Main Dishes
Butter paneer curry
This is creamy curry heaven – gentle spices mix with crème fraîche to make a rich sauce that covers paneer and sweet peas. A little pomegranate and coriander perks it up. This dish is great served with Nisha’s ginger beer onion bhajis and coriander and mint chutney.
Ingredients
For the butter paneer curry
- 100ml/3½fl oz vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5cm/2in piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 150g/5½oz tomato purée
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 100ml/3½fl oz crème fraîche (use low fat crème fraîche if preferred)
- 250g/9oz frozen peas
- 500g/1lb 2oz blocks paneer, chopped into cubes
- large knob of unsalted butter
To serve
- handful coriander, chopped
- 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- cooked rice
Method
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Heat a pan to a high heat, then add a dash of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, frying until they’re almost black. Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the rest of the oil, followed by the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until the onions have turned golden-brown and sweet.
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Add the fenugreek, garam masala, turmeric and chilli powder (if using) and then the tomato purée. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes on a high heat, making sure that the tomato purée is beginning to cook through a little.
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Pour in 500ml/18fl oz water. Add the salt and sugar, then bring to the boil and remove from the heat.
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For a silky smooth sauce, you can blend it using a stick blender or food processor for about a minute. Stir in the crème fraîche.
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Return the pan to the heat, add the peas and paneer, and simmer on medium for around 10 minutes, or until the cheese has softened.
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Turn off the heat and gently stir in the butter.
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Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds. Serve with rice and the ginger beer onion bhajis and coriander and mint chutney if you like.
Butter paneer curry