I have experimented around with this recipe from years. Finally, there is a documentation done with a preferred flavor and texture that satisfies me and my family.

There can be different ways to get done with this recipe with no fixed ingredients and no rooted steps to be followed. Here is something I would love to share with you. Feel free to play around the recipe and create your own best.

INGREDIENTS

500gms paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp desi ghee (clarified butter) / vegetable oil

2 tsp butter (room temperature)

1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)

3 green cardamom

3-4 cloves

1 black cardamom

2-3 small sticks of cinnamon

2-3 bay leaves

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 green chilies roughly chopped

4 medium sized roughly chopped onions

6 medium sized tomatoes, diced

1 and ½ tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

8-10 cashew nuts

1 tbsp fresh cream

½ cup water

METHOD

Add 1 tsp ghee in a pan. Once hot, add onions and green chilies. Cook till the onions have turned translucent. Add the cashew nuts and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and cook till the oil separates. Keep it aside to cool down and grind to a smooth paste.

Now add 1 tsp ghee and the butter in another pan, on a medium heat. Add cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, jeera and cook the masalas on low flame to avoid them from burning. Add the ginger garlic paste and let it cook for a 2-3 minutes. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, keep stirring and cook the masala on low flame for about a minute and turn off the flame.

Add the onion tomato paste and ½ cup water. Cover the lid and let it cook on medium flame for about 5-7 minutes.

Once a thick gravy forms, add the cream and mix it properly along with the masalas. Add the paneer cubes and cook it for another couple of minutes and paneer butter masala is ready!

NOTES

Cashews can be replaced with foxnuts. They both give a nice thick and creamy texture to the gravy.

I usually add the paneer in the end just before turning off the flame. Cooking the paneer for too long makes it hard.

In case you want to keep the gravy light, replace cream with milk. 1 tbsp of cream will be replaced by 2 tbsp of milk.

I don't prefer to use garam masala powder or red chilly powder in my cooking as they tend to generate a lot of body heat. Feel free to add according to your taste and need.