Paneer Butter Masala
Add 1 Makhni Paneer potli while the tomato-onion gravy base simmers. Keep it submerged for approximately 18–20 minutes, then remove it before blending. Never blend or cut open the potli.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Paneer — 400 g, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- Neutral oil — 1 tsp
Zaika Potli
- Makhni Paneer — 1 potli
For the Gravy
- Tomatoes — 500 g, roughly chopped
- Onion — 1 small / about 80 g, sliced
- Ginger — 15 g, sliced
- Garlic — 5 cloves
- Kashmiri chilli powder — 1 tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
- Water — 1¼ cups
- Salt — 1 tsp, then adjust
- Sugar or honey — ½–1 tsp, only if needed for acidity
For Finishing
- Butter — 1 tbsp
- Cream — ¼ cup / 60 ml
- Kasuri methi — ½ tsp, crushed
- Fresh coriander — optional
Cooking Instructions
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1Heat 1 tbsp butter and the oil in a saucepan.
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2Add onion, ginger and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes without deeply browning.
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3Add tomatoes, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, 1 cup water, salt and the Makhni Paneer potli.
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4Cover and simmer for approximately 18–20 minutes, until the tomatoes and onions are completely soft.
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5Remove the potli and set it aside for disposal.
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6Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then blend until completely smooth.
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7For a particularly refined restaurant-style texture, pass the gravy through a fine sieve.
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8Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in a kadai. Add the strained gravy and approximately ¼ cup water.
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9Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes. Taste before adding sugar; use it only if the tomatoes are noticeably sharp.
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10Add paneer and cook gently for 3–4 minutes. Avoid aggressively boiling paneer.
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11Lower the heat and stir in cream, the final 1 tbsp butter and kasuri methi.
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12Taste and adjust salt. The gravy should be silky, gently spiced and rich without tasting excessively sweet.
If using packaged paneer that feels firm, soak the cubes in hot salted water for about 10 minutes, drain and then add them to the finished gravy. This can substantially improve their texture.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer butter masala balances tomato, butter, cream, mild chilli and gentle sweetness in a smooth restaurant-style gravy. The Makhni Paneer infusion is especially suited to this preparation because its cardamom, cinnamon, mace, pepper, cashew and kasuri methi profile complements the creamy tomato base.
The Secret: If using packaged paneer that feels firm, soak the cubes in hot salted water for about 10 minutes, drain and then add them to the finished gravy. This can substantially improve their texture.