Paneer Butter Masala (Jain)
Rich, creamy, and deeply flavourful — this Jain version of the beloved paneer butter masala uses only tomatoes and cashews for the gravy, with zero onion or garlic.
40 mins
Time
Medium
Difficulty
4 people
Serves
Method
- 1
Boil tomatoes and cashews together for 10 minutes. Let cool, then blend into a smooth paste.
- 2
Heat butter and oil together in a pan over medium heat.
- 3
Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, and cardamom. Sauté for 30 seconds.
- 4
Pour in the tomato-cashew paste and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until oil separates.
- 5
Add Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
- 6
Add garam masala and sugar. Stir to combine.
- 7
Add paneer cubes and 1/2 cup water to adjust consistency. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- 8
Stir in fresh cream and cook for 1 more minute.
- 9
Garnish with coriander and a swirl of cream. Serve with naan or jeera rice.
Ingredients
- 300g paneer, cubed
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp fresh cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander and a swirl of cream for garnish