Paneer Butter Masala

Ingredients

• 🧀Paneer, cut into bite-size cubes250 g
• 🧈Salted Butter2 tbsp
• 🧄Garlic, minced4 clove
• 🫚Ginger (ground), finely grated15 g
• 🧅Red Onion, finely diced1
• 🥫Tomato Puree150 g
• 🥛Heavy Cream100 ml
• 🧂Cumin (ground)1 tsp
• 🧂Coriander (ground)1 tsp
• 🧂Garam Masala1 tsp
• 🧂Turmeric½ tsp
• 🌶️Chili Powder½ tsp
• 🍯Granulated White Sugar1 tsp
• 🧂Kosher Salt1 tsp
• 💧Water120 ml
• 🌿Basil, or coriander leaves if available; chopped10 g

Contains Dairy, Garlic, Onion. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.

Method

1. 1

   Cube the paneer

   Cut the Paneer into bite-size cubes so they hold their shape in the sauce and brown on more edges. Keep the pieces even, because mixed sizes make some go pale while others turn chalky; if a cube crumbles, press it back together and move on.

   4 min
2. 2

   Dice the onion

   Peel and finely dice the Red Onion so it melts into the sauce instead of standing out in sharp pieces. Aim for tiny, even dice; if the onion starts making your eyes sting, pause for a moment and cut the rest with the cut side facing down.

   4 min
3. 3

   Mince the aromatics

   Mince the Garlic Cloves and grate the Ginger until both are fine enough to almost melt into the masala. Keep the pieces tiny and even so they bloom fast in the butter; if you leave them coarse, they can catch before the onion softens.

   4 min
4. 4

   Brown the paneer

   Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add half the Salted Butter, letting it foam and then settle into a glossy film. Lay in the Paneer in a single layer and leave it alone for about 3 minutes, turning once, until the edges are deep gold and the surface smells nutty; if the skillet starts smoking, lower the heat a little before the butter darkens.

   4 min
5. 5

   Soften the onion

   Add the Red Onion to the same skillet and stir it through the buttered fond, scraping up any browned bits as you go. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until the pieces turn soft, glossy, and sweet-smelling with just a little pale gold at the edges; if the skillet looks dry, add a splash of Water rather than letting the onion scorch.

   5 min
6. 6

   Bloom the spices

   Stir the Garlic Cloves, Ginger, Cumin (ground), Coriander (ground), Turmeric, Chili Powder, and half the Kosher Salt into the onion mixture and keep it moving for about 60 seconds over medium heat. The garlic should smell sweet rather than raw and the spices should darken slightly and turn fragrant; if they start sticking, add a spoonful of Water and lower the heat.

   1 min
7. 7

   Cook down the tomato

   Pour in the Tomato Puree and the Granulated White Sugar, then stir hard and cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes. You want the sauce to darken from bright red to a deeper brick shade, thicken enough to leave a trail when you drag the spoon through it, and smell sweet and jammy rather than sharp; if it spits, lower the heat a notch and keep stirring.

   6 min
8. 8

   Make it creamy

   Pour in the Heavy Cream and the remaining Salted Butter, then stir slowly over low heat for about 2 minutes until the sauce turns pale orange, glossy, and velvety. Keep it below a simmer so the cream stays smooth; if you see hard bubbling, pull the skillet off the heat for a moment and stir until the surface calms.

   2 min
9. 9

   Season and simmer

   Add the Garam Masala, the remaining Kosher Salt, and the Water, then stir to loosen the sauce and let it bubble gently over low heat for about 4 minutes. The curry should become smooth, lightly thickened, and fragrant with warm spice; if it gets too thick before the paneer goes back in, add another splash of Water and stir until it loosens.

   4 min
10. 10

    Return the paneer

    Slide the browned Paneer back into the skillet and fold it through the sauce with a gentle scooping motion for about 2 minutes over low heat. The cubes should be coated in a shiny orange layer and heated through without losing their seared edges; if you stir too hard, they can break, so use a soft hand and let the sauce cling to them.

    2 min
11. 11

    Finish with herbs

    Turn off the heat and scatter over the Fresh Basil just before serving so the leaves stay bright and aromatic. The curry should smell creamy and warm with a fresh green lift on top; if the herbs sink, give the skillet one last gentle fold and spoon the sauce into bowls right away.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving