Paneer Butter Masala

Sometimes, it is easy to replicate a dish by just tasting it in a restaurant. Sometimes even with the recipe, it is difficult to replicate it. Paneer Butter Masala is a dish which even restaurants fail to prepare properly. A little compromise in the procedure gets magnified as flaws in the taste. Recently I came across a perfect recipe on the internet which even beat hi-fi chefs' recipes. I followed it and it turned out perfect - the best PBM we have ever had in our life - a masterpiece. Presenting it with pride:

Ingredients:

1. Paneer - 200 grams chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2. Tomatoes - 2 large or 3 medium-sized.
3. Onion - 2 medium-sized - chopped into big pieces.
4. Ginger - 1 inch cube
5. Garlic - 4-5 pods
6. Cashewnuts - 10-12
7. Green chilly - 1 small, slit lengthwise
8. Bay leaf - 1
9. Fresh cream - 50g (Amul fresh cream is a good choice)
10. Butter - 75g
11. Oil - 1 tbsp.
12. Milk - 1 tbsp.
13. Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp.
14. Dhania powder - 1 tsp.
15. Jeera powder - 1/4 tsp.
16. Clove-cinnamon powder - 1/4 tsp.
17. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
18. Kesari powder (orange colour) - 1/8 tsp.
19. Kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp.
20. Salt - as per taste.
21. Sugar - 1 pinch

Procedure:

1. Grind together onions, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
2. Blanch and peel the tomatoes and puree them. ( I pureed the tomatoes directly without peeling)
3. Soak cashewnuts in milk for 10 minutes and grind them together finely.
4. In a pan, heat 50 grams of butter and 1 tbsp. oil. Add the slit green chilli, bay leaf and onion paste. Fry properly on medium flame while continuously stirring for 6-8  minutes till the raw smell of onions is gone and the paste forms a single blob as you stir and it leaves the sides of the pan like halwa. Do not hurry to the next step until this is done.
5. To this add the tomato puree and keep stirring on medium flame or high flame for 12- 15 minutes again till the paste leaves the sides of the pan as a single blob and the oil separates out. It is very important to stir the paste till it leaves the sides of the pan like halwa. The secret of PBM lies in this step.
6. Add all the dry masala to this - red chilli powder, dhania powder, jeera powder, clove-cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Add a little water ( around 100 ml.) and stir well and bring to a boil. 
7. Switch off the flame, add kasoori methi, kesari powder dissolved in 1 tbsp. of water, cashew paste, fresh cream and paneer pieces. Stir well.
8. Heat again on medium flame till it comes to a boil. Switch off and garnish with the remaining butter which will melt upon adding to the gravy.
9. Serve with rotis.