Paneer Butter Masala Recipe | Restaurant style Paneer Butter Masala

Today I am here with another Paneer recipe- Paneer Butter Masala. It is the most popular dish in any Indian restaurant. I am a great fan of this dish. Whenever I go to restaurant, I always order Paneer Butter Masala until I started making it at home. Only then I realised it was so easy to prepare it as available in the restaurant at home itself. My kids love this too. Though not often, I have made this dish several times but it has never made to the blog. This time I managed to click some pictures. Here, it is the recipe for restaurant style panner butter masala. 

What are the ingredients needed?

To fry and grind into fine paste

Oil, 2- 3 teaspoons

Fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon

Cloves, 5 nos

Cinnamon, one 1" long piece

Cardamom, 4-5 nos.

Red Onion(large), 1 no.  (chopped)

Tomatoes(large), 2  nos. (chopped)

Ginger Garlic paste, 1 tablespoon

Chilli Powder, 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder,  2 teaspoon

Garam masala, 1 teaspoon

Other ingredients:

Paneer (Indian Cottage cheese) , 8 oz  (diced into 1" cubes)

Butter, 2 tablespoon

Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon

Bay leaf, 1-2 nos.

Cashews (whole), 9-10 nos.

Heavy cream, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon, to garnish (optional)

Sugar, 1 teaspoon (optional)

Kasoori methi (crushed),  1 tablespoon

How is made?

1. Soak cashews in 1/4 cup warm water and grind it into a fine paste and set it aside.
2. Heat skillet add oil, and fry the cubed paneer pieces such that they are slightly golden on all sides of the cube. Remove from the skillet and keep these paneer pieces aside. 
3. To the same skillet, add fennel seeds,cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and fry for a minute or two, then add chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.
4. Now add the chopped tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cook till the tomatoes are cooked and turn mushy.
5. Now turn off the heat and let it come to room temperature. Then in a blender, puree this and set it aside.
6. Add 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet, add cumin seeds, then add bay leaf and fry for a minute. 
7. Then add the pureed tomato mixture, add cashew mixture, mixture well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Now add the heavy cream, mix well and let it cook for few minutes. 
9. Now add the fried paneer pieces, mix well, adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding required water, add crushed kasoori methi, mix well and let it simmer for few more minutes. 
10. Turn off the heat and serve it warm along with rice, roti/ chappathi or naan.

Notes: 

• Instead of chilli powder, add kashmiri chilli powder. It gives nice colour to the gravy. 
• Adjust the chilli powder as per the personal heat tolreance level.
• Instead of heavy cream, you can replace it with milk.