Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

This Paneer Butter Masala Recipe is a very simple one, yet it never disappoints you. even if you are going to try this for first time, it will come out good. my mom prepares this paneer butter masala so so good. whenever she prepares on weekdays, she stores some for me in fridge and i will feasting on it when i come home from hostel on weekends. 

This recipe has very few ingredients with no masala and spice ingredients. you cannot omit butter, as thats what enriches this gravy. but you can also avoid butter and add 2 tsp of fresh cream towards the end of preparing this gravy.

corriander leaves, capsicum, onion, tomatoes, chilly powder, paneer, butter and cashews.

                                                          Paneer Butter Masala 

serves 2

preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

Big Onion - 1
Tomatoes - 2
Capsicum - 1 (optional)
Paneer - 150 gms
Corriander leaves - 1 bunch or 1 cup
Cashews - 5 to 7
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp or 2 tsp
Butter - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent. then add chopped tomatoes and saute till it turns mushy. add little salt and turmeric powder and mix well. switch off the flame.add corriander leaves and give a mix. cool the mix for grinding.

2. Add cashews to the onion -tomato-corriander leaves and grind them into a smooth paste. add little water to grind.

3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, and fry the chopped capsicum's. after frying the capsicum's, add the grinded paste to the pan. add little water(as per the consistency you require) and let the gravy boil. add chilli powder and salt to taste.

4. Chop the paneer into small cube's and add it to the gravy in the pan. add 3 tbsp's of butter & mix well. close the pan with its lid and let the gravy simmer for about 4 -5 minutes, till the oil emits on the sides of the pan. if not adding butter, switch off the flame and then add 2 tsp of fresh cream to the gravy.

5. Garnish with corriander leaves and serve with chapathi or vegetable pulao.

Notes:

1. I have used the paneer as such, without frying. If you are going to use fresh paneer, thats not frozen, you can add paneer without frying.

2. If you are using frozen paneer, de-frost it in your microwave on high for 1 minute. or put the paneer in a bowl of water for 15 minutes.

3.Dip the paneer in hot water for 2-3 minutes, which makes the paneer soft.


4. Some may not like the taste of corriander leaves, those can reduce the corriander leaves by half cup or completely avoid. but in this recipe  corriander leaves is the only digestion freindly ingredient. 

I have said this recipe orally to many of my friends and everyone have tried and liked the recipe very much. I also prepared this for my son's birthday party and all my friends loved it. this post is specially for sundari, as she had been asking me to post this recipe here. sorry sundari for taking so much time.

This is certainly a divine paneer dish. hope you all will try and enjoy this dish!!

Podalangai Kootu / Dal with Snake Gourd

I very rarely buy or cook, Podalangai / Snake gourd. But after trying out Podalangai Kootu, it has become frequent at home. Its Such a simple recipe to try out. it tastes great too. Normally Podalankaai Kootu is cooked with Chana dal. But this kootu is with Moong Dal.

Ingredients:

Moong Dal / Pasi Paruppu - 1 cup
Snake Gourd / Podalankai - 2 (medium sized)
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Cumin - 1 tsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 2
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Dry Roast the Moong Dal for 3 minutes. and Pressure Cook the dal with half cup of water for upto 3 or 4 whistles.

Wash, de-seed and Chop the Snake Gourd finely.

In a Kadaai, dry roast the cumin seeds, red chilli's and pepper. Grind the roasted ingredients along with grated coconut and little water.

Heat a Pan, and add a tbsp of oil, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and fry the chopped snake gourd, till they are fully cooked, it may take upto 4 minutes to cook. after the podalankaai / snake gourd is cooked add the cooked dal and mix well. and add the grinded coconut mix , a pinch turmeric powder, salt to taste and a cup of water and let the mix boil for few minutes.

Switch off the flame and serve hot for Rice.

Idly, Thakkali Gosthu

Iam looking for quick side-dishes for idly, if you want to help me, please suggest me a quick side-dish for idly. I could spare just 10 mins in the morning to prepare a sidee for idli's. if coconut is grated and freezed, then its coconut chutney, and other day is for tomato chutney. Today i prepared this Tomato Gosthu for break-fast. the left over gosthu, was served for lunch, with boiled eggs. such a 2 in 1 dish has to be blogged here isn't it?

This Tomato Gosthu is the first dish, that i cooked for my father. it took me 45 mins to serve for my father once.  Idly and Tomato gosthu is my favorite during my college days. Now within 10 - 15 minutes, i am preparing this gosthu easily.

Thakkali Gosthu Recipe

Prep Time: 05 mins 

Cooking Time: 05 mins  
Serves: 2
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Recipe Type: Sidedish

Ingredients:



Onion - 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (big one's)
Green Chilli - 1 (slitted)
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Corriander Leaves - 2 tbsp's chopped
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup



Method:

Chop the Onion and Tomatoes.

Heat a Pan, add oil and heat it. add mustard and let it crack. add curry leaves & green chilli and saute them.

Add chopped onion and saute it along. also add chopped tomatoes and saute it, till they turn mushy.

Now Add Turmeric powder, Chilli Powder, salt to taste and 1/2 cup water and give a mix.

Let the mix boil for 2 minutes and switch off the flame.

Garnish with some corriander leaves.

Serve Hot for Idli's.