Best Biryani House: Paneer

How To Make Paneer Butter Masala Recipe - By Best Biryani House

Paneer (pronounced [pəniːr]) is a fresh cheese common in South Asia, especially in Indian, Pakistani, Afghani, and Bangladeshi cuisines. It is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese or curd cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice, vinegar, or any other food acids.

paneer is one ingredient that is liked by us and so i do make many dishes with it. the paneer butter masala recipe i make is much appreciated at home and the recipe posted on the blog has been tried and tested my many readers.

so i thought of sharing a no onion no garlic paneer butter masala too. generally onions are not added to paneer butter masala gravy. the garlic added in the form of garlic paste, does contribute towards the overall flavor of the dish. here we have used asafoetida to mimic the garlic flavor and some whole spices.

to make any butter masala or makhani gravy, you need tomatoes. and the tomatoes have to be ripe, red with a mild sweetness. avoid using tomatoes which are sour or ‘khatta’ as we call in hindi. the gravy becomes sour and addition of sugar does not help much. this butter masala gravy is not very heavy or rich as i have not used cream and added less cashews. if you want you can add cream. i have mentioned the proportions in the recipe instructions and step wise pics below. you can make this recipe during navratri fasting the asafoetida, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and adding rock salt instead of regular salt.

like all gravy dishes, paneer butter masala goes well with chapatis, tandoori rotis, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice.

Author: Best Biryani House

Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

https://www.facebook.com/bestbiryanihouse/

Ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

For Tomato Puree:

4 medium tomatoes or 300 grams or 2 cups diced tomatoes, pureed

For Cashew Paste:

15 to 18 cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
3 to 4 tbsp water for grinding cashew

Whole Spices:

1 tejpatta/indian bay leaf
2 to 3 cloves
½ inch cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
1 single strand of mace
a pinch of asafoetida/hing

Other Ingredients:

200 to 250 grams paneer/cottage cheese
2 to 3 tbsp butter
1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
1.25 cups water or add as required
½ tsp ginger paste or ½ inch ginger crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
1 green chili, slit
½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
2 tbsp low fat cream (optional)
¼ to 1 tsp sugar, add as per taste and depending on the sourness of the tomatoes
salt as required

http://bestbiryanihouse.blogspot.in/

How To Make The Recipe:

Preparing Cashew Paste:

soak 12 to 15 cashews in a hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
then drain and add the soaked cashews in a blender or grinder.
add 2 to 3 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste.
remove the cashew paste and keep aside.

Preparing Tomato Puree:

in the same blender add chopped tomatoes.
blend to a smooth tomato puree. keep aside.

Preparing The Butter Masala Gravy:

now heat 2 to 3 tbsp butter in a pan or kadai.
allow the butter to melt.
then add the whole spices mentioned above in the ingredient list.
saute the spices till they become fragrant.
add ginger paste and saute the ginger paste till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
add the prepared tomato puree. stir very well and simmer for 3 minutes.
then add 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder.
stir and saute the tomato paste till you see fat releasing from the sides and top.
then add the cashew paste.
begin to stir and mix the cashew paste very well with the tomato paste. continue to saute on a low to medium flame, till you see specks of fat on the sides or on the top.
then add water and stir very well.
bring the gravy to a boil and then add ginger julienne and slit green chilies.
season with salt. check the taste and add sugar as required. i added ¼ tsp sugar. you can add from ¼ tsp to 1 tsp depending on sourness or 'khatas' of the tomatoes.
when the gravy thickens a bit and you see fat specks on the top, then add paneer cubes. simmer for a minute.
now add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala powder. at this step, if you want you can add 2 to 3 tbsp of low fat cream or 1 to 2 tbsp of whipping cream.
stir and switch off the flame.
garnish this no onion no garlic paneer butter masala with chopped coriander leaves and serve with chapatis, rotis, steamed rice or jeera rice.