Paneer butter masala is the King of all paneer dishes I would say as this is one of the most ordered , much in demand North Indian dish in any Indian Restaurant. The name Punjabi dishes immediately reminds one of paneer butter masala and other paneer dishes.

Definitely a calorie rich tasty scrumptious lip smacking dish , not for the fainthearted if you add the oodles of butter that goes into the usual preps of the dish.
Dinner parties will definitely need a dish of this kind to grace the table and so once in a while indulgence is okay.
Rotis, naans, kulchas,jeera rice, jeera pulao any dish goes admirably well with this as a main side dish.

Ingredients:

• Paneer (cottage cheese),cut into triangles 500 grams
  • 5 tbsp butter or 3 tbsp butter plus 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Cloves
  • 2 one inch Cinnamon sticks
  • 3 Dried red chillies,broken
  • 2 tbsp Coriander seeds crushed
  • 2 small Onions ,slicedand one big green chilli ( Adding green chilli is optional )
  • 2 tsp Ginger paste
  • 2 tsp Garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 1/2 tso kashmiri chilli powder
  • 5-6 medium Tomatoes,chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp Kasoori methi ,crushed
  • 2-3 tsp fresh cream
  
  

• Method

1. Keep the paneer pieces sliced into triangles or cubes and keep them soaked in warm water to keep the soft. This will help them absorb the masala flavors to the full when mixed with the gravy.

2. Take a deep pan, heat some butter /oil, add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, half of the crushed coriander seeds and red chillis.

Saute them for few seconds till they crisp up and turn aromatic.

3. Add chopped onions and stir fry till translucent, add chopped tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, saute them till the raw smell disappears.

Add the coriander powder, chili powder and cook on high heat taking care not to burn the masala and the oil leaves the sides of the pan.

4. Take it off and when cooled puree the mixture,

5. Take a pan and heat some more butter, cook the pureed mixture for couple of minutes, now a heavenly aroma starts wafting, add the warm soaked paneer pieces and add the salt.

6. Add little water around 1 cup or slightly less than 1 cup. Cook covered on a very low heat till te gravy thickens and now add the kasuri methi by sprinkling all over the paneer butter masala and also add the remaining crushed coriander seeds.
Remove from heat and add the fresh cream to enrich the taste.

Note

If you need a more richer creamier taste than this which I doubt , you can add some cashew paste to the puree while sauteing and then add the paneer pieces.

For the cashew paste, soak some cashewnuts in warm wate r and grind to paste with little milk.

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