Paneer Butter masala.

Ingredients:
100 gms of fresh Paneer (cubed).
4 large tomatoes (the less seeded Bangalore variety) or 1 ½ cup Tomato puree.
4 tsp of fresh cream (malai).
2 tsp of cooking butter.
1 tsp of cashews (optional)
¼ tsp of sugar or jaggery (optional).
2 large onions.
½ tsp of saunf (sombu).
1 tsp of red chilli powder.
½ tsp ginger garlic paste.
Salt for taste.
1 handful of chopped Coriander.
Cooking oil.

For the gravy:
1. Immerse the tomatoes in boiling water, remove after 5 second.
2. Peel the skin of the tomatoes.
3. Fry the onions and saunf in little butter till slightly brown and cool it.
4. Using a mixie grind the browned onions and saunf for 15 seconds without water, now add the blanched tomatoes or puree, cashews and whip till a smooth paste. The puree is ready.

Preparation:
1. Take a pan and add 2 tsps of oil and 1 tsp of butter. When the oil heats up, add the cubed paneer and fry till the sides turn brown (The milk smell should be gone).
2. Fry the paneer in batches, remove from the pan and drain them.
3. In the same pan, add the ginger garlic paste, reduce the flame to simmer and add the red chilli powder followed by the puree made earlier. (If the flame is higher the puree will start bursting out of the pan).
4. Cook the sauce in low flame for 5 minutes. When its starts to form holes, add ½ cup of water , salt, more chilli powder if needed, the sugar or jaggery and the fried paneer.
5. Cover and let the paneer cook till soft and the oil seperates from the gravy, don’t increase the flame, cook it in medium flame.
6. When oil starts separating turn off the stove, add the fresh whipped cream and remaining butter and garnish with coriander. Paneer butter masala is ready.

Note: Onions should always be lesser than tomatoes in the puree and fried before blending, otherwise it will take forever to cook. Add less water if you prefer.

Hint: For the diet conscious you can substitute malai paneer with soy paneer or tofu and fresh cream with soy milk.