Prep time: 10 mins. Cook time: 30 mins.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp + 1 tsp oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 large brown onion
• 3 large tomatoes
• 10-15 whole cashews raw
• 1 cup water
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3-4 tbsp cream
• 250 grams paneer
• 2 tsp crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• chopped coriander

Preparation

Thinly slice onion. Chop tomatoes. Cut paneer into cubes.

Make masala

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan on medium heat. When hot, add 1 bay leaf, 1/2-inch cinnamon stick, 3-4 cloves. Saute for a few seconds. Add 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste and onion. Saute until the onion is translucent (2-3 minutes). Add tomatoes and 10-15 cashews and mix. Add 1 cup water. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Blend

Remove from heat. Remove whole spices from the pan. Optionally, cool for a little while to avoid an explosion in the blender. Transfer to a blender and grind to a smooth paste.

Butter

Heat the same pan on medium heat. Add 50g butter and 1 tsp oil. Once the butter melts, add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Fry a few seconds until it is a nice orange-red colour.

Combine

Add the ground paste back into the pan (be careful, the combined heat can cause a lot of splatter). Add 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp cardamom powder, 1 tsp sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add 3-4 tbsp cream, mix well. Add paneer cubes. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Finish with 2 tsp crushed kasuri methi. Garnish with coriander and a little more garam masala if desired.