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

* Heat a heavy-bottomed cooking pan or Kadai over medium heat. Add butter and oil to it. As the butter starts to melt, add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, and cloves to the pan.

* for a few seconds until the whole spices are fragrant. Now add Kashmiri red chili powder to the whole spices.

* Mix until fully combined. Do not cook for long or the chilies will burn. Next, add the butter gravy back to the pan. Mix until the sauce is fully blended.

* It’s time to season our masala. Add the coriander powder, turmeric, sugar, and salt to the masala. Stir around a while until the spices are well blended in the gravy.

* Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add the tomato paste and garam masala powder to the cooking gravy. Cook for another 1-2 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring.

Now add water to the butter masala gravy.

* Depending on the consistency you like, add water slowly. If you prefer a thick gravy, add less water than recommended in the recipe.

* By now, the masala will start to ooze oil from the sides. Add Kasoori methi to the cooking gravy; mix it well. Now, add our star ingredient – paneer cubes to the gravy.

* Gently mix the paneer into the gravy. Add cream to the gravy. Cover and allow the paneer butter masala to simmer for 4-5 minutes on low heat. After the time has elapsed, take the pan off the heat, and our delicious and creamy paneer butter masala is ready to be devoured.

* Transfer the paneer butter masala to a serving dish. Spoon the remaining cream over paneer, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves, and serve hot with warm tandoori roti or naan.