Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)

I prepared this creamy buttery dish for a party with my friends and everyone liked it so much that I thought this must be the next recipe on my blog. Now before we move on to the recipe let me give you a brief introduction of the dish: Butter Paneer is a gourmet Indian Recipe where Fresh Cheese is fried in butter till it turns golden red in color. The fried pieces are then dipped in a creamy buttery gravy prepared with tomato, onion, a hint of garlic and whole spices. Though it is easy and quick to prepare, Butter Paneer tastes absolutely divine and equals the quality of a restaurant bought dish. My secret? my homemade Garam Masala. The best part is since this dish is loaded with healthy fats you can also enjoy it on Keto diet. 

Are you having guests over and thinking what to cook for dinner? No problem! Serve this delectable buttery gravy with Naan or Pulao and your guests will lick their fingers for more. 

Just a small tip: Have a little patience while preparing the gravy. It will take time to cook through and release the oil so cook it over medium low heat and stir occasionally. Use a good non stick skillet and wok otherwise the Paneer and gravy will stick on the bottom of the pan.

Ingredients (for frying the Paneer):

• Butter – 2 tablespoons 
• Paneer – 3 cups (cut into cubes, rectangles or any shape you like)
• Salt – ¼ teaspoon 
• Turmeric Powder -  ¼ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder - ¼ teaspoon 
• Tandoori Masala – 1-2 teaspoons 

Ingredients (for the gravy):

• Butter –3 tablespoons 
• Salt –about ½ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder -  ½ teaspoon
• Tandoori Masala – 2-3 tablespoons 
• Dried Red Pepper – 2-3, broken in halves
• Cloves – 3-4
• Green Cardamoms – 4
• Bay Leaves – 1-2
• Onion – ½ of a big onion, minced
• Garlic - 2, minced
• Tomato – 3 big, pureed 
• Heavy Cream - 1 ½ cups 
• Garam Masala – ¼ teaspoon 
• Green Chili – 3, slit in half lengthwise (optional)
• Kasuri Methi – 2 tablespoons
• Milk – ¼ cup (if required)

Directions for frying the Paneer:

• Heat a non stick pan on medium heat.
• Add the Butter (2 tablespoons) in it.
• Carefully start adding the Paneer pieces in the pan. Make sure you are not burning the butter.
• Sprinkle the Salt (¼ teaspoon), Turmeric Powder (¼ teaspoon), Red Chili Powder (¼ teaspoon) with the Tandoori Masala (1-2 teaspoons) and mix well.
• We want a nice golden red color on the Paneer pieces so make sure to fry them till they turn beautifully bright red.
• Switch off the heat and transfer the Paneer pieces to a bowl.
• Now let’s prepare the gravy.

Tips:

• Use a good non stick frying pan and wok for preparing this dish otherwise the Paneer will stick on the bottom of the pan and break.
• Maintain a medium – medium low heat for frying the Paneer pieces. Paneer has a delicate texture and may burn easily.

Directions for making the gravy:

• Heat a wok on medium high heat. 
• Add the Butter (3 tablespoons) in it. As soon as the butter starts to melt, add the Onion and Garlic in it. If you are adding Green Chilies, add them as well.
• Start adding the whole spices (Dried Red Pepper, Cloves, Green Cardamoms and Bay Leaves) in it.
• Keep frying the Onion till it caramelizes to a dark brown color. It will take about 5-10 minutes.
• Carefully add the Tomato Puree in it and reduce the heat to medium. Mix well and cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Add the Heavy Cream in it. Mix well and cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
• Now add the Salt, Tandoori Masala (2-3 tablespoons) and Red Chili Powder. Mix well and cover and cook for 5 minutes. 
• Stir then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the Garam Masala. Mix well and cover and cook for another 10 minutes. This will help to reduce the sauce and develop the creamy consistency. This will also make the dish aromatic and add flavor.
• At this stage you will see the butter separating from the gravy, this means the gravy is ready. It is very important to let the gravy cook till this stage otherwise it will taste very different.
• Add the Paneer pieces. The gravy will be hot and boiling so be very careful. The bowl will have some butter and Tandoori Masala from the cooked Paneer pieces, use a spatula to transfer it in the wok as well. Stir to mix.
• Check the consistency, I usually like to add a little Milk at this stage (for the gravy). Switch off the heat and add the Kasuri Methi. 
• Butter Paneer is ready, serve with Naan, Tandoori Roti/ Plain Roti, Rice or Pulao and enjoy!

Tips:

• Make sure to ask your guests if they have any diet restrictions before serving.
• I use my chopper to cut the onion and garlic and Nutri bullet to make the tomato puree.
• Cooking time is the essence of this dish. If you do not cook the gravy enough, it will be watery and very light like a curry. Remember every stove top heats differently so give it proper time to develop the gravy. Once the butter starts to separate this means the gravy is ready. 
• When cooked properly, the dish will have a layer of butter on top of the gravy. See the photo? It will look very rich with a deep orange color.

Recommended Reading:

• Garam Masala
• Top 10 Spices to keep in your kitchen
• Tandoori Masala
• Excited to use new spices? Know more about Methi (Fenugreek)
• Food Chopper and its Importance in Our Kitchen
• Nutri Bullet – now cook gourmet foods whenever you want
• Tandoori Roti
• Mushroom Salad with Fried Eggs
• Chanar Dalna (Bengali recipe: Fresh Cheese and Potato Curry)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Debarshi's Lachha Paratha (Multi-Layered, Crispy, Flaky Homemade Bread)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Sausage Tomato Basil Pasta

Recommended Reading (Keto recipes):

• Tandoori Chicken
• Butter Chicken (Indian Recipe: Chicken pieces in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Peppers
• Avocado Smoothie
• Yummy Almond Flour Bread with Ghee and Spices
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Avocado Strawberry Smoothie
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Chocolate Ganache - Keto Dessert
• Tomato Basil Soup
• Keto Garlic Naan
• Low Carb Ajwain Paratha with Coconut Flour
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)
• Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)
• Easy Air Fryer Paneer Tikka