Paneer Butter Masala/Paneer Makhani

Days passed by, neither I have time to attend my blog, after 6 full days I get to know I missed my very first blog anniversary! Phew, no wonder I am so busy with my life that I never get to see myself like I was before, spending full time in front of system either on Facebook or on Blogger seeing the feeds and going through the same. I feel extremely sorry for not being able to, but just cant cope up with everything. I do take blog on a lighter side and not as a compulsion, so it relaxes me and lets me take all my anxiety, fear and lot more things that cannot be expressed through words.
After many days of leaving my space unattended, today I got time to open my space, still did not go through the feed yet. It is overflowing. I remember it has been more than 2-3 weeks I have not touched this space. today I am up with a quick Paneer Butter Masala / Paneer Makhani recipe, a Punjabi delicacy from Northern India. I at times love to indulge myself with delicacies that are in terms of calories on a higher side. This definitely is a dish with loads and loads of calories calling you to work out an extra hour at Gym as it involves butter in generous amount along with Paneer. Last weekend we had this Paneer Makhani for our lunch with rotis. The dish was liked by all at home and I was happy every time one took an extra serving. With no delay let me take you to my recipe of Paneer Butter Masala or Paneer Makhani.

Ingredients:

Paneer/Indian cottage cheese-200 gm cubed (around 30 cubes)

Onion-2 big chopped

Cashewnuts-10-15

Tomatoes-2 chopped

Green chillies-2-3 chopped

Cloves-2

Cinnamon stick-1'' piece

Bay leaves-1-2

Turmeric powder-½ tsp.

Cumin seeds-½ tsp.

Coriander powder-1 tsp.

Red chilly powder-1 tsp.

Kasuri methi/Dried fenugreek leaves-1 tsp. crushed

Sugar-1 tsp.

Salt to taste

Butter-100 gm

Water-2 cups

Cilantro to garnish

Recipe:

1. Before hand, dice the paneer and get it ready, if it is a store brought one, preferably dice and soak it in warm water. Into a hot pan add around 20-25 gm of butter, and as it melts add cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and saute.
2. Add onions, green chillies to it and saute.
3. As the onions are getting cooked, add cashew nuts and saute along.
4. Followed by that add tomatoes.
5. Cook for a while adding little salt and turmeric powder till everything is well cooked. Puree it adding as little water as needed. While making puree if you want you could definitely remove the whole spices like bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon stick from the cooked contents and then puree, but I ground the mixture along with whole spices. 
6. Again into a hot pan add another 30 gm of butter.
7. Add cumin seeds to it.
8. As they crackle add the pureed paste to it and cook for a while.
9. Now add red chilly powder, coriander powder and saute for a while and continue cooking.
10. Once you see that the mixture is well cooked and raw smell is almost gone, add water and cook for a while again till it comes to boil. Add salt to taste. Add sugar at this stage if willing to.
11. Add kasuri methi to the mixture and mix well. Add the soaked paneer to it and cook on a very low flame (simmering) for a while say 10-12 mins.
12. Now add coriander leaves or cilantro and serve hot with chapathi or rotis. It even goes well with rice.

Notes:

1. Add water as required to adjust to desired consistency.
2. Be generous when you use butter as the name itself indicates butter as a main ingredient, key taste enhancer.
3. If wished, cream could be added at the end as garnish but I did not.

Enjoy the dish! n don't forget Eat and Eat little MORE.. :)