Paneer Butter Masala / Paneer Makhani

Hey foodies! I know, I have been gone for a long time. Cooking and food photography was happening, but I wasn't able to blog. Now, I am back with everyone's favorite Paneer recipe - Paneer Makhani also known as Paneer Butter Masala. My version is more like Badami Paneer. Hope you guys like it.

Ingredients:
Paneer/Indian Cottage Cheese - 400 gm
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Garlic - 2 cloves
Ginger - half inch piece
Dry Red Chilies - 5
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Kasuri Methi/Dry Fenugreek Leaves - 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf/Tamalpatra/Tejpatta - 1
Star Anise - 1
Cinnamon/Dalchini stick - an inch piece  
Fennel Seeds/Saunf/Badishep - 1 tsp
Almonds/Badam - 1/4 cup
Whole Milk - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt

How to cook Indian Paneer Makhani / Butter Masala:

• Soak almonds (or any other nuts) in about 1 cup of water overnight. Peel the soaked almonds and blend them with milk to a smooth paste. Set the almond milk paste aside.
• Julienne slice the onions. Medium chop ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Break the chilies into 2 or 3 pieces. Discard the seeds if you want to reduce the heat of the chilies.

• Heat oil or butter in a kadhai or a pan. Add fennel seeds. After few seconds, add onions. Saute until onions soften. Next, add ginger, garlic and dry red chilies.
• I use Byadagi variety of dry red chilies which are mild. You can use Kashmiri Lal Powder as well. 
• Saute until onions turn slightly brown. Lastly, add tomatoes and continue cooking until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Let this onion tomato paste cool. After cooling, grind it to a smooth paste. Add little water if required.

• In the same pan, add the ground onion tomato paste. Add bay leaf, star anise and cinnamon stick. You can remove these whole spices before serving. 
• Saute the onion tomato paste for a minute. Now, add paneer cubes, crushed kasuri methi, salt and garam masala. Stir and cook it covered for a minute.

• Lastly, add the almond milk paste and stir. Add water if required. I added about 3/4 cup water. Cook it covered until the curry comes to a boil.

Garnish with cilantro and serve Paneer Makhani with roti, naan, rice.