Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer Butter masala is a rich creamy tomato onion based gravy that is served along with Naan, Kulcha, roti and phulka. This is one of the most commonly ordered items in Indian restaurants by many people. Though there are so many gravies with paneer like Paneer tikka masala, palak paneer, Paneer Pasanda, this still has many fans. So this can be called as the king of all Paneer recipes. I have made this gravy into parts like – white base, red base, tomato puree, final step. If you have White Base and Red Base in hand, you can make this gravy in no time. This recipe is so easy to make. You can adjust the spices slightly according to your taste but the making of the base is standardised.How to make if you have Red base and White base ready? Skip adding the whole spices and spice powder. However add the red chilli powder if required. After sauting ginger garlic paste, onion, tomatoes we will be adding the base.Add 1/2 cup white base and 1/2 cup red base. You can also adjust this quantity according to your taste.Finally do the garnishing step.This method of making restaurant style paneer butter masala is so easy since we have the bases in hand.Also check my other recipes Veg JalfreziCauliflower Bell pepper stir fryCarrot kormaNavarathna kurmaChanna masalaAloo paneer matar
Equipment
- Pan
Ingredients
White Base
- 20 Nos Cashews
- 1 tbsp White Sesame
- 1/2 tbsp Poppy seeds
- To boil Water
Red Base
- 2 Nos Onion
- 3 Nos Bedigi / Kashmiri chilli
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- To boil Water
Tomato Puree
- 3 Nos Farm tomatoes
- To blanch Water
Spices
- 2 Nos Bay leaf
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 1 No Marathi mokkku
- 2 Nos Star anise
- 5 Nos Cardamom
- 6 Nos Cloves
Spice Powders
- 1.5 tsp Garam masala
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- To taste Salt
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 No Onion (finely chopped)
- 1 No Tomato (finely chopped)
- 200 gm Paneer (Cut into cubes )
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 ladle Curd (optional)
For Garnishing
- 1 tsp Kasuri methi
- 10 Nos Cashews
- 1 tsp Fresh Cream
Instructions
White Base
- In a vessel add cashews, white sesame seeds, poppy seeds.
- Add water and allow it to boil until the cashews become soft.
- Donot add too much of water.Turn off the stove and allow it to cool.
- Grind it to a fine paste.
- White base is ready.
Red Base
- Chop onions into big chunks.
- Add onions, red chilli, turmeric powder into the vessel.
- Add water and allow it to boil.
- Once cooled down, grind it to a fine paste.
- Red base is ready.
Tomato Puree
- Blanch the tomatoes.
- Add water into a vessel and add the tomatoes.
- Blanch until the skin starts coming out.
- Allow it to cool. Peel off the skin.
- Add the tomatoes into the mixie jar and grind it to a fine puree.
- Tomato puree is ready.
Final Step
- In a heavy bottomed vessel, add butter and fry cashews until golden brown.
- Remove the cashews and keep it in a separate bowl.
- In the same pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, marathi mokku, star anise and saute until you get a nice aroma.
- Then add ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off. Take care and saute in medium flame else it will stick to the bottom.
- Add finely chopped onions, saute until they turn transparent.
- Then add finely chopped tomatoes and saute well.
- Into this add garam masala powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Mix well.
- Once the onion & tomato are sauteed well, add the red base and tomato puree.
- Allow it to cook for two minutes and add sugar.
- At this stage we can also add curd. This is purely optional. You can also skip this step.
- Mix well and add white base. It gives richness to the gravy.
- Allow them to boil for three minutes and then add Paneer cubes. Mix well.
- Finally garnish it with fried cashews and kasuri methi.
- Serve it with Naan, Kucha, roti, chappathi, phulka.