Paneer Butter Masala

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The vegetarian answer to butter chicken: a glossy tomato gravy enriched with soaked cashews and cold butter, blended completely smooth, then perfumed with crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Cubes of paneer go in only at the very end and are soaked in hot salted water first, so they stay pillowy instead of turning rubbery. One pan, no tandoor, and better than most $28 restaurant plates.

Ingredients

• 14 oz paneer, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 cups very hot water
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 serrano chile, halved lengthwise
• 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes with juices
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chile powder
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup water

• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for drizzling
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp sugar, or to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Naan or basmati rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Put the cashews in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water. Let soak at least 20 minutes while you build the gravy (30 minutes is better).
2. In a separate bowl, stir 1 teaspoon salt into 3 cups very hot tap water (about 150°F — hot but not boiling). Add the paneer cubes and leave them submerged until the very end of cooking; this is what keeps them soft and seasons them through.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons butter and the oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and fry 45 seconds, until fragrant and sizzling.
4. Add the onion and cook 7–8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Add the ginger, garlic and serrano and cook 2 minutes more, until the raw garlic smell is gone.
5. Add the tomatoes with their juices, crushing them with your hands or a spoon. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the Kashmiri chile powder and the turmeric. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered 15 minutes over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture darkens and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
6. Fish out the cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods (or leave them if you don't mind blending them — the flavor will be stronger). Scrape everything into a blender. Drain the cashews and add them with 1 cup fresh water. Blend on high for a full 90 seconds, until completely, glassy-smooth. For restaurant-level silk, pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve back into the pan, pressing with a ladle.
7. Set the pan over medium-low heat and bring the gravy to a bare simmer — it should just barely blip, not boil, or it will spatter. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time, letting each addition melt fully before adding more, then stir in the heavy cream.
8. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves between your palms directly over the pan to wake them up, then stir them in along with the garam masala and sugar. Taste and adjust: it should be gently sweet, tangy and rich. Add salt or another pinch of sugar as needed.
9. Drain the paneer and add it to the pan. Fold gently and let it sit over low heat for just 3–4 minutes to warm through — do not boil the paneer or it will tighten.
10. Off the heat, drizzle with a little cream, scatter with cilantro, and serve hot with naan or basmati rice.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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