Main Course

Paneer Butter Masala

Soft cubes of Indian cottage cheese in a silky, tomato-cashew sauce enriched with butter and cream. This vegetarian favorite is milder than its chicken counterpart and beloved across India.

Md Afroz Alam

Cook Time

Servings

reviews

Medium

Difficulty

Instructions

Prepare paneer and sauce base

Cut paneer into 2cm cubes and soak in warm water to keep soft. Soak cashews in hot water for 20 minutes. Cook roughly chopped onions, tomatoes, cashews, and ginger-garlic paste with 1 cup water for 15 minutes. Cool and blend smooth.

Soaking paneer in warm water prevents it from becoming hard and rubbery in the curry.

Create the tempering

Heat butter in a pan, add bay leaf and crushed cardamom. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. The whole spices infuse the butter with aromatic flavor.

Don't skip the whole spices - they add depth that ground spices alone cannot provide.

Cook the sauce

Pour the blended tomato-cashew mixture through a strainer into the pan for ultra-smooth sauce. Add chili powder, half the garam masala, salt, and sugar. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens.

Straining the sauce is key for restaurant-style silky smooth texture.

Add cream and paneer

Stir in cream and simmer for 3 minutes. Gently add drained paneer cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Don't overcook the paneer or it will become tough.

Add paneer at the very end and just warm it through - overcooking makes it chewy.

Final touches

Crush kasuri methi between your palms and add along with remaining garam masala. Mix gently. Garnish with a swirl of cream and serve hot with butter naan or jeera rice.

The dish should be slightly sweet, creamy, and aromatic - adjust sugar and cream to taste.