Paneer Butter Masala is one of the popular paneer recipes of the North Indian cuisine in which the soft yet firm paneer cubes are dunked into a creamy tomato gravy.This goes well with roti,naan,jeera rice,veg pulav etc..
My version of this famous recipe is simple,easy to make,moderately spiced up and yet flavourful as it is supposed to be.
Blanch chopped onions and cashews in boiling water for 2 mins and put it in ice cold water immediately.This is done to partially cook the onions and cashews.Let it cool.Strain the water and grind it into a thick fine paste.
Blanch the tomatoes,peel the skin and puree them.Strain and remove the seeds to get a smooth silky gravy. Mix chilli powder,haldi,garam masala, jeera powder, dhaniya powder in 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk and keep aside.
In a pan,melt butter,add onion cashew paste,ginger-garlic paste,and saute till it turns golden in colour on medium flame.
Add crushed kasuri methi,paneer cubes.Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding little amount of water (the water in which onions and cashews are blanched can be used).Simmer it for few mins.
Before switching off the flame,add kashmiri red chilly powder(gives a nice colour to the gravy) and mix well.
Garnish it with a dollop of butter and chopped fresh dhaniya.Serve hot with roti/naan/laccha paratha/pulav.