Paneer Butter Masala | Version 1.1

I already have a paneer butter masala recipe in my blog which was adapted from vahrevah chef. That recipe is entirely different from the one am gonna share now. I used milk to make the gravy rich but if you are not calorie conscious like me then use cream to thicken the gravy. It tasted more like the PB masalas that you get in restaurants sans the excess oil floating on top and the food color. But if you feel that you need the restaurant-y look then you can add a pinch of red food color.

Whenever we visit restaurants its only non veg for us. Its a strict no-no for veg dishes. But if at times we get bored with having non veg dishes, the first thing that our eyes look out in the menu card is paneer based recipes and paneer butter masala is the default dish that gets ordered everytime. I would say paneer is a vegetarians savior.

I like to try the PB masala of different restaurants and I would say till date I haven't come across the perfect PB masala. Sometimes the paneer is too hard, sometimes the paneer tastes too chalky, the gravy is so creamy or so sweet at times, something or the other goes wrong with the dish. Whenever I have a sucking PB masala, I swear that I will never order one the next time and then I come home and start browsing for recipes. Nothing can beat the freshness of homemade gravies and when you can control the spicyness, the creaminess and the richness as you wish, you get a gravy that suits your taste buds. So why fuss over the restaurant ones... problem solved... make your own PB masala.
But over the time, I have to visit a restaurant, I have to order a PB masala and then I have to sulk over it. Thats how the circle atleast for me goes on.

~*What U Need*~ Paneer cubes - 200 gms Onion - 1, large Tomatao - 1, large Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Cashew nuts, almonds - 5-8 Milk - 1/2 cup Kasoori methi - 1 tsp Red chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - a pinch Salt - to taste Butter 2 tsp Water - 1/4 cup Butter - 1 tbsp Cardamom - 1 Clove - 1 Cinnamon - 1"

How I Made it:
Heat 2 tsp butter in a pan and fry cubed onions and tomatoes until brown and mushy. Grind this to a smooth paste.

Soak cashews and almonds in 2 tbsp warm milk for 15 mins. Grind to a smooth paste. Fry the paneer cubes for 4-5 mins till the raw smell goes off. Keep immersed in hot water.

Heat 2 tbsp butter, add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and fry. Add the ground onion-tomato paste and give it a stir. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and ginger garlic paste. Mix well.

Once this is thick, add the crushed kasoori methi leaves. Add the ground cashew and mix well. Fry for another 2 minutes. Add required milk and water slowly as you stir. Season with salt. When you get the desired consistency, add drained paneer. Heat in medium-low for another 2 mins and then switch off.

Serve hot with roti/ naan or pulaos/pilafs.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!