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My wife absolutely loves Paneer. So this Paneer Butter Masala Recipe was dipping my toe back into the Indian recipe water. If you have not tried PANEER, it is an Indian cheese curd. A while back, I made a Saag Paneer for my wife. That is paneer in spinach with lots of Indian spices. I just checked the date of that post, it was more than one year ago. Wow. Paneer is so good to work with. One of my favorite creations was to spice up the paneer and brown it in a wok. The paneer came out so tasty with a crispy exterior. Unfortunately, we ate it all before I got a chance to take pictures.
Saag Paneer from Feed Your Soul Too
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
This Paneer Butter Masala Recipe looks like it has a lot of ingredients Р13 in all. That does not mean it was hard to make. The recipe has a few steps but do not let that intimidate you. I dirtied only one pan and a food processor. The food processor is used to pur̩e the onions, garlic and ginger before being saut̩ed in a pan to release its flavors. Indian spices are mixed into this base to release there flavors as well.
This onion spice mixture turns a really cool reddish brown color as it cooks. Next, the tomato purée is added which begins to create the sauce. The coconut milk is added to add richness to the sauce. The dish is finished off by adding the paneer and the peas. These are cooked just long enough to heat them through. You could cook the paneer for a long time and it will not melt. I am sure it would melt at some point but you need a lot of heat and it would take a long time.
The cast of characters.
Paneer Ingredients
The onions, garlic and ginger in the food processor, and then, being cooked out in the sauté pan.
Onions, Ginger & Garlic in Food Processor
Onions, Ginger & Garlic in Pan
The building of flavors beginning with the spices added and mixed through.
Spices Added
Spices Mixed
The tomato sauce added, and then, finished off with the coconut milk.
Tomato Sauce added
Coconut Milk added
The peas and paneer added.
Peas & Paneer Added
The final Mutter Paneer Butter Masala plated.
Paneer Butter Masala Recipe
- 3/4 cup frozen green peas
- 2 1/2 cups paneer cubes
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 teaspoons chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 cups fresh tomato purée
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 can - 15 ounces cut coconut milk
- 2 teaspoon cornflour dissolved with 4 tablespoon water
- To Be Ground To A Smooth Paste
- 1 cup roughly chopped onions
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves rough chop
- 2 teaspoon roughly chopped ginger
- Put the onion, ginger and garlic in the food processor and blend to a paste.
- Heat the butter in a broad non-stick pan, add the prepared paste and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes - stir occasionally.
- Add the chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and ½ cup of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato purée and salt, mix well and cook on a medium heat for 2 minutes - stir occasionally.
- Add the honey and coconut milk, mix well and cook on a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes - stir occasionally.
- Add the cornflour-water, mix gently and cook on a medium heat for 1 minute - stir occasionally.
- Add in the peas and paneer and cook for 3 minutes.
- Serve over white rice.
- Enjoy!
This looks just amazing. Love paneer and can’t wait to try this recipe!!
It is quite tasty.
Looks great! I’ve never heard of paneer but will be looking for it next grocery trip for sure!
You might have to go to a more ethnic grocery store to find it. I usually have to.
I only tried paneer for the first time a few months ago, but I love it. So, always looking for new ways to try it now.
Well you now have a couple of ideas to work with. Enjoy!
mmmmmm…..that looks like a hug from a meal! I’m always looking for new Indian recipes to try. It’s fairly new to me in the kitchen and I’m trying to start slowly. This looks totally doable and very flavorful. Thanks for sharing!
Nicole, I tried Indian recipes early on and was not so successful. A little bit of learning how to cook went a long way when I went back to trying these recipes.
One pan and a food processor sounds like a good deal to make to get such a lovely looking curry! Do you think I could switch the paneer out for tofu and the ghee for regular vegan butter? Thanks!
Tofu would be a perfect substitute and vegan butter should work just fine. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out.
I’m not a huge user of paneer although I do love Indian food but this recipe sounds awesome, I make something very similar but use potatoes instead of paneer.
Potatoes are very common so that makes sense. It makes the dish more of a side dish to whatever else you are cooking up.
I too, want to expand my Indian cooking experimentation and this looks like a great recipe to start! Love the smell of the spices when they’re added! YUM!
You are so right on the smell of the spices. Good luck and good eating as you make a foray into Indian cooking.
That looks so full of flavor! Great idea!
It is. It would be super easy to make this vegan too.