Paneer butter masala recipe

Paneer butter masala - almost restaurant style :)

My son loves paneer and one of his fav dishes is paneer butter masala. On a weekend we were out during evening and was back by dinner time. As they don't prefer any outside food on our way back  I asked them their choice and quick came a shout out for rotis and PBM. 

Reached home and started cooking PBM. I can tell you this is one of the easiest dishes which can be made in a jiffy and equally tasty too. This recipe was given to me by a punjabi frnd, she also mentioned that same gravy can be used for butter chicken as well!. So you may give it a try as well.

So let me get into the recipe

Ingredients
Paneer - 200 gms
Onions - 1-2 med sized 
Tomato - 4-5 med sized 
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Ginger - one inch
Kasuri methi - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup- 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Kashmiri chilli powder - 2-3 tsp ( according to spice level)
Garam masala - a pinch
Butter - 2 tsp ( you may replace with oil)
Milk - 1/2 cup ( optionally fresh cream)
Coriander leaves - for garnish

Method

• Cut the panner into cubes and soak in water.
• Take a thick bottom kadai and add the onions and tomatoes chopped in chunks and saute until the raw smell goes off. You needn't let the onion brown or tomatoes to wilt too much.
• Remove the contents into a mixer and let it cool for a while. Once cooled grind into a fine paste.
• Soak the kasuri methi in water for a while and squeeze out and chop fine ( I do this and I feel it makes a difference in the dish..its optional too )
• Grate the ginger and garlic and keep aside.
• Now keep the kadai back to the stove and add butter/ oil
• Add the grated ginger, garlic, chopped methi and add the tomato ketchup, saute for few seconds and add in the tomato onion paste. Saute for a while until the oil separates from the mixture. 
• Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and garam masala, saute for while and add the paneer cubes.
• Switch off the stove and after few minutes slowly add the milk or cream and stir in the gravy. I feel this is safer than adding the milk/ cream in the stove.
• Stir well and mix the contents and finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Note: You may grind cashews for better thickness for the gravy
You may also add regular chilli powder for more spice.

Cook and enjoy
Thanks !
Chaithanya