Paneer Butter Masala

Step 1/ 7

• 1 onion
• 50 g ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp oil

• cutting board
• saucepan

Roughly chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil and some of your butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and the bay leaf and sauté until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

Step 2/ 7

• 500 g tomatoes
• 1½ tsp salt

Next, add your chopped tomatoes and allow it to simmer until the tomatoes are cooked through. Season with salt. Now I used canned tomato purée because it’s all I had at the time. I also added some leftover baby spinach leaves because they’re just delicious but you can totally skip that. However, if you do add spinach, do not overdo it as the gravy will take over a green colour; which is a complete opposite to what you’re trying to achieve.

Step 3/ 7

Allow it to cook for about 15 minutes or until everything is kind of mushy.

Step 4/ 7

• blender

Allow the mixture to cool until you’re able to blend it. Blend the mixture completely, making sure all vegetables have been pulsed properly.

Step 5/ 7

• 1½ tsp hot paprika powder
• ¾ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp butter

Transfer the blended mixture to the same saucepan on a low flame and add a tablespoon of water. Stir gently. Mix in the spices and feel free to adjust your requirements. Add the remaining butter and allow it to carefully incorporate the rest of the spices.

Step 6/ 7

• 400 g paneer cheese
• 3 tbsp heavy cream

Add the cream and mix in the goodness. Let it cook on a low flame. In the meanwhile, cube the paneer into small cubes. Add to the gravy and gently stir to coat the paneer with the sauce. Allow it to cook for another 5-6 minutes so that the paneer can absorb all the richness. If the gravy seems too thick, feel free to add some water to adjust the consistency as per your needs.

Step 7/ 7

• 2 tbsp cilantro

Chop some fresh cilantro and serve the dish with some hot naan bread.

Enjoy your meal!