Paneer Butter Masala
Silky cubes of paneer in a luxuriously rich tomato-cream sauce infused with butter, cashews, and aromatic spices. The restaurant-style gravy is smooth, mildly spiced, and deeply satisfying over basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 14 oz paneer, cubed
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 can canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
Instructions
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1
Heat half the 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 roughly chopped yellow onion, 6 cloves smashed garlic cloves, 1 inch sliced fresh ginger, and 1/4 cup raw cashews. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and lightly golden.
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2
Add 1 can canned whole peeled tomatoes, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, and 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (or mild paprika). Stir and simmer for 10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture is thick. Let cool slightly.
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3
Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan, pressing to extract all the sauce. Discard solids.
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4
Return the pan to medium heat. Add the remaining unsalted butter and pour in 2/3 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is a rich, deep orange color.
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5
Stir in 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp garam masala, and 1 tsp crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi). Simmer for 3 minutes.
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6
Add 14 oz cubed paneer and gently stir to coat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the paneer is heated through.
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7
Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with basmati rice or naan.