Paneer Makhani Recipe (Easy & Tasty)

Making tomato puree

1. First rinse and chop the tomatoes. Use the tomatoes that are ripe with a sweet tangy taste and not overly sour.
2. In a blender or grinder make a smooth puree of the chopped tomatoes. No need to add any water while blending the tomatoes.
3. Keep the tomato puree aside.

Making paneer makhani

1. Melt butter in a pan. First add the tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and saute for a few seconds till aromatic.
2. Then add the crushed ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic goes away.
3. Add the tomato puree and stir well.
4. Now add the red chili powder and saute this mixture till the fat begins to leave the side of the tomato paste. Takes about 14 to 15 on a low heat. Keep on stirring often.
5. When you see the tomato mixture clumping together and the fat leaving the sides, then add water.
6. Stir and simmer till the gravy or sauce thickens a bit. Takes about 7 to 8 minutes on a low flame.
7. Then add the slit green chilies and ginger julienne. Stir and simmer for a minute.
8. Add sugar, salt as required and crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves).
9. Stir and then add the paneer cubes. 
10. Mix gently and switch off the heat. No need to cook the paneer as then they can get hard or chewy and won't taste good.
11. Lastly add cream and gently stir. Switch off the flame and then sprinkle with garam masala. Give a gentle stir again.
12. Serve the paneer makhani with roti, naan, paratha or jeera rice or saffron rice or biryani rice or plain steamed basmati rice.