A rich and creamy vegetarian dish worthy of any dinner table!
I was lucky enough to work at an Indian restaurant for a little while. When I was there, I developed a taste for the amazing spices and flavors found in Indian cuisine. There are many different types of Indian food, and this specific butter and tomato gravy comes from Punjabi cuisine from the northwestern Punjab region in India. Punjabi food is often buttery and creamy, with lots of spices, and Paneer Butter Masala is no exception!
Paneer butter masala is a relatively new dish compared to other traditional foods like curry or vindaloo recorded in ancient history. Paneer butter masala was, in fact, created in the mid-1950s. Allegedly, it was developed in Delhi to suit a more British palate for people who liked Indian curries but couldn’t eat the full-spice versions. The tomato and butter combo helps alleviate some of the more intense spicy sensations without sacrificing flavor, though you can always add spicy chili peppers or chili powder if that’s your preference.
This recipe helps make delicious Indian food accessible to anyone. It’s quick to make and uses spices found in most grocery stores without requiring harder-to-get spices! There’s no extensive process to preparing the spices with a mortar and pestle, so the cooking process is made simple. You can mix up your meal in minutes.
While the gravy is extremely flavorful, the paneer itself is on the bland side. Paneer is a type of cheese that is similar in some ways to the texture of tofu, with a taste reminiscent of ricotta. It’s good fresh, just like ricotta, and is an excellent blank-slate sort of food that will absorb the sauce or gravy it’s in with ease.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Once you’ve got your paneer butter masala cooked, you can store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, you can simmer it on a stovetop or put it in the microwave and mix to get even heat distribution until ready. If it’s gotten a little too thick, add a splash of water before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Your paneer butter masala will have lots of flavor, so you don’t need anything especially fancy to serve with it! In fact, your best choice is to serve it with simple rice. You can just pop some Basmati or jasmine rice in a rice cooker or use a more flavorful Baked Rice recipe with onions and butter to complement the paneer dish. A good bread is also an excellent choice! Specifically, naan or roti will be your best go-to bread types to help you scoop up the last bit of gravy or eat the paneer on. You can have a light side salad as an appetizer or side dish, too! A good choice would be something with onions or tomatoes, like this Cucumber and Onion or Cucumber and Tomato Salad, as it’ll have that flavor in common with your paneer.
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups tomatoes finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 cashews
- 3/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 cup water for gravy
- 8 ounces paneer cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves kasuri methi
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, salt, and cashews. Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender, add water, and blend to a smooth puree.
- In the same pan, melt butter and add ginger garlic paste. Sauté until fragrant.
- Pour the pureed tomato mixture back into the pan, add garam masala, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add paneer cubes to the gravy and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the paneer to absorb the flavors.
- Crush kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle over the curry.
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.
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