MOOJ Paneer Butter Masala

The restaurant favorite, made at home with MOOJ. Soft cubes of Classic Paneer simmer in a silky tomato, onion and cashew sauce that's buttery, gently spiced with cardamom and finished with cream, with about 25g of protein per serving before you even reach for the naan.

Ingredients

• 1 block (10 oz) MOOJ Classic Paneer, thawed

• 2 tsp neutral oil, divided

• 1 bay leaf

• ½-inch cinnamon stick

• 3 to 4 whole cloves

• 6 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

• 1½-inch piece ginger, roughly chopped

• 1 large white or sweet onion, roughly chopped

• 3 to 4 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb), roughly chopped

• 12 raw cashews

• 1 cup water

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• ½ tsp red chili powder

• ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder

• ½ tsp garam masala, plus more to taste

• ¼ tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp sugar

• ¾ tsp salt, or to taste

• ½ to 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

• 3 tbsp heavy cream

• 2 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

To Prepare

1. Soak the paneer. Cut the paneer into ½-inch cubes and place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water. Leave them there while you make the sauce. This keeps the paneer soft and tender.

2. Toast the whole spices. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cloves and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.

3. Soften the aromatics. Add the garlic, ginger and onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns translucent. No need to chop finely, since everything gets blended.

4. Simmer the base. Stir in the tomatoes, cashews and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are completely soft.

5. Blend. Take the pot off the heat and pick out the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cloves. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then blend until completely smooth. Hot liquid can force a blender lid off, so don't skip the cooling.

6. Bloom the chili. In the same pot, melt the butter with the remaining 1 tsp of oil over medium heat. Add both chili powders and stir for a few seconds. This gives the sauce its bright orange-red color.

7. Season the sauce. Pour the blended sauce back in and add the garam masala, cardamom, sugar, salt and tomato paste if using. Stir well and cook 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Add cream and paneer. Stir in the cream. Drain the paneer, add it to the pot, and cook 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat until warmed through. Don't cook it longer, or it can turn firm.

9. Finish and serve. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms over the pot and stir it in. Taste and add a pinch more garam masala if you like. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with naan or rice.

Tips

Make it your own

• Pick the right onion: White or sweet onions keep the sauce mellow. Red onions can taste sharp here.

• Adjust the heat: This curry is meant to be mild. For more kick, increase the red chili powder; for a milder, kid-friendly version, use only the Kashmiri chili powder.

• Finding the spices: Kashmiri chili powder and kasuri methi are at any Indian grocery or online. If you can't find Kashmiri chili, use sweet paprika for color.

• Leftovers: The sauce thickens as it cools. Stir in a splash of water or milk when reheating, and warm it gently.

Nutrition (per serving)

Nutrition is an estimate for the curry only, without rice or bread, and will vary with your tomatoes and how much butter and cream you use.