Name: Paneer Butter Masala
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Canola oil; 1 pound hard paneer, cut into ¾-inch cubes; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped; 1¾-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated; 6 cloves of garlic, crushed; 2 (14-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes; 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves); 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon ground red chile; 2 tablespoons honey; 1½ teaspoons salt; 1½ cups peas (fresh or defrosted); ½ cup heavy cream (plus extra to serve); A handful of toasted flaked almonds

Photo of two bowls of butter paneer with white rice and sliced almonds on the side.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

Hindus consider cows and all their milky produce—cream, butter, and cheese—sacred. I can’t argue with that. Traditionally, this dish would be made with a few large slabs of golden butter; here I've swapped out that butter for cubes of paneer.

Recipe information

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

Canola oil

1 pound hard paneer, cut into ¾-inch cubes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1¾-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

6 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 (14-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground red chile

2 tablespoons honey

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ cups peas (fresh or defrosted)

½ cup heavy cream (plus extra to serve)

A handful of toasted flaked almonds

Preparation

Step 1
Put a tablespoon of oil into a large lidded frying pan over medium heat and, when hot, add the cubes of paneer. Fry for a couple of minutes until golden on all sides, turning regularly, then remove to a plate.
Step 2
Put the butter into the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and fry for around 10 minutes, until translucent and turning golden. Add the ginger and garlic, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes. Cover with the lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until reduced to a lovely thick sauce.
Step 3
Add the fenugreek leaves, cinnamon, cloves, ground red chile, honey, and salt to the pan. Stir, then add the fried paneer, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Add the peas and cream and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Step 4
To serve, scatter with the almonds and drizzle with a little extra cream. This curry is perfect with steamed basmati rice.

Photo of Fresh India cookbook cover with green and orange background.

Excerpted from Fresh India: 130 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Vegetarian Recipes for Every Day © 2018 by Meera Sodha. Photography by David Loftus. Reproduced by permission of Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or from Bookshop.

TagsCurry Indian South Asian Asian Paneer Cheese Dairy Main Dinner Vegetarian Gluten Free Easy Quick Weeknight Meals Ramadan Cookbooks

Recipe notes

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