Paneer Butter Masala/Paneer Makhani

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes – 400g (I used Amul Paneer)

Fresh Cream – 5 tbsp

Onion chopped– 2 large

Tomato chopped – 4

Milk – ¾ cup

Green chilly - 1

Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Garam Masala – ¼ tsp

Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tsp

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp

Cashew nut – 8

Golden Raisins/ Kismis – 8

Butter – 4 tbsp

Oil for frying

Preparation:

If you are using packed paneer(not fresh ones), soak it in salted hot water for 5 min. Add ½ tsp salt to hot water and soak paneer in it. This will make it soft and fresh. If you are using fresh paneer, cut it into small cubes.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok and fry paneer until it turns golden brown. Do it in 3 or 4 batches. Drain the fried paneer on kitchen towel.

Heat 1 tsp oil and 2 tsp butter in the kadai and add the cashew nuts into it. Stir for a minute and then add the raisins and fry it, then keep it aside.

Add the chopped onions and saute it for 5 min, so that it turns light brown. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala into it and saute it for 2 min. Now add the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Add salt into it, close it with a lid and cook for 5 min. Switch off the flame and ground it into a paste when it cools down.

Meanwhile, dry roast kasuri methi for a minute in a pan and keep it aside.

Again heat 2 tbsp butter in the kadai and add ginger garlic paste and saute it for 2 min. Add chilly powder and mix well. Add the grinded paste and milk into this and bring it into a boil. Crush the roasted kasuri methi using your palms. Add it into the boiling gravy and mix well.

Add the fried paneer cubes and 5 tsp. fresh cream into this and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve it with Chapati/Naan/Roti/Pulao.