BUTTER PANEER OR BUTTER CHICKEN
A 'Universal Butter' Gravy
Ingredients for Paneer or Chicken
one to two cups of cubed paneer and/or 1/2-1 lb of skinless chicken tenderloin (sliced thinly)
2 tsps. of tandoori masala, use any kind you like
1 TBS of dried fenugreek leaves
1 TBS salted butter
1 tsp olive oil
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Ingredients for Gravy/Curry
a 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter
1-2 split green chilies
¼ tsp of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp turmeric
½ tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp of garam masala
1 ½ tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder
1 ½ tsp of salt
2 tsps. of garlic powder or paste
¼ tsp ginger powder
a large can (28 oz.) of good quality whole, peeled tomatoes (best if using Italian San Marzano tomatoes)
½ cup of Indian style fried onions
½ cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1/2 cup of low-fat milk (like 1 or 2%)
1/2 tsp of Biryani/Kunafe coloring or Orange Food Color (optional)
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Method:
Start by preparing the paneer, which is a fairly firm, Indian cottage cheese with a mild taste, ahead of time to add to the curry. This seasoning and pan frying process can be done with the sliced chicken as well.
To the paneer or chicken, add the tandoori masala, use any kind you like, along with the dried fenugreek leaves. The fenugreek or Kasoori Methi leaves are a signature flavor component in this curry, so please do not skip it. Also, Paneer does not melt the way mozzarella does, so no worries when pan frying it. Next, heat up a TBS of butter and a tsp of olive oil on medium heat in a pan and add the spiced paneer or chicken. Toast the paneer for 3 minutes or so, turning often to prevent burning. Cook the chicken in the same way for around 5 minutes or until mainly cooked through. Turn off the heat and reserve this for later.
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Next place a deep pan on medium heat on the stove and add the 1/2 a stick of butter and stir until just melted. Now add the split green chilies along with the ground cinnamon, cardamom and turmeric. Also add the ground cumin and coriander along with the garam masala. Add these to the butter initially to wake up the spices. Then, stir in the Kashmiri red chili powder, the salt, garlic powder or paste and the ginger powder.
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Fry this for thirty seconds or so and then add a large can of good quality whole, peeled tomatoes. I recommend Italian San Marzano tomatoes. These are sweet and superior in flavor (you know the Italians know their tomatoes). Canned whole tomatoes are better because you avoid the need to strain the sauce later, saving you a step.
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Next fill up the can almost halfway with water to get the rest of the tomato juice out and add this to the pan. Stir and bring this to a simmer. Adjust the heat accordingly so you keep the simmer while you cover the pan and let this cook for about 8-10 minutes. Come back and add the fried onions, these are readily available at your Indian grocery store. I find the prepared onions gives the curry a better flavor and helps to thicken the sauce. You can also avoid adding cashew nuts to the sauce this way, as you might have seen in other recipes. If you’re making this for a crowd, someone might have a nut allergy so it’s good to think about all of these things without sacrificing any of the flavor. Place the cover back on and let this cook for another 5 minutes. Then blend it all together until smooth. I love the hand blender for this step.
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Now add the cream mixture—I use a ½ cup each of heavy cream, evaporated milk and low-fat milk. I have found that I really like the consistency of the curry by using this combination. I also like a deep orange color for the curry so I add some biryani or Kunafe coloring to it, but that’s optional. Then, add the toasted paneer or chicken to the sauce and stir together. Simmer the curry for another 5-7 minutes on low heat.
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We love to have this with some garlic naan or some steaming rice. You can also freeze the gravy and then fry up some paneer or chicken to add to it and make this delicious dish on demand like a restaurant pro!
Enjoy!!