Paneer Butter Masala

INGREDIENTS
For tomato puree
4 medium tomatoes or 300 grams or 2 cups diced tomatoes, pureed
For cashew paste
15 to 18 cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes
3 to 4 tbsp water for grinding cashew
Whole spices
1 tejpatta/indian bay leaf
2 to 3 cloves
½ inch cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
1 single strand of mace
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
Other ingredients
200 to 250 grams paneer/cottage cheese
2 to 3 tbsp butter
1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder or deghi mirch
1.25 cups water or add as required
½ tsp ginger paste or ½ inch ginger crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
1 green chili, slit
½ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
2 tbsp low fat cream (optional)
¼ to 1 tsp sugar, add as per taste and depending on the sourness of the tomatoes
salt as required
METHOD
Preparing cashew paste:
soak 12 to 15 cashews in a hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
then drain and add the soaked cashews in a blender or grinder.
add 2 to 3 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste.
remove the cashew paste and keep aside.
Preparing tomato puree:
in the same blender add chopped tomatoes.
blend to a smooth tomato puree. keep aside.
Preparing the butter masala gravy:
Now heat 2 to 3 tbsp butter in a pan or kadai.
allow the butter to melt.
then add the whole spices mentioned above in the ingredient list.
saute the spices till they become fragrant.
add ginger paste and saute the ginger paste till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
add the prepared tomato puree. stir very well and simmer for 3 minutes.
then add 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder.
stir and saute the tomato paste till you see fat releasing from the sides and top.
then add the cashew paste.
begin to stir and mix the cashew paste very well with the tomato paste. continue to saute on a low to medium flame, till you see specks of fat on the sides or on the top.
then add water and stir very well.
bring the gravy to a boil and then add ginger julienne and slit green chilies.
season with salt. check the taste and add sugar as required.
when the gravy thickens a bit and you see fat specks on the top, then add paneer cubes. simmer for a minute.
now add crushed kasuri methi and garam masala powder. at this step, if you want you can add 2 to 3 tbsp of low fat cream or 1 to 2 tbsp of whipping cream.
stir and switch off the flame.
garnish this no onion no garlic paneer butter masala with chopped coriander leaves and serve with chapatis, rotis, steamed rice or jeera rice