Paneer Makhani
Super soft paneer pieces in a rich and silky tomato and cream based gravy.
Ingredients
- 200 grams paneer, cut into 1 inch pieces or as required
- 2+2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped roughly (around 200-250 grams in total)
- 2 red chilies
- 8-10 cashews
- 2 green cardamom
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped roughly
- 1/2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- salt, as per taste
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi
- handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 2-3 tsp fresh cream
- a bowl of warm water, to soak the paneer pieces
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp butter and oil in a kadai on medium flame. Add the cardamom, red chilies and the cashews.
- Add the garlic and the ginger and saute them for a few seconds.
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with some salt and saute them in the butter.
- Add the spice powders and the salt and mix them well with the other ingredients. Add some water, cover the kadai with a lid and cook till the tomatoes turn soft.
- Switch off the stove and let the mixture cool down. Once cool, transfer it to a mixer grinder along with 1/4-1/2 cup water and grind it to a smooth paste.
- Meanwhile, take some warm water in a bowl and add the cut paneer pieces to it. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Heat up a kadai on medium flame and add 2 tbsp butter.
- Add the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves.
- Add the ground tomato paste to the kadai along with 1/2 cup water and let it come to a boil.
- When the tomato mixture comes to a boil, add the crushed kasuri methi and cream to it. Mix well and check for the seasonings.
- Add the paneer pieces and let it cook for a minute or two.
- Finally add chopped coriander leaves and switch off the stove.
- Serve paneer makhni hot with some rice or roti.
Notes
- Add red chilies according to your taste.
- Oil is added along with butter to prevent it from getting browned.
- Sugar is added to balance the tartness of the tomatoes. Add accordingly.
- Add ripe tomatoes to get maximum flavors.
- Add spice powders according to taste.
- While cooking the tomatoes, add water if necessary and keep turning them in between to prevent them from getting charred.
- Paneer pieces are soaked in warm water to make them soft.
- While cooking the tomato paste, make sure to have the lid on as the paste might splash on boiling.
- Paneer usually gets cooked quickly. Do not over cook the paneer as it might turn hard.