Indeed the most utterly butterly delicious paneer makhani ever!!! Those familiar with vintage restaurants like “Gaylord” in Mumbai may have vivid experiences of such flavors which also explains the heritage of this recipe. The softness of Paneer dunked in creamy-textured gravy ‘n’ the aromatic flavors with a fleeting hint of sweetness make this one absolutely irresistible…
With a beautiful balance of spices, it’s a favorite with the experienced and children alike!
Hope this one takes you down memory lane while creating new ones for the younger lot! Do share your valuable feedback.
| Course | Main |
| Servings | 4 – 6 persons |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
Ingredients for Paneer Makhani
|
|
| 400 gms | Paneer (cottage cheese) cut into cubes. |
| 1 No. | Capsicum (green), cut into quarters. |
| ½ cup | Hung curd |
| 1½ tbsp. | Ginger paste |
| ½ + 1 tbsp | Garlic paste |
| 5 Nos. | Tomatoes (boiled in hot water, skin removed and pureed) |
| 2 tbsp | Tomato ketchup |
| ½ tsp | Turmeric powder |
| 1 tsp | Red chili powder |
| ½ tbsp. | Cumin seed powder |
| 3-4 | Green chilies, slit into two halves |
| A pinch | Sugar |
| ½ cup | Fresh cream (Amul) |
| 10-12 | Cashews (soaked in a little water and made into a paste) |
| 1½ cups | Milk |
| 2 tbsp | Kasuri methi leaves (soaked in 1/3 rd water cup) |
| 2 tbsp | Butter |
| 1 tbsp | Oil for cooking |
| Salt to taste | |
Instructions for Paneer Makhani |
|
| 1. | Mix ½ tbsp. ginger paste, ½ tbsp. garlic paste, a little salt into the hung curd. Marinate the paneer cubes in it and leave aside for half an hour. |
| 2. | Heat the oil and butter in a pan. Sauté 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, and the slit green chilies. When the raw smell disappears, add in the tomato puree. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and cumin seed powder. |
| 3. | Cook the puree along with spices until the oil comes up to the surface. Add in the tomato ketchup and the cashew paste. Stir continuously on a low flame (the paste should not curdle). |
| 4. | Add the milk to thin it down and keep on stirring (Ensure the flame is low and milk is warm). Ad in the salt, Kasuri methi leaves, and sugar. |
| 5. | Add the fresh cream and let it simmer (Keep the flame low and stir continuously to ensure the gravy doesn’t curdle). |
| 6. | Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan add a little oil and sauté the marinated paneer cubes lightly. Sauté the green capsicums lightly as well. |
| 7. | Just when about to serve, add the paneer and capsicum pieces. Give the mixture a good boil and serve warm garnished with coriander leaves and fresh cream. |
Note:
1. You can reduce the milk by ½ cup in case you want a thicker gravy.
2. Alternatively, boil the gravy along with paneer and capsicum for a longer duration to thicken it.
