Paneer Makhanwala Recipe (Paneer Butter Masala)

Ingredients

• 2 cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
• 1/4 tsp haldi powder (turmeric powder)
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 cup roughly chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped tomato
• 2 soaked dry Kashmiri red chilli, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp soaked cashew nuts (kaju)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania) stem
• 10 to 12 garlic (lehsun) cloves
• 1 tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
• 1 green elaichi (green cardamom)
• 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• 1 small dalchini (cinnamon)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
• 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder
• 1/2 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh cream
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Steps

1. To make paneer makhanwala, heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a broad non stick pan, add the paneer cubes, turmeric and chilli powder.
2. Gently mix and cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, until light golden brown from all the sides. Keep aside.
3. In a deep pan, heat the remaining oil and butter, add bayleaf, green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Mix well.
4. Add garlic and green chillies, sauté on medium flame for a minute.
5. Add onions and cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
6. Add kashmiri chilli powder, chilli powder, coriander cumin seeds powder and mix well.
7. Add the prepared paste, fried paneer cubes, kasuri methi, salt, fresh cream and ½ cup hot water.
8. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
9. Serve paneer makhanwala hot garnished with coriander.