Paneer Butter Masala – Restaurant Style

Step 1: Sauté Onions and Chillies

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a kadai. Add 2 large roughly chopped onions and sauté until they become transparent. Then, add 10 dry red chilies and continue to sauté.

Step 2: Add Tomatoes and Cashews

Add 3 large roughly chopped tomatoes and 1/4 cup of cashew nuts to the kadai. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and cook until the tomatoes are nice and mushy.

Step 3: Grind the Gravy Base

Turn off the stove and allow the mixture to cool down completely. Once cooled, transfer the mixture to a mixer jar and grind it into a fine paste.

Step 4: Prepare the Spice Base

In the same kadai, add 3 teaspoons of ghee. Add 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder. Give it a quick mix, keeping the flame on medium to prevent the chili powder from burning.

Step 5: Combine with Ground Paste

Add the ground tomato-onion-cashew paste to the kadai. Mix it well with the spice base. Add a little water (about 1/4 cup) to the mixer jar to rinse out any remaining paste and add it to the kadai to adjust the consistency.

Step 6: Add Spices and Herbs

Add 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder and a few crushed kasuri methi leaves. Then, add a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix everything together.

Step 7: Simmer the Gravy

Cover the kadai and cook the gravy on low flame for about 10 minutes.

Step 8: Prepare Khoa Mixture

While the gravy simmers, grind 50 grams of unsweetened khoa with 3 tablespoons of milk to a fine paste. This mixture will add richness and creaminess to the gravy.

Step 9: Enrich the Gravy

Once the gravy has simmered, add 2 tablespoons of fresh cream and the ground khoa-milk mixture. If using unsweetened khoa, add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix everything thoroughly.

Step 10: Adjust Consistency and Seasoning

Add 1/4 cup of water to achieve the desired gravy consistency. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and mix well.

Step 11: Add Paneer and Final Simmer

Add 300 grams of paneer, cut into small cubes, to the gravy. Gently mix to coat the paneer. Cover the kadai and cook on low flame for another 10 minutes.

Step 12: Serve

Your delicious, rich, and creamy Paneer Butter Masala is ready. Serve hot, garnished with a cube of butter and fresh coriander leaves. Enjoy with roti, naan, or pulao.

• To make the gravy richer and creamier, you can substitute the khoa and milk mixture with condensed milk.

• If using unsweetened khoa, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavors. If your khoa is already sweet, you can skip adding sugar.

• For a spicier version, increase the number of dry red chilies or add a pinch of regular chili powder along with Kashmiri chili powder.