Paneer Butter Masala (Indian cottage cheese curry)

This is one lip-smacking, finger licking north indian flavour that anyone would fall in love with. That velvetty gravy cooked with cubes of paneer and indian spices, garnished with coriander is sure going to be a treat for all those veggie lovers out there. The richness of this dish comes with the butter, cashewnut paste and tomatoes. Try this and I bet you'll be surprised to see how easy you can make this dish that tastes just like the one you tasted at your favorite restaurant. 

Ingredients:

250 gms paneer (about 24 cubes)
3 medium sized onions 
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsps red chilli powder 
4 ripe tomatoes
3 tbsps cashewnut (grind to smooth paste with little water)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
1 1/2 tsp  garam masala powder 
salt to taste
3 tbsps butter
2 pinches of orange food color
Coriander leaves for garnish

How to

• In a saucepan, bring about 4 cups of water to boil. When the water starts dancing, gently drop in the onions, and tomatoes. Let them cook on high flame for 10 mts.
• Drain the water and let onions and tomatoes cool down. Once cool grind onions to smooth paste. Peel the skin of the tomatoes and grind to smooth paste separately. Set aside.

• Heat a tbsp of ghee and fry the paneer cubes to golden brown as shown in the picture.
• While the paneer fries, bring one cup of water to boil and switch the flame off. To this add the fried paneer cubes and let it sit for 5 mts in.

• In a pan/kadhai heat 3 tbps of butter on medium low flame. Add the onion paste to the butter, increase the flame to medium, and fry for 5 mts stirring frequently till the gravy starts turning brown in color and the raw smell disappears.

• Add ginger-galic paste and fry for another minute. Add chilli powder, turmeric, cashew nut paste, and salt to taste. Combine well.
• Add tomato puree, kasoori methi, coriander powder, garam masala. simmer the flame and let it cook for 4 mts.

• Add fried paneer, mix gently and let it cook for another 4 mts
• Now add 3/4 cup of water, and cook on medium flame till the gravy turns to a thick consistency. Check the salt and add if required.
• Add 3 tbps of water to the food color and mix it to the curry. cook for another minute or two before turning off the flame. 
• Let it sit for atleast 10 minutes and garnish with freshly chopped coriander before serving.

• Serve hot with rotis, paranthas or naan or steamed white rice