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How To Make Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala Recipe With Video
One of the most popular paneer gravy recipes in India is paneer butter masala. I have been making this recipe with Indian cottage cheese cubes in a creamy tomato sauce for a long time and the best part is that it is ready in minutes.
My video and step-by-step guide will show you how to make this restaurant-style paneer butter masala at home!
In this recipe for Paneer Butter Masala, cottage cheese is smothered in a tomato, butter, and cashew sauce (also referred to as Makhani gravy).
A delicious tangy taste comes from the tomatoes, and the dish has a creamy, velvety texture.
I have demonstrated how to prepare this restaurant-style paneer butter masala in minutes with my easy, quick and delicious recipe in my video below too.
One of the most popular Indian paneer dishes is butter paneer, butter paneer masala, or paneer makhani. Due to its popularity, it is a common dish in Indian restaurants and parties.
Sometimes I also make the butter chicken and this paneer butter masala is adapted from that recipe.
For the first time, I had used such a short cut but it came out to be yummy and since then I make it this way only.
There are plenty of improvisations in this recipe and you can implement it by interchanging the herbs.
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Ingredients You Will Need
Juicy red (desi) tomatoes: The makhani sauce and gravy are largely based on tomatoes. Traditionally, Makhani sauce is made from scratch with fresh ingredients like tomatoes (especially pureed tomatoes), cashews, and butter. The addition of onions is optional.
Makhani gravies do not traditionally include onions. Make sure you use tomatoes that are ripe and slightly sweet. Unripe or sour tomatoes should be avoided. You may use tomato powder if needed.
Cashews: Cashews are another important ingredient, which adds a lovely creaminess and sheen to the dish. Cashews also balance tomatoes’ tanginess with their sweetness.
Cream is generally added to butter chicken, makhni or butter paneer. Cashew paste, a pinch of sugar and cream are added to give it a creamy consistency.
Replacement for cashews: Almonds are a good alternative if you don’t have cashews.
Cream: In addition to cashews, I also add a bit of cream to thicken the gravy. The cream can be omitted for a less rich gravy.
I generally avoid this in day to day cooking but if entertaining guests i go for it.
Butter: In this paneer butter masala recipe, there is a small amount of butter added. Butter adds a bit of richness to the curry.
It is possible, however, to overdo it. I generally avoid this in day to day cooking but if entertaining guests i go for it.
Paneer: It is the quality of paneer that makes or breaks your dish. A smooth, buttery tomato sauce should coat the cubes of soft paneer.
So ensure to use either homemade paneer or excellent quality store brought paneer. Read the package instructions before using paneer.
Spices & herbs: There aren’t many spices in this list. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder to achieve that brilliant orange color.
Alternatively, you can substitute cayenne pepper or paprika for it. Garam masala powder is also necessary.
The dried leaves of fenugreek, kasuri methi, also add some flavor. If you don’t have them, leave them out. Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves). You can also substitute kasuri methi for mint leaves or oregano leaves.
Swaps For Vegan Version
Don’t worry if you are a vegan! The dairy ingredients in this dish can easily be substituted with vegan alternatives.
Replacement for Paneer: Replace tofu, seitan, or tempeh with paneer when making a vegan recipe.
Vegan butter or oil: Replace cream with a neutral-tasting oil or vegan butter.
Coconut cream: Coconut cream can also be used, but with coconut cream, coconut flavors will be more pronounced in the final dish.
What To Eat With Paneer Butter Masala
Served with roti: Traditional Indian bread roti is served with this dish. There is a slight sweetness to the paneer butter masala gravy, and it is very mildly spiced. Therefore, this gravy goes well with roti or chapati.
Other great accompaniments: Naan bread, tandoori roti, paratha, roomali roti, and Malabar paratha are all great combinations with this dish.
