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Paneer Butter Masala | Restaurant-Style Creamy Gravy very easy to make at home

5 from 1 vote
A restaurant-style Paneer Butter Masala with a silky smooth onion-tomato-cashew gravy, soft paneer and a buttery finish. Easy to make at home in about 45 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 300 g paneer
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 3 tomatoes chopped
  • Handful of cashews
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp cardamom powder
  • Kasuri methi
  • Fresh cream
  • A little sugar
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Oil
  • Hot water as required

Equipment

  • pan
  • mixie

Method
 

  1. Boil onions, tomatoes, cashews, paneer and a little salt in water.
  2. Remove and cool. Grind the onion-tomato-cashew mixture into a very smooth paste.
  3. Heat butter and oil. Keep the flame very low and add chilli powder and ginger-garlic paste. Mix well without burning.
  4. Strain the ground paste and add it to the pan for an extra-smooth gravy.
  5. Cover partially and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes, stirring in between.
  6. Once thick, add garam masala and cardamom powder. Add hot water as required.
  7. Cook until the oil and butter start separating.
  8. Add the paneer and mix gently.
  9. Add kasuri methi, fresh cream, a little sugar and salt if needed. Mix and bring to a gentle boil.
  10. Serve hot.

Notes

Straining the paste is the secret to a silky restaurant-style gravy. Don't skip it.
Keep the flame very low when adding chilli powder and ginger-garlic paste so they don't burn.
Cook until the oil and butter separate before adding the paneer. This means the gravy is perfectly cooked.
Add the paneer at the end and mix gently so it stays soft and doesn't break.
A little sugar balances the tanginess of the tomatoes.
Add cream last, on low flame, to keep the gravy smooth.