Paneer Butter Masala recipe

1. 5 tomatoes (4 gravy + 1 masala)
2. 12 full pieces of cashewnuts (3 for each tomato)
3. 2 cloves of garlic (1 for every 2 tomatoes)
4. 2 bulbs of onions (medium size)
5. Green chilli (1 small, non spicy)
6. Ginger (1 teaspoon)
7. Cumin seeds (for tadka)
8. Butter
9. Salt
10. Ghee
11. Curd (3 tablespoons)
12. Turmeric
13. Dhaniya powder (Coriander powder)
14. Kashmiri chilli powder
15. Paneer (As preferred)
16. Honey (sugar, if honey isn’t available)
17. Fresh coriander (to garnish)

Optional enhancements

1. 2 bayleaves
2. 1 Whole dry red kashmiri chilli powder
3. 3 Cloves
4. 2 Cardamoms

1. Kadhai/pan
2. 3 bowls
3. Chopper
4. Mixer (to grind gravy)
5. Strainer (optional, for smooth gravy)

1. Put 3 tablespoon curd in a bowl. Add 1/2 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder and 2 heaped tablespoons of dhaniya powder and whisk till it becomes pastelike. Add some butter to the mixture and whisk a bit more so that the butter is covered with the paste.
2. Cut paneer into preferred shape and soak in water.
3. Mince garlic, dice 4 tomatoes in eigths, and slice 1.5 onions in stripes.
4. Finely chop the remaining tomato and onion.
5. Deseed green chilli and cut in circlets.

1. Put ghee in a pan and let it heat up.
2. Add cumin seeds, bayleaves, cloves and cardamoms. Heat till splatter (doesn’t happen on US induction stoves, so warm till cumin seeds go brown)
3. Add cashewnuts, ginger, and green chilli.
4. Once the cashews start roasting, add onions to the pan and stir till the onions become softer and brown.
5. Add the curd mixture to the pan and stir continuously to cook along with the onions.
6. Once the mixture cooks (you start seeing the oil), add tomatoes, salt to taste, and cover the pan. Let it simmer on medium-high heat till the tomatoes soften up and make a gravy. If the water from tomatoes doesn’t feel enough, add some water to the pan to create the base for a gravy.
7. Once the mixture cooks properly, remove from the pan and put in a mixture. Grind it to a fine paste/gravy. Optionally, if you like a smooth gravy, strain it into a bowl to remove the extra chunks.
8. Clean the pan and heat some ghee. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the pan.
9. Once the ghee and butter have warmed, add the remaining finely chopped onions to the pan and cook till onions are half crispy-half soft.
10. Add tomatoes to the pan and let it cook. This forms a base masala for the sabji.
11. Add the gravy to the pan and cook with the masala.
12. Add a little honey (/sugar) to taste to balance the heat and spice.
13. Add salt to taste.
14. Add 1/4 tablespoon butter to add a final glaze.
15. Add paneer pieces and stir for a little bit for the paneer to be covered in gravy.
16. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander and serve.