Ingredients
For the paste:
- 1 teaspoon jeera
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 10 – 12 California walnuts
- 1 – 2 Kashmiri red chillies
- 5 – 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2-inch ginger
- 1 onion
- 4 to 5 tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup water
For Paneer Makhani:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon jeera
- 1 teaspoon ginger (julienned)
- 2 green chillies (slit)
- 250g paneer
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon toasted kasuri methi leaves
- 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cream
- Prepared Tomato paste
- Butter and coriander leaves to garnish
- Coal to give the smoky flavor (optional)
Prepping the paste:
- Add all the ingredients for the paste into a pan and cook it over medium heat. Stir it in intervals to prevent it from sticking. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes till all the tomato and onion are cooked well.
- Let it cool completely and then grind it to a smooth paste. Keep it aside to use later.
Preparation:
- Heat butter and oil together in a heavy bottom pan. Add jeera to this and let it splatter.
- Add the tomato paste to this along with a cup of water. Add green chillies, salt and julienned ginger to this. Let it come to a boil.
- Add Kasturi methi, red chilli powder and tomato ketchup and boil further.
- Once the gravy reaches a creamy consistency, add honey, and cream and give it a good mix. Add fresh paneer to this and let it boil just for a minute.
- Garnish it with butter and coriander powder.
- Place the coal on the flame directly and let it turn red hot. Place this coal in a plate and place it on the curry.
- Add a spoon of ghee on top and cover the pan immediately. Let the smoke flavor the curry for 5 mins. Remove the lid and give the curry a good mix.
Tip: *Do not boil for a long time after adding the paneer. It makes it rubbery and chewy. Make the gravy in advance and add paneer just before serving.
