Paneer Makhani (Butter Paneer)

Having born & raised in Delhi, my hubby has a special fondness for Paneer Makhni and he challenged my cooking prowess. From my series of Food dedication for my husband this is the fifth dish &  i  must tell you that its not easy to get a perfect dish without an inspiration behind you. My hubby acknowledged  that the Paneer Makhani I cooked was one of his favorite dishes ever cooked by me.

Paneer Makhani or Butter Paneer is  parallel to Butter Chicken for Vegetarians. Chicken is replaced with Paneer which gives the dish a velvety softness to  the dish.

Recipe For Paneer Makhani (Butter Paneer)

Ingredients:

1) 10 Cubes of Paneer 

2) 3 tbsp boiled onion paste (Boiling the onion adds smoothness to the paste)

3) 4 tbsp boiled tomato paste

4) 1 1/2 tbsp Cashewnut-Almonds paste (2:1)

5) 2 tsp Fresh Cream

6) 1/2 tsp Kasoori methi crushed

7) 3 tbsp Butter

8) 1/2 tsp Shah Zeera

9) 1/4 tsp Zeera

10) 5 pieces of clove

11) 1/2 inch cinnamon

12) 3 pods of cardamom

13) 2 big cardomom

14) 2 tbsp Kashmiri Mirch Powder ( 1 tsp if using normal Red Chilli Powder)

15) Salt to taste

16) 1/2 tsp sugar

17) 1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

18) 1/2 tsp Black pepper powder

19) 2 tsp Cumin- corainder powder

20) 1 /2 tsp garam masala powder

22) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:

1) Marinate the paneer pieces with turmeric and salt for 1 hour and lightly saute it.
2) Add butter to the pan, let it heat.
3) Now add all the dry spices ,Cinnamon, Cardomom small and big ,Clove, Shah Zeera and Zeera. Also add sugar at this point as the caramelizing of the sugar adds color to the gravy.
4) Now add the onion paste and ginger- garlic paste. Let it leave sides of the pan.
5) Now add the tomato paste cook until it leaves pan sides.
6) Add the Cashewnut and Almond paste.
7) Simultaneously add the dry masalas ( Cumin-Corainder powder,black pepper powder,Kashmiri Lal mirch powder,and crushed kasoori methi)
8) Once the masalas are cooked add paneer and coat it.
9) Add 1 cup warm water to the mixture.
10) Let it simmer for 5 mins and add garam masala.
11) Take it off from heat and add fresh cream and serve hot.

Note:

Do not over fry the paneer cubes, just lightly saute it leaving it tender.