Paneer Makhani

On the Internet there is a lot of confusion between Shahi Paneer and Paneer Makhani. Most of the people take them as a same dish but actually they are quite different. Paneer Makhani gets its taste entirely from the cream and tomatoes, here is no cashew paste and onions like in Shahi Paneer. I normally replace half the cream by milk to reduce the fat content.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 5

Ingredients:

• 1cup paneer(cottage cheese) diced in cubes
• 1kg tomatoes
• 5 mace flowers(javitri)
• 5 green cardamoms(elachi)
• 2tbsp butter
• 1tsp garlic minced
• 1tsp ginger minced
• 1tsp garam masala powder
• 1tsp zeera(cumin) powder 
• red chili powder as per taste
• salt as per taste
• 1tsp sugar
• 1/2tsp tomato ketchup if required
• 1cup cream
• 1tsp kasuri methi(fenugreek powder)

Make cuts on tomato's skin. Heat tomatoes along with mace and cardamoms in water for 5 minutes. 

Discard the water along with mace and cardamoms(they were just to infuse flavor into the tomatoes). Peel tomatoes' skin and blend them into a puree. Heat half the butter in a wok and add ginger-garlic paste. Fry and add the tomato puree. When the puree reduces by 1/4th, add red chili powder, zeera powder and garam masala.

Stir well and cook for few minutes. Add salt and sugar and remaining butter and cook to another few minutes. Now add paneer and simmer and then add the cream. Whisk cream before adding. Stir and add kasuri methi. Mix and cook for another 2 minutes. If you like add tomato ketchup before serving.

Garnish with a tsp of butter. Serve with rotis or paranthas. Enjoy!!!