Homestyle Butter Paneer
90 Min
GF
NF

Homestyle Butter Paneer

Not for the faint-hearted, this recipe is decadent and rich. It is the paneer version of butter chicken, just as tasty, creamy and delicious. So go all in and make it for a special occasion. Serve a vegetable pilaf on the side to balance things out.
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Cook Time

90 Minutes

Serves

4

Step 1
Cut the paneer into 1-inch cubes and marinate in butter, minced garlic, yogurt, chili powder, cumin, and salt for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 425°F, and on a greased baking sheet, spread the marinated paneer chunks and place in the oven to roast for 10 to12 minutes. 
Step 3
In a heavy-duty wide saucepan, heat the butter, then add the minced garlic and ginger purée. Fry for a few seconds or until the garlic turns white, then add the chili powder, salt, tomato purée, and heavy cream, bringing the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. 
Step 4
Add the fenugreek, garam masala, and 1/2 to 1 cup of water as the mixture continues to simmer.
Step 5
Add the paneer chunks gently to the simmering sauce and continue cooking it for another 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the curry rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Add more butter if desired.

Paneer Marinade:

1 1/2 pound paneer block

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup plain thick yogurt

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt


Sauce:

3 to 4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons ginger purée


1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup tomato purée, canned

1 cup heavy cream


2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 to 2 tablespoons butter for finishing (optional)

Notes & Variations

  • The additional butter at the end is optional – it makes for a creamier curry.
  • If using tofu instead of paneer, use extra firm tofu.
  • When starting the curry, be sure to move fast or the butter will burn.
Tags:
90 Min
GF
NF

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THE HISTORY OF BUTTER CHICKEN/PANEER

Though there is some controversy about the origins of the dish, the most likely story is that the modern version was created during the early ’70s by an enterprising Indian chef near London. In a quick attempt to fix a dry chicken tikka sent back by an upset customer, he whipped together a can of Campbell’s tomato soup, cream and spices to provide a sauce for the offending chicken. Of course, this unknown chef, who received no credit for his ingenuity, inadvertently had invented a dish that Britons now eat upwards of 20 tons of in a week. Originally dismissed as “mongrel cuisine,” in the hands of a skilled cook, butter chicken has evolved with periodic improvisations as a popular curry all over the world.

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