Paneer Butter Masala | Mughalai Paneer Curry/ Cottage-cheese in tomato based gravy [No-cream, No-Butter recipe]

Paneer curries remind me of restaurant visits during my childhood days. Panner was strictly a "north Indian dish" which was never attempted at home.So Paneer butter masala was always on our eating list when we had dinner outside. I always used to wonder then, how did they get that creamy,smooth ,orangish texture.Now i know :). This is a healthy recipe which doesn't use cream/butter but is still rich in flavor/texture. Want to know how - read on. :).

Oh and BTW this is my own creation :).

Mughalai Paneer

Ingredients

Serves - 4
Spice Level - Moderate

Paneer block - 200 gm, cut into medium sized cubes
Tomato - 2 medium
Cashews - 5
Badams/almonds - 5
Tomato Ketchup - 2 Tbsp
Capsicum/Bell peppers [Green] - 1/2 chopped into small pieces
Onion - 1 Large, sliced thinly
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
Curry/Chilli Powder - 2 Tbsp
Cumin - 1 Tsp
Kasuri Methi/Dry fenugreek leaves - 1 Tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 Tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Oil - 3 Tbspn
Coriander leaves  - 2 Tbsp chopped to garnish

Method

Firstly,take a pan with water,add tomatoes , cashews, almonds to it and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. If you don't have a microwave, boil the tomatoes along with cashews, almonds in a cup of water for 5 minutes until you can see the outer layer of the tomato shrink. Once done,cool it and remove the outer layer of the tomatoes and blend along with cashews and almonds with little water into smooth paste. Keep aside.

Heat a pan, add a tbsp and half of oil. Arrange the cubed panner pieces on the pan and let it roast until it starts to brown, flip the panner cubes to slightly brown the other side too. Transfer the pieces to a tissue paper, and pat it with another tissue paper to remove the oil. Keep the paneer cubes aside. [This step is optional, you may add in fresh paneer if you like it that way]

In the same pan, heat another tbsp and half of oil. Add jeera, let it roast. Toss in the sliced onion,and ginger-garlic paste. Saute it until onions are translucent. Now add in the chopped capsicum and saute it until cooked. Maybe 3-4 minutes. Now throw in the ground tomato paste and saute till the tomato paste is cooked. Add in the turmeric powder, curry powder , kasuri methi , salt  and saute till the raw smell of the masala vanishes. Add the tomato ketchup now and give it a stir. Lower the flame, add milk. Mix well with the masala coated onion-capsicum and let it simmer.Ad more salt if needed now.When the gravy starts to thicken , add the paneer pieces and coriander leaves and bring to boil. Switch off flame.

Serve warm with your favorite Indian bread  or a pulao of your choice


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