PANEER BUTTER MASALA RECIPE |

HOW TO MAKE PANEER BUTTER MASALA

 INGREDIENTS
 1 CUP = (240ML )
 Ingredients for gravy or sauce
 1 tablespoon Oil
 2 green cardamoms or elaichi
 1 cup onions cubed, 3 medium (optional)
 1½ cups tomatoes finely chopped (3 large)
 ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
 ¾ teaspoon sugar (optional)
 12 cashew nuts
 ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder Kashmiri (adjust for best color)
 ¾ to 1 teaspoon GARAM MASALA powder
 1 teaspoon coriander powder (or daniya powder) (optional)
whole spices (skip if you don't have)
 1 small bay leaf (or tej patta)
 1 inch cinnamon piece (or dalchini) (optional)
 2 green cardamom (or elaichi) (optional)
 2 to 3 cloves (or laung) (optional)
 For paneer butter masala
 1½ tablespoon Butter
 1½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste or fine chopped (or ½ to ¾ inch ginger, 2
to 3 medium garlic cloves)
 ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (optional, for color)
 200 to 250 grams PANEER (2 heaped cups)
 ½ to ¾ teaspoon kasuri methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)
 3 tablespoon cream (or 6 to 8 cashews more)
 2 tablespoon coriander leaves (or cilantro finely chopped) (for garnish)
HOW TO MAKE THE RECIPE
Preparation for paneer butter masala
 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add 2 green cardamoms.
 Then add 1 cup cubed onions & fry stirring often until transparent or pink.
 Next add 1½ cup tomatoes & ¼ tsp salt. Fry for 3 minutes.
 Cook covered till the onion tomato mixture turns soft & mushy.
 Next add in ¾ to 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp coriander powder, 12 cashew nuts, ½ to
¾ tsp red chili powder & ¾ tsp sugar (optional).
 Fry this till the onion tomato masala leaves the sides of the pan & the masala turns
aromatic.
 Turn off the stove & cool this completely.
 Transfer to a blender with 1 cup water and puree to a really smooth mixture. Set this
aside.
 How to make paneer butter masala
 Heat 1½ tbsp butter in the same pan.
 Fry 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, 2 green cardamoms & 1 small bay leaf for 1 to 2
minutes.
 On a low flame saute 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste till the raw smell goes away. Do not
burn this as it will leave a bitter taste.
 Pour the blended onion tomato puree, then add ¼ tsp red chili powder (optional to
adjust the color). Mix well.
 If the onion tomato puree is not smooth, then filter it through a colander.
 If needed pour ¼ to ½ cup of water good enough to make the paneer butter masala
gravy.
 Cover & cook until the gravy thickens & traces of butter or oil is seen on top.
 Let the gravy reach the desired consistency.
 Lower the flame completely, then add 200 to 250 grams paneer & ½ tsp crushed
kasuri methi.
 Mix & cook covered on a low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour 2 tbsps cream & mix.
 Transfer paneer butter masala to a serving bowl. Garnish with 1 tbsp cream & 2 tbsps
coriander leaves.
NUTRITION (estimation only)

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 10g

| Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 68mg |
Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 2g |
Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1025IU | Vitamin C: 17.6mg |
Calcium: 349mg | Iron: 1.2mg
 Preparation

I get queries from readers on how to keep the paneer soft in paneer butter
masala so sharing the tip but I usually do not follow the step 1.

1.If using store bought paneer, then heat 1½ to 2 cups water in a small pot.
Then add the paneer cubes to it. Allow to rest for about 15 to 20 mins. Then
drain the water and set aside. This will soften the paneer.

Frying onions & tomatoes

2. You can either blanch the onions and tomatoes or will have to saute them.
Sometimes onion paste lends a bitter taste. So blanching or sauteing is very
much needed. I go ahead sauteing as it gives a nice flavor.
Add 1½ tsp oil to a hot pan. Add 2
green cardamoms. Saute 1 cup
cubed onions on a medium flame
until they turn lightly pink in color. This
takes just 3 to 4 minutes.

frying onions till pink for paneer butter

masala

3. Transfer 1½ cups finely chopped tomatoes

and sprinkle some salt. Again fry for 2 to 3
minutes. Then cover and cook till mushy.

adding tomatoes salt to make paneer butter

masala
4. Add ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder, ¾ to 1 tsp garam
masala, 1 tsp coriander powder (optional), 10 to 12
cashews and sugar if using.

adding spice powders to make paneer butter

masala

5. Fry till the onion tomato mixture begins to leave the

sides of the pan. You will begin to get a nice aroma
of the mix. Turn off the stove.

adding spice powders to make paneer butter

masala
6. Cool it completely and add it to a blender along
with 1 cup of water. Blend the tomato cashews
mixture to smooth puree. To speed up the process, I
added ice cold water to the jar first and then
transferred the mix.

adding onion tomato masala to blender for paneer

butter masala

7. Blend to a very smooth & silky paste, adding little

more water if needed.

blended spicy onion tomato puree for paneer butter

masala
 How to make paneer butter masala
8. Heat the pan on a low flame with 1 ½ tbsp
butter.

9. Add 2 cardamoms, 1 bay leaf, 1 small

cinnamon piece and 3 cloves. You can also
skip the spices but they add a good aroma. Fry
till they are lightly roasted just for a minute.

sauteing spices in butter to make

paneer butter masala

10. Add 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste (or very finely

chopped). Saute until the raw smell goes off. If the
raw smell of ginger garlic doesn’t go away or it gets
burnt the entire dish will spoil. So take care to fry this
on a low to medium flame until the raw smell goes
off.
frying ginger garlic paste to make paneer butter masala

11. Next add the pureed onion tomato mix, little more
red chili powder. You can skip the chili powder since it is
used only for color. If you are not using onion in this
recipe, then also you can skip using red chili powder
now.

If the mixture is not very smooth and silky, I suggest using

a filter or colander to strain the mixture. Pass the cashew
tomato puree through a colander or sieve.
adding puree chili powder to make paneer butter
masala gravy

12. Stir well. If needed pour ¼ to ½ cup water to bring

it to the desired consistency.
adding water to bring butter paneer gravy to a
consistency
13. Cover and cook on a medium flame until the
gravy turns thick.

simmer paneer butter masala gravy until thick

14. When the paneer butter masala gravy is done

you will see traces of fats over the gravy. This is the
color you may get. Open the lid and cook until the
gravy turns thicker.

oil traces on top of paneer butter masala

15. Make sure the gravy reaches the desired
consistency then add paneer and kasuri methi. If you
add it while the gravy is still runny, the gravy has to
be cooked for longer. This will result in the paneer
turning harder.

adding paneer kasuri methi to make paneer butter

masala
16. Stir well. On a low flame cook covered just for 1 to
3 minutes. Cooking for longer can make the paneer
harder. Add 2 to 3 tbsp. cream and stir.
You should get this thick creamy texture as you
see in the picture below. adding cream to
paneer butter masala Serving
Transfer paneer butter masala to a serving
bowl.
You can add 1 tbsp cream, also finely
chopped coriander leaves or ginger julienne
for garnish.
Serve paneer butter masala with Jeera rice,
chapathi, roti, naan or even with plain
basmathi rice.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING