Paneer Butter Masala - Instapot

https://pipingpotcurry.com/paneer-butter-masala-instant-pot/

Ingredients 

▢1 lb Paneer or Cottage cheese, chunks (use firm tofu for vegan)

▢2 tablespoon Butter

▢1 Green chili pepper , (optional)

▢1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)

▢1 Onion, cut in large pieces, about 1.5 cups

▢1 inch Ginger, grated or finely diced

▢6 cloves Garlic, minced

▢4 Tomato, cut in large pieces

▢1/4 cup Cashews

▢2 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi)

▢1/4 cup Water

▢1/4 cup Cream, heavy whipping cream (coconut milk for vegan)

▢1 tablespoon Honey

▢1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste

Ground Spices

▢1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)

▢1 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)

▢1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder), or Garam Masala

▢1-2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, adjust to taste

Whole Spices

▢1 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)

▢5 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)

▢2 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)

▢1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns

▢12 cloves Cloves (Laung)

Instructions 

• Make a spice pouch by adding the whole spices to a cheesecloth. Tie it such that the spices cannot come out of it (Don’t have a spice bag: If you don’t have a spice bag, you can skip the whole spices and add about a teaspoon of Garam Masala (adjust to taste) at the end.)
• Except for paneer, cream, Kasoori methi and honey, add all ingredients, including the whole spices pouch and ground spices to the Instant Pot. Close the lid with the vent in the sealing position. 
• Set the instant pot to manual or pressure cook mode on high pressure for 8 minutes.
• After the instant pot beeps, release the pressure naturally. You can also do a 15 minute natural pressure release.
• Remove the spice pouch carefully. Blend the contents in the instant pot with an immersion blender or regular blender to a smooth paste. 
• Add the cream and honey. Stir into the sauce. 
• Add paneer chunks. Stir them into the sauce and let it rest for 5 minutes. You can cover with a glass lid. 
• Paneer Butter Masala is ready to be served. Garnish with dry fenugreek leaves or cilantro.

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Freezing: This gravy freezes well. Skip adding the paneer and keep this sauce handy to prepare this or other curries.

Make it Nut-free: Some people are allergic to cashews or any nuts. You can either just skip the cashews and add some extra cream. If you can find, use 2-3 tablespoons of melon seeds (magaz) in place of cashews. They make the gravy thicker, while keeping it nut-free.

Using Store-bought Tomatoes: You can use store-bought diced tomatoes in this recipe in place of fresh tomatoes. If using store-bought tomato puree (passata), then add 1/4 cup extra water, as puree can sometimes stick to the bottom and cause a burn. Make sure to add tomatoes as the last ingredient before pressure cooking and do not stir, as sometimes they can cause a burn.