Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients needed

   Onion -2
   Tomato puree - 1 cup
   Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp
   Paneer - 200 grams (I used home made paneer)
   Cashew nuts -2 tbsp
   Kasuri Methi -3/4 tsp (dry fenugreek leaves)
   Salt as required

   Spice Powder

   Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
   Coriander powder - 2 tsp
   Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
   Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

   For the seasoning

    Butter- 2 tbsp + Oil-1 tbsp
    Cinnamon -1 inch piece
    Cloves- 2
    Cardamom -1

   For Garnishing

   Fresh cream - 1/4 cup (dairy cream)
   Finely chopped coriander leaves

Preparation

Making paneer butter masala is a breeze if you keep all the 4 paste ready.

Onion Paste -Remove the skin, chop the onion into 4 pieces and boil them in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water completely and grind it to a paste.

Tomato puree - Blanch tomatoes- (ie) put the tomatoes in boiling water and close it. After 10 minutes, drain the water, remove the skin and puree the tomatoes.

Cashew nut paste- Soak 2 tbsp of cashew nuts in hot water for 15 minutes and grind it to a paste.

Keep Ginger garlic paste ready -1 tbsp

Cut paneer into cubes. I used homemade paneer.

Method

Heat 2 tbsp butter +1 tbsp oil, add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, when it splutters, add onion paste and saute till it becomes golden brown, then add ginger garlic paste and saute for some more time.

Then add cashew nut paste and saute nicely for a few minutes till the raw smell goes.

Then add tomato puree and all the spice powder mentioned under spice powder.

Cook until the raw smell of the tomato goes and it starts leaving oil.

Meant time shallow fry the paneer in just 2 -3 tsp of oil till it becomes slightly brown.

Add the paneer cubes to the cooked tomato paste.

Add 1/2 cup of water, needed salt, kasuri methi and coriander leaves. Simmer and cook for a few minutes.

Garnish with fresh cream and serve with pulao or roti or chapati.