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Paneer Butter Masala

How to Make Paneer Butter Masala (Restaurant Style)

Paneer Butter Masala is a well-liked dish from North India that is vegetarian and is also known as paneer makhani. It is a savory and filling meal made with tender bits of paneer cheese cooked in a creamy tomato-based sauce that may be eaten as a main course or as a side dish with naan bread, rice, or roti.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Shallow Frying Paneer

  • 200 gms Paneer
  • 2 tbsp Yellow butter
  • 1 pinch Turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch Fenugreek leaves
  • 1 pinch Salt to taste

For Tomato Puree

  • 2 large Tomatoes
  • 2 Green chillies (optional)
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder

For the Gravy

  • Fried paneer
  • Tomato puree
  • 2 large Onions (chopped)
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 inch Cinemon
  • 1 Black cardomom
  • 2 Green cardamom
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • ½ tsp Red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • Cashew nut paste (blend 12-15 cashews with water)
  • ½ tsp Garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • Fenugreek leaves

For Garnishing

  • Coriander sprig
  • Fresh cream

Instructions
 

  • In a pan, add yellow butter and heat it on low heat till it melts. Now add paneer, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, fenugreek leaves, and salt.
  • Shallow fry paneer on medium-high heat till the moisture of paneer evaporates. Now set it aside for later use.
  • Make a puree by blending tomatoes, green chillies, and red chilli powder together.
  • Heat oil in the same pan (used for frying paneer), and add all the ground spices; bay leaf, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamoms, and cumin.
  • Now add chopped onion and saute on medium heat till it turns light golden brown and then add ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 mins. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder in the pan and saute it for 1 min on medium heat.
  • Pour the tomato puree in the pan and add salt, and cook it on high heat till the oil separates. Now add coriander powder, and cumin powder and saute on low heat. Pour some water so that the spices do not burn.
  • Make cashew nut paste by blending 12-15 cashews with some water, and add it into the masala and mix it well on high heat for 2 mins. Then cover the pan and cook the gravy for 5 mins on low heat till the oil separates.
  • Pour 1 cup of water in the gravy for consistency. Then add garam masala and fenugreek leaves and saute for 1 min on low heat.
  • Finally add your cooked paneer into the gravy and saute for 1 min. Garnish the gravy with coriander sprig and fresh cream.
  • Enjoy your dish with rotis, parathas or naans.

Notes

    • It will be alright if you do not shallow fry the paneer and add it raw to the gravy. Just add the butter separately to the gravy at the end. You will lose some flavor though.
    • It's ideal to use homemade paneer for this dish as I did.
    • Soak the paneer in lukewarm water for 15-20 mins if it is store-bought.
    • Don't forget to add the cashew nut paste. This will give the dish more restauranty flavor.
    • Be generous with cream and butter.
How to Store:
Paneer butter masala should be transferred to an airtight container after cooling to room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for 3–4 days at most. You may freeze it for up to 2 or 3 months if you want to keep it for longer.
You may put the dish in a pot and reheat it over low heat until it is well-heated. Additionally, it may be heated up in the microwave in a microwave-safe container while being stirred every so often to ensure equal heating. You may add a little water or cream to thin down a dish if it is overly thick.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
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