**Paneer Butter Masala: A Journey Through Flavors**
Paneer butter masala is an iconic dish from India that has captivated taste buds worldwide with its rich, creamy texture and symphony of spices. This culinary delight is a delightful blend of tender paneer (cottage cheese) simmered in a velvety tomato and cashew-based gravy, enveloped in a luscious butter sauce. As you embark on this culinary journey, discover the secrets to crafting this masterpiece, from selecting the perfect ingredients to mastering the art of layering flavors. Along the way, you'll find variations that cater to different dietary preferences, including a vegan version that showcases the versatility of this beloved dish. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a kitchen novice, this guide will empower you to recreate this restaurant-quality dish in the comfort of your own home, impressing your family and friends with your culinary prowess. So, prepare to tantalize your taste buds and embark on a flavorful adventure with paneer butter masala.
PANEER BUTTER MASALA
This is a basic paneer dish that you get in most Indian restaurants. This goes well with either rice or naan.
Provided by International Recipes
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; fry paneer in 2 batches until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer fried paneer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, retaining vegetable oil in skillet.
- Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir cashews, ground red chiles, cumin, coriander, and garam masala into onion mixture. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir tomato sauce, half-and-half, milk, sugar, and salt into spice mixture; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add fried paneer and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 469.3 calories, Carbohydrate 15.4 g, Cholesterol 37.4 mg, Fat 41.4 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 11 g, SaturatedFat 11.7 g, Sodium 946.6 mg, Sugar 6.9 g
PANEER BUTTER MASALA
Hindus consider cows and all their milky produce-cream, butter, and cheese-sacred. Traditionally, this dish would be made with a few large slabs of golden butter. Here, the butter is swapped out for cubes of paneer.
Provided by Meera Sodha
Categories cookbooks Vegetarian Ginger Garlic Tomato Almond Cinnamon Clove Honey
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Put a tablespoon of oil into a large lidded frying pan over medium heat and, when hot, add the cubes of paneer. Fry for a couple of minutes until golden on all sides, turning regularly, then remove to a plate.
- Put the butter into the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and fry for around 10 minutes, until translucent and turning golden. Add the ginger and garlic, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes. Cover with the lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until reduced to a lovely thick sauce.
- Add the fenugreek leaves, cinnamon, cloves, ground red chile, honey, and salt to the pan. Stir, then add the fried paneer, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Add the peas and cream and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- To serve, scatter with the almonds and drizzle with a little extra cream. This curry is perfect with steamed basmati rice.
PANEER BUTTER MASALA
I borrowed this recipe from my North Indian friend. This goes well with naans, phulkas, fried rice & pulaos this dish is calcium rich as it contains paneer.
Provided by crazy cook
Categories Asian
Time 40m
Yield 5 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Grind the chopped onions, garlic & ginger into a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp butter in a heavy bottom pan.
- Add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and cardamom.
- Fry 4 seconds.
- Now add the paste (onion, ginger, garlic coarse paste with less or no water).
- Fry it till golden brown.
- Add all the dry powders, sugar, tomato puree; fry for 2 minutes.
- Now add 2 cups water,reduce heat to low let the gravy simmer for 8 minutes.
- Now mix in cream, rest of the butter, kasuri methi & paneer.
- Also the salt as per taste.
- Cook till paneer is soft.
- Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander.
- One can substitute milk for cream if diet conscious.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 73.7, Fat 6, SaturatedFat 3.7, Cholesterol 16.7, Sodium 54.8, Carbohydrate 5, Fiber 0.8, Sugar 2.3, Protein 0.8
Tips:
- Select the right paneer: Use fresh, firm paneer for the best results. If you can, make your own paneer at home. It's easy to do and tastes much better than store-bought paneer.
- Use high-quality butter: Butter is the star of this dish, so use the best quality butter you can find. Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When frying the paneer, don't overcrowd the pan. Otherwise, the paneer will steam instead of fry and won't get that nice golden brown color.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan: A heavy-bottomed pan will help to distribute the heat evenly and prevent the sauce from burning.
- Simmer the sauce: Simmering the sauce for at least 30 minutes will help to develop the flavors. Don't be afraid to taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a pop of color and flavor to the dish. It's the perfect finishing touch.
Conclusion:
Paneer butter masala is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is sure to please everyone at your table. With its creamy, flavorful sauce and tender paneer, it's a dish that you'll want to make again and again. So next time you're looking for a new Indian dish to try, give paneer butter masala a try. You won't be disappointed.
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