Paneer Butter Masala

Gunjan Chopra -

Paneer butter masala is a rich and creamy Indian curry made with paneer (Indian cottage cheese), butter, and a blend of aromatic spices. It is one of the most popular curries in India and is often served with rice or naan bread.

The gravy is usually made with tomatoes, onions, and spices, and the paneer is cooked in it until it is soft and fluffy and can be made as mild or spicy as you like. The curry is relatively easy to make at home and can be made in a matter of minutes.

I would highly recommend this curry to anyone who enjoys Indian food.

How to make Paneer at home

Paneer, also known as Indian Cottage Cheese is a very famous protein-rich food used in Indian recipes. This magically soft, melt-in-mouth ingredient clearly dominates the Indian food menu. Paneer rules the vegetarian world, be it appetisers, starters, main courses or desserts.

It is so easy to make at home. All we need is to follow these simple steps and our homemade and fresh paneer is ready to use. This measurement will make approx. 100-120 gms of paneer.

Ingredients

1 litre full-fat milk
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 big soft cloth or a muslin cloth
Strainer

Method of preparation

  • In a stainless steel pot, boil the milk and bring it to the boiling point and switch off the flame.
  • Prepare a mixture of vinegar and water as per the above measurement and add it to the milk.
  • Let it stand for 5 minutes, you will see the curds separate from the whey.
  • Drain the curdled milk over the muslin cloth lined over a strainer.
  • Rinse off the curdled milk with fresh water to remove the sour smell.
  • Gather the cloth edges and squeeze the excess water and place a heavy weight on the paneer.
  • Keep it for an hour or so and our paneer is all set to use.

Ingredients for Curry

  • 100 gms paneer
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons fresh cream
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 4 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • Chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • Salt to taste

Method of preparation

  • To make paneer butter masala, firstly grate the tomatoes and set them aside.
  • Next, roughly chop the onions and fry them until golden brown.
  • Make a smooth paste of grated tomatoes, fried onions, roughly chopped green chillies and fresh cream with the help of a mixer.
  • Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the prepared gravy and sauté it.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and season it with coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and fry for 1 more minute.
  • Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes and add it to the gravy and fry until it is coated with the masala.
  • Add 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.