Paneer Butter Masala

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I think Paneer Butter Masala (PBM) is everyone’s favorite. Be it a potluck or party paneer, plays a major role and one recipe with paneer menu makes the entire menu rich and this PBM is one such perfect recipe which is easy to prepare over the weekday and also to prepare in bulk quantity for potlucks. I prepare this recipe as a semi homemade. The tomato paste and the heavy cream do the magic. I use heavy cream or regular milk depending upon the situation.

Vaandu loves paneer. Period. If you are in my IG or FB you would have seen a picture of a list that he is thankful for and paneer is one in that thankful list. This is what he wrote. “I am thankful for paneer for tasting so awesome”.

That said can you believe that I don’t have that many paneer posts in my blog? Yes I don’t have any paneer gravies and this is the first one. I usually prepare paneer gravies over the weekday for rotis and I can pack the same for next day lunch for all of us. Somehow the paneer recipes that I prepared so far didn’t get a chance to come in front of the camera. Somedays I was tired and somedays kiddo won’t let me take pictures and that’s it. This is the tale of my paneer. Back in India, amma doesn’t prepare paneer recipes at home. We used to have paneer gravies at restaurant only. After coming to US, paneer became like another veggie.

I learnt all my paneer recipes from our friend E. During my first trimester I was staying in their places for about a month. I was spoiled and pampered with hot parathas with chaas for breakfast and typical North Indian meal for lunch (Dal, Roti, Subzi/paneer and rice). (Now you know how kiddo started loving paneer) I took advantage of that time and asked my friend to prepare all paneer gravies and I learnt it from her. I saw her cooking and it was like attending a cooking class. I follow her exact same recipe for this PBM. Except for red chilly powder there is no other masalas added here. Yet it tastes great.

So here is the recipe,

Ingredients:

• Paneer –  16oz pack
• Tomato Paste – 6 oz
• Water – 2.5 cups
• Heavy Cream – half pint pack (err basically 1 cup)
• Red chili powder – 3/4 tsp
• Salt – 2.5 tsps
• Sugar – 1.5 tsps
• Dried Fenugreek / Kasuri Methi – 2 tbsps
• Finely Chopped Cilantro – 1 tbsp
• Half of medium sized onion – roughly chopped
• Small Tomato – 1
• Butter / Oil – 1 tbsp
• Bay leaf – 2

Steps:

• Roughly chop the onion and tomato and grind them together.

• Chop the paneer into cubes and microwave them for 1 minute. To make it soft you can either soak them in hot water for couple of minutes or you can even shallow fry them for additional taste. I usually microwave them for couple of minutes.
• Heat the kadai and add the oil.
• Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf and the onion-tomato grinded paste.
• Cook till the raw smell goes.

• Now add the tomato paste and 2.5 cups of water.

• Mix well and make sure the tomato paste doesn’t form any lumps.
• Add salt, sugar and red chilly powder.

• Mix well and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Now add the paneer and let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

• Add the heavy cream and mix well.
• Just before turning off crush the kasoori methi and mix well.

Garnish it with cilantro and serve hot with phulkas or roti or any bread. You can add a dollop of butter before serving.

Paneer Butter Masala

A rich paneer gravy prepared with cream and tomato.

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

• Paneer – 16oz pack
• Tomato Paste – 6 oz
• Water – 2.5 cups
• Heavy Cream – half pint pack err basically 1 cup
• Red chili powder – 3/4 tsp
• Salt – 2.5 tsps
• Sugar – 1.5 tsps
• Dried Fenugreek / Kasuri Methi – 2 tbsps
• Finely Chopped Cilantro – 1 tbsp
• Half of medium sized onion – roughly chopped
• Small Tomato – 1
• Butter / Oil – 1 tbsp
• Bay leaf - 2

Instructions

• Roughly chop the onion and tomato and grind them together.
• Chop the paneer into cubes and microwave them for 1 minute.
• Heat the kadai and add the oil.
• Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf and the onion-tomato grinded paste.
• Cook till the raw smell goes.
• Now add the tomato paste and 2.5 cups of water.
• Mix well and make sure the tomato paste doesn’t form any lumps.
• Add salt, sugar and red chilly powder.
• Mix well and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Now add the paneer and let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream and mix well.
• Just before turning off crush the kasoori methi and mix well.
• Garnish it with cilantro and serve hot with phulkas or roti or any bread.

Notes

You can add a dollop of butter before serving.
To make it soft you can either soak them in hot water for couple of minutes
You can even shallow fry them for additional taste. I usually microwave them for couple of minutes.

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