Paneer Makhani – Butter Paneer Masala

 Paneer Butter Masala / Paneer Makhani is well known dish in Indian cuisine. Paneer cooked in rich gravy with tomatoes, butter and cream. Paneer Butter Masala is similar to other Paneer gravies, except that as the name implies, it is richer due to butter and the gravy is thickened by using tomatoes and cashew paste rather than just cream. .It’s really yummy.

 Making this recipe is might differ from region to region and even from one household to another. Some like to fry and brown the Paneer, while some use it raw. Here I marinated the Paneer and baked it in the oven for few minutes and also I used already precooked Mahani sauce. (When machani sauce in hand, you can make this gravy any time). In this recipe , I used very less butter, because of health reasons. If you want  and buttery sauce , you can add more butter.

Ingredients:

For Paneer Preparation: 

Paneer cubes                               – 2 cups

Thick yogurt (curd)                         – 2 tbsp.

Kashmir red chili powder                  – 1 tsp. (Its gives you color)

Salt                                             – a pinch

Kasuthuri Methi Powder                   – ¼ tsp.

Red color                                       – 1 drop (optional)

Oil                                                  - 1 tsp.

Method: 

• Whisk the yogurt, salt, chili powder, kasuri Methi powder. Add oil in it. Mix well.
• Add Paneer cubes to the bowl and toss for the marinade to coat the Paneer, keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven at 350 degree. On an oven prove tray, place aluminum foil and place the Paneer and bake for 6 minutes and turn them over and again bake it for 4 minutes. Set aside. 
• Now Paneer is ready. 

For the sauce:

Ingredients:

Makhani Sauce                - 1 ½ cup (without  cream)

Makhani Sauce

Chopped capsicums          – 1cup

Ginger paste                   – 1tsp.

Oil/Butter                          – 1tsp.

Cloves, Cardamom                – 2 each

Water –                              1 cup

Cream                                   – ½ cup

Sugar                                 – 1 tbsp.

Kasuthuri methi Powder            – 1tsp

Salt                                     to taste

To be grind:

Cashews                             – 1 tbsp.

Khuskhus                             – 1 tbsp.

Almonds                                – 1 tbsp.

Method for Paneer Makhani 

• Soak the cashews, almonds and khuskhus in a hot water for ½ hour. Then drain the water and grind it very smoothly.  Keep aside.
• Dry fry the cloves and cardamoms and grind coarsely.
• Heat butter in a pan, add ginger paste and fry for few seconds, then add chopped capsicums n it and saute for few minutes. Keep aside.
• Take a deep pan, add Makhani Sauce, add little water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat.
• Add the powdered dry masalas, capsicums, sugar in it, and cook it in low heat.
• Now add Paneer cubes, cashew paste, and kasuri powder and salt in it. Mix it gently.
• Add little water and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes in a low heat. Now add cream gently in the mixture and cook it for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Now Yummy Paneer Makhani is ready.
• Serve with Nan, Pulao, Pulka.