Paneer Makhani: Garam Masala Tuesdays
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: side
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
For the makhani gravy:
  • 3 medium sized tomatoes
  • ½ medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted (skin peeled and seeds removed)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 3-4 green chillies, slit lengthwise
  • 2-3 tbsp butter/oil (if cooking for just V and me I add less, if for a gathering then I increase the amount)
  • 2 inch stick of cinnamon
  • 1 black cardamoms
  • 3-4 small green cardamoms
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek/methi seeds
  • 2-3 tbsp cashews
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ cup milk/heavy cream
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • salt, to taste
  • 250 gms paneer
Instructions
If marinating paneer:
  1. Marinate with a mixture of ginger garlic paste, yogurt, red chilli powder, kasoori methi and oil. Keep for 15 minutes. Broil for 8-10 minutes.
Make the makhani gravy:
  1. Boil the tomatoes with the ginger and garlic and cashews. Drain and then churn with the roasted red bell pepper in a blender.
  2. Heat butter in a pan and add the whole spices- cinnamon, green and black cardamom and methi seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, saute the green chillies in it.
  3. Add the onions and cook till translucent. I generally add a little salt with the onions.
  4. Add the chilli powder and saute for a few seconds.
  5. Add the tomato puree. Cook the gravy well, till the oil separates.I reduce the heat to medium low and cook for around 15 minutes.
  6. Add in the kasoori methi and the paste to give the gravy some red color. Add in the milk. Add the garam masala.
  7. Add paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cilantro. You can add some butter and cream once the gravy is cooked to give it a richer taste. Check seasoning.
  8. You can also add a little honey, depending on the sweetness/tartness of the tomatoes. If adding honey, do it when the gravy has cooled a bit. I feel that when I use tomato paste and bell peppers I don't need to add honey, but when I don't have these two ingredients and am lazy to get it from the store (see blog post), honey helps.
To give a smoky flavor:
  1. If you have charcoal, heat it to red hot on the stove fire. Put a steel bowl (or make bowl one out of aluminium foil) in the pot with the gravy. Once the charcoal piece is red hot, quickly put int he steel/aluminium bowl. Add some butter or ghee on top. (You can also add 2 pieces of cloves on top of the charcoal– just make sure it doesn’t fall in the gravy and stays only in the aluminium/steel bowl) and cover the pan. Do it two three times to get the smoke flavor.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2016/07/05/paneer-makhani-garam-masala-tuesdays/