Paneer butter masala

Okay, here goes my first recipe. The first to have tried in fact. Paneer butter masala is a Punjab delicacy made out of paneer, onions, tomatoes and a variety other spices. 

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients:

Paneer/Indian cottage cheese (cut into cubes)  - 250 grams
Onion (blended) - 2 (Blend after boiling large pieces of onions in water for 10 minutes)
Tomato puree - 1 cup (Boil tomatoes in water for 10 minutes. Remove skin after boiling and then puree)

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp 
Cashew nuts (made into a paste) - 2 tbsp (Soak 2 tbsp of cashew nuts in hot water for 10 minutes and grind it to a paste)

For seasoning:
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cooking butter - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1
Cardamom - 2
Salt - To taste

For garnishing:
Fresh cream - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - as required

Method:

1. Mix butter and oil and heat it in a wide pan/kadai/karahi/wok. Add cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and saute till they splutter.
2. Add onion paste and saute till they turn golden brown.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute. Make sure it doesn't stick to the pan or get burned.
4. Add cashew nut paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
5. Add tomato puree and all the spices (garam masala powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder). Cook till it leaves oil.
6. Meanwhile, take another pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes in 3 tsp of oil till they turn light brown.
7. Add this paneer to the cooked tomato mixture.
8. Add 1/2 cup of water and salt. Simmer and cook for a few minutes.
9. Garnish with fresh cream and coriander.

Serve with:

Naan or chapatis.