Ingredients
- 1 14 ounce block of paneer
- 3 tablespoons butter or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 whole cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 small piece javitri (mace)
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste (ground fresh ginger)
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste (ground fresh garlic)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili powder (to your taste)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons shahi paneer masala (to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- 1 cup tomato puree
TIP: If the puree is too sour, add 1 to 2 teaspoons honey. Honey sweetens without leaving a sugary taste. - 3/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Step 1 Grind the cashews in a coffee grinder until they become a fine powder.
- Step 2 Heat the butter in a pan over low to medium heat. Add the whole cardamom, cinnamon stick, and javitri (nutmeg skin). Cook for less than a minute.
- Step 3 Add the cashew powder to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Be sure to keep sautéing the cashew powder to make sure it browns evenly and does not burn.
- Step 4 Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, tumeric powder, red chili powder, and shahi paneer masala to the pan. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to let spices cook.
- Step 5 Add the tomato puree to the pan. Keep the flame on low heat and gently stir contents of the pan to fully integrate the flavors, making sure not to over-cook the tomato puree.
- Step 6 Add water and salt to taste. Let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until tomato puree cooks through (it will bubble when cooked).
- Step 7 When the gravy bubbles, add the kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) by crushing the leaves between your palms and sprinkling evenly into gravy. Also add the whipping cream to the gravy. If at this point you feel the gravy is too thick, you can add some water to thin it out. Continue to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Step 8 Cut paneer into 1 inch by 1/2 inch rectangles. Add paneer pieces to the gravy. Let simmer for a few minutes to heat paneer through and then serve.