Served with rice:The dish can also be served with steamed basmati rice or jeera rice (cumin rice). With sliced cucumber and roti, the paneer butter masala is served in a blue-rimmed white pan, garnished with cream and cilantro
How To Make Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
One of India’s most popular paneer recipes is Paneer Butter Masala. I have been making this Indian cottage cheese cube recipe with a creamy tomato sauce for years.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Cuisine: North Indian
Course: Main Course
Yield: 4 Servings
Author: Ranjeeta Nath Ghai
Ingredients
For Gravy
- 1-2 Onions प्याज़
- 4 to 5 medium size tomatoes टमाटर
- 8 to 10 whole cashews काजू [Buy Online at Amazon]
- 1 inch ginger अदरक
- 3 to 4 medium -sized garlic cloves लहसुन
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) तेज पत्ता
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Everest kashmiri lal red chili powder कश्मीरी लाल मिर्च [Buy Online at Amazon]
- 1½ cups water or add as required पानी
- 1-2 green chili हरी मिर्च
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi कसूरी मेथी [Buy Online at Amazon]
- 500 grams cubed Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) पनीर
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala गरम मसाला [Buy Online at Amazon]
- ¼ tsp red tandoori food colour (optional) तंदूरी रंग [Buy Online at Amazon]
- 2-3 tbsp low-fat cream (optional) मलाई
- ¼ tsp sugar – optional चीनी
- Elaichi powder (cardamom powder) इलाइची पाउडर [Buy Online at Amazon]
- salt as required स्वाद अनुसार नमक
For Garnish
- 1-2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro ) – optional
- 1 tbsp low fat cream or 1 tablespoon heavy cream – optional
- 1-2 tsp Butter – optional
Instructions For Cooking
- Chop all the ingredients marked under the ‘For Gravy‘ section and put in a pan.
- Add 1½ cups water or add as required to the pan and set it to boil.
- Boil the masala ‘For Gravy’ mixture until the water has reduced to half the quantity and set aside to cool.
- Cube all the Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in sizes of your choice.
- Cube all the Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in sizes of your choice.
- Drain excess water from the boiled mixture and keep aside for later use.
- Now blend the cool mixture to a make a smooth puree. Keep aside. Don’t add any extra water while blending the mixture. If needed use the excess masala water that you had set aside.
- Heat oil/ghee in a kadhai/wok and add the blended mixture. Add the food colouring if needed (see recipe tips). Cook for 5-6 minutes or till it leaves the side of the pan.
- Then add the excess mixture water that you had set aside, kashmiri red chili powder and stir again.
- Cook for approx 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame. Keep stirring non-stop to avoid the gravy sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the paneer cubes to the gravy after it has thickened to the desired consistency. For me, medium is the best for the gravy.
- Crush the dried fenugreek leaves, then add the garam masala and cream. Blend gently then remove from the heat.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and ginger juliennes.
- The gravy can even be dotted with butter or drizzled with cream.
- You can serve paneer butter masala hot with malabar paratha, plain naan, garlic naan, roti, paratha, steamed basmati rice or jeera rice or even peas pulao.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Sugar or cream may be added to the gravy if it tastes tangy or sour in order to balance the sour taste. The gravy will become too sweet if too much sugar is added. Adding cream to the gravy might mean adding less sugar.
- You can fry the paneer cubes if you want and then add in the prepared gravy or sauce.
- Instead of using artificial food colors, Kashmiri red chilli powder or deghi mirch will give you a bright orange/red color. Also, using deep red tomatoes gives the gravy a beautiful orange color.
- Make sure you use high-quality butter. Unsalted and salted butter can both be used. White butter and yellow butter can also be used.
- The best tomatoes for this recipe are fresh, ripe red ones. Select tomatoes that have a sweet and tangy taste. Stay away from sour or tart tomatoes.
- If possible, use homemade soft paneer or fresh paneer from the store
- You can adjust the amount of cream or avoid it completely according to your taste.
- If you wish, you can fry the paneer cubes and then add the prepared sauce or gravy. I personally dont fry the paneer as it becomes rubbery.
Video For Restaurant Style Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
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Quick Overview
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Health Benefits
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Keto Friendly
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Ease of Making
It was nice to go through your post. Thanks for sharing the recipe here. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for your feedback. I am glad that you enjoyed the recipes.