House parties are always fun, right? It’s so much better than going out to a club where you’re struggling to get a drink and waiting endlessly to go to the washroom. At home, you can do whatever you want, eat whatever you want, and choose who you wish to call. But there are times when people show up at your house unexpectedly. And if you’re a good host, you need to entertain the guests with some good food to start with. If there’s nothing cooked at home already, cook this Paneer Butter Masala at home in minutes! Vidhi Doshi a.k.a @Ramenhairedgirl shares this recipe for those emergencies!

What You’ll Need

200 grams chopped paneer
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp oil
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods (Elaichi)
1 bay leaf
1 small stick cinnamon (1 inch approximately)
1 dried red chilli
8-9 cashews
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 3/4 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Kasuri Methi
2 tbsp fresh cream
Salt to taste.

Here’s How You Can Put It All Together

Step 1

Step 1
Step 1

Heat 1 tbsp butter and oil in a pan, add the whole spices: cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and cardamom and sauté for 1 minute. Add the dried red chilli and sauté for 30 secs. Then add the cashews and sauté for 1 more minute. Add the onions, mix well and sauté for 2 minutes or till completely translucent.

Step 2

Step 2
Step 2

Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes till completely cooked or till the oil starts leaving the sides. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Remove the cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cinnamon and discard them. Add the mixture to a mixer with 1/2-3/4 cup of water and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

Step 3

Step 3
Step 3

In the same pan, heat the remaining butter, add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 4

Step 4
Step 4

Add the blended purée, chilli powder, coriander powder, sugar and salt and mix well and let it cook for 4-5 minutes till it reaches the desired consistency. If the gravy is too thick, you can add a little bit of water. Add the garam masala and kasuri methi (crush it with your hand first) and cook for 1 minute.

Step 5

Step 5
Step 5

Add the paneer and cook for 2 more minutes.

Step 6

Step 6
Step 6

Turn off the heat, add the cream and mix well. Serve hot garnished with coriander!

We’re sure your guests would love this dish. If you’re planning to try this out, tell us how it turned out in the comments below!

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