Paneer Butter Masala
A creamy and spiced North Indian curry made with paneer, tomatoes, cashews, and aromatic spices.
Paneer Butter Masala is a rich, comforting dish from North India, perfect for pairing with rice or Indian breads like naan and roti. This version uses whole spices, a cashew-tomato base, and cream for a smooth, restaurant-style texture.
Whether you're cooking for guests or craving a cozy homemade curry, this recipe brings out the best of traditional flavors with simple steps. It's mildly spiced, deeply aromatic, and balanced with a touch of sweetness from jaggery.
Serve warm with steamed basmati rice or butter naan for a classic North Indian meal.
Ingredients
for base
- 15 ml oil
- 2 green cardamoms (or ¼ to ⅓ tsp ground cardamom)
- 130 g onions (sliced or diced, from 1 medium yellow or 2 small red onions)
- 10 g ginger (peeled & sliced, or 1½ to 2 tsp ginger garlic paste)
- 12 g garlic (5–6 large cloves, peeled)
- 350 g tomatoes (sliced; up to 420 g from 2 large or 4 medium)
- 30 g cashew nuts (15 whole nuts; use up to 36 g if using more tomatoes)
- 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- ¾–1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder or paprika
- ¾–1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
- 240 ml cold water (to blend)
for masala
- 30 g unsalted butter (2 tbsp) or ghee
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 250–300 g paneer (cut into 2 cm cubes)
- ½ tbsp kasuri methi (crushed dried fenugreek leaves)
- 45–60 ml heavy cream (or fresh/cooking/thickened cream)
- 1–2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped, to garnish)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Add onions. Sauté for 7 minutes until onions turn transparent.
- Add cardamoms, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 1 minutes until onions turn transparent.
- Add tomatoes, salt, and cashews. Cover and cook until tomatoes soften (about 10 minutes). Add a splash of water if needed.
- Stir in red chili powder, coriander powder (if using), and garam masala. Cook for 3–4 minutes until aromatic. Cool slightly.
- Transfer to a blender with 240 ml cold water and blend until silky smooth.
- In the same pan, melt butter over low heat. Add optional whole spices and sauté until they sizzle.
- Optionally add more chili powder, then strain the puree into the pan using a sieve. Stir in 120 ml more water.
- Simmer covered for 10–12 minutes until thick yet pourable. Remove whole spices.
- Adjust seasoning. Add jaggery, kasuri methi, and paneer. Simmer covered for 2–3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the cream (reserve 1 tbsp for garnish).
- Garnish with cream and chopped coriander. Serve with rice or Indian bread.
Comments
No comments yet.