paneer butter masala recipe with video and detailed instructions- paneer butter masala is one of the most popular restaurant favorites in India and around the world. the curry is made with Cubed paneer (indian cottage cheese) and is cooked in a onion, tomato and cashew base. Its a rich creamy sauce and is absolutely finger liking good. Its a great side dish that can be served with Nan ( the Indian flat bread), whole wheat chapathi, plain rice or jeera rice (cumin rice). I like to eat with oats paratha.
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As the name suggests, to make the paneer butter masala we use butter in the dish. To make it tad bit healthy, I prefer using a combination of both butter and oil. Also, i go easy on heavy cream, i don’t prefer adding too much of it. If you do not have cream, milk is a great substitute for heavy cream.
What is Paneer?
Paneer is the Indian cheese which is made by adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar to the hot milk. The curdles milk is drained and that is the paneer.
Paneer dishes are extremely popular in the Indian cuisine. Among the many popular paneer dishes, paneer butter masala takes the first place. Its the most ordered dish in the Indian Restaurants here in U.S.
What is Paneer Butter Masala?
Paneer butter masala is a rich, creamy and delicious curry made with onion tomato gravy and loaded with soft paneer cubes in it. Often it is also refereed as butter paneer or paneer makhani.
Substitute for Paneer?
You can replace paneer with Tofu. Press the tofu to remove the excess moisture and cut them to bite size cubes.
Pan fry the tofu pieces in oil till slightly crisp. Sprinkle some salt and red chilly powder.
To make Vegan Paneer Butter Masala –
Replace paneer with tofu.
Skip the butter and use vegan butter or just oil.
Skip the cream, the cashew in the curry gives enough creaminess to the curry.
If you want to make it vegan, substitute paneer with tofu and replace the cream/milk with coconut milk.
Can I replace any spices?
If you don’t have the wholes spices or garam masala, you can add curry powder. But just remember depending on the ingredients and the quality of the curry powder the taste of the final curry may defer.
Serving suggestions for Paneer Butter Masala-
Serve the paneer butter masala with nan, kulcha, jeera rice, plain rice or chapathi.
This is a fail proof recipe which i have been making for few years now. Paneer Butter Masala is always on the menu whenever we have friends and family over. Kids in general love to eat this creamy and slightly mild curry with nan.
More Curry’s from the blog –
Few tips before making the curry-
- If using frozen paneer, bring the paneer to room temperature. You can also cook the paneer in hot water for few minutes.
- You can also pan fry the paneer before adding in the gravy.
- Use ripe red tomatoes for the recipe. Using a good ripe tomato makes a huge difference in how the curry tastes.
- Cashew nuts give a nice richness to the curry, but can also try using almonds. Soak the almonds in hot water, peel the skin and use it.
- Cream can be replaced with regular milk or coconut milk.
- Fenugreek leaves have a strong pungent smell, but is a key ingredient in the recipe.
paneer butter masala recipe video–
Step by step procedure on how to make the paneer butter masala:
Soak the cashew in the warm water for 15 minutes.
Pour a tablespoon of oil in the pan, and sautee the onion in medium flame till soft.
Add the ginger and garlic.
Saute until the onion is golden brown.
Add the tomato and cover the sauce pan.
Cook till tomato is mushy.
Cool the mixture and puree it along with the soaked cashew nuts.
In a pan add the butter and oil. Let the butter melt.
Add the bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and turmeric. saute for 30 seconds.
Add the pureed mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in between.
Add the red chilly powder, corinader powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook for a minute.
Add a cup of water and let the curry simmer for five minutes. At this point check for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Add the cubed paneer, kasoori methi, cream and sugar. Simmer for couple more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy the paneer butter masala with nan or rice.
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe:
PANEER BUTTER MASALA | HOW TO MAKE EASY PANEER BUTTER MASALA
Ingredients
To make onion tomato paste:
- large Onion – 1 chopped
- Medium ripe tomato – 3 chopped
- Ginger – 1 inch
- Garlic cloves- 3
- Cashew – about 12
- Oil – 2 tbsps
For making Paneer Butter Masala:
- Butter – 2 table spoons
- Oil – 1 table spoon
- Bay leaf -2 tej patta
- Cinnamon sticks-2
- Cloves-3
- Cardamom-1
- 1 to 1.5 tsps Kashmiri red chili powder if using spicy chilly powder use ½ tsp
- Coriander powder- ¾ tsp
- Cumin powder- ¼ tsp
- Garam masala- ½ tsp or to taste
- Kasoori methi- ¾ tsp
- Paneer cubes – 200 gms ( about 2 cups) 7 oz
- Salt to taste
- Sugar- ¼ tsp optional
- 2 to 3 tbsps heavy whipping cream or malai
- 1 cup water
For garnish:
- few ginger juvenile
- a table spoon of chopped coriander leaves
- tablespoon of cream
Instructions
making the onion-tomato paste:
- Soak the cashew in the warm water for few minutes. Alternatively you can add the cashew while cooking the onion tomato moisture, either way works.
- While the cashew is soaking, heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion, pinch of salt and cook till soft and light brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a minute.
- Now add in the chopped tomato and cook till the tomato is mushy.
- Cool the mixture, add the soaked cashew and puree it into a smooth paste.
making the gravy and the paneer butter masala:
- In a pan, melt the butter and oil on low-medium flame.
- Add the bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and turmeric. saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the pureed mixture and cook till most of the moisture evaporates, stir in between.
- Add the red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook for a minute.
- Add a cup of water and let the curry simmer for five minutes. Add more water if the gravy is too thick. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- At this point taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning.
- Add the cubed paneer, kasoori methi, cream and sugar. Simmer for couple more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Enjoy the paneer butter masala with nan, chapathi or rice.
Ran
Any idea, what the difference between paneer butter masala and
Neha Sharma
Thanks for great information,Really this post is interesting,I always appreciate such type of posts, I think the work done by the author is really great.
Joseph halayahay
Very good good healthy and delicious
Madhu
thank you joseph!