Creamy Paneer Butter Masala

Creamy Paneer Butter Masala

This is a deviation from the authentic Paneer Butter Masala, which I plan to post sometime soon. It does not use - cashew paste, kashmiri red chilli powder and is more creamy than the Paneer Butter Masala.

Serves: 3-4

Preparation Time:30 mins
Cooking Time:25 mins

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 250 gms. Cut into medium sized pieces.I divided the 250 gms of paneer into 30 pieces.
• Tomato - 300 gms. Use absolutely ripe tomatoes and dice it.
• Onion - 150 gms. Dice it.
• Ginger - One 1 inch piece.Crushed and made into a fine paste.
• Garlic - 6 cloves. Crushed and made into a fine paste.
• Butter -  25 gms for the curry.5 gms to be added at the end.
• Vegetable Oil - 
• 2 tbsp for frying the paneer.
• 2 tbsp for preparing the tomato-ey base.
• 1 tbsp for the curry.
• Fresh Cream - 50 gms.Whisked.
• Salt - To taste.

Spices:

• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
• Kasoori Methi Powder- Dry roast the kasoori methi and then powder it leaving the stems aside.Use 2 tsp of the powder.
• Green Cardamon Powder - 1/2 tsp. To be added at the end.

Preparation:
Frying the paneer:(2-3 mins)

• Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan.
• Once the oil is hot, lightly fry the paneer pieces in 2 tbsp of vegetable oil for not more than 2 mins.
• Remove the paneer, once done and rest it on a tissue paper.

Preparing the tomato-ey base:(12-15mins)

• Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the pan and add the onion pieces.
• In low heat, fry the onion pieces for 5-6 mins. Then add the tomato pieces.
• Increase the heat to medium.
• Sprinkle some salt and stir the onion-tomato till the raw-ness of the tomato fades.This should require another 6-8 mins.
• Once the tomato-onion mixture is almost done, turn off the heat.
• In a blender mix the tomato-onion mixture.

Cooking:

• Under medium heat, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan and then add 25 gms of butter in it.
• Wait for the butter to melt, then add the ginger and garlic pastes and wait for the ginger-garlic smell to evolve.
• In it add the tomato-ey base.
• Stir for 3-4 mins and then add the Turmeric Powder and Coriander powder.
• Continue to stir for another 5-6 mins.The tomato gravy should be homogenous and should be mature. 
• Then add the Kasoori methi.
• After stirring for 1 min, add the fried paneer pieces. 
• The curry should contain sufficient amount of gravy and moisture, so extra water will not be required.However, in case the gravy goes too dry, you may opt to add a little amount of warm water.
• Reduce the heat to low.
• Then add the whisked fresh cream.Stir for 4-5 mins.
• Check for the level of salt and add more in case required.
• The curry should be ready - add the extra 5 gms of butter and green cardamon powder at the very end.

Serve with paranthas.