Paneer Tikka Masala

Indian is one of those foods that we just cannot get enough of. It somehow never gets old, and always hits the spot, whether it’s summer or winter. We have found a few classic go-to Indian dishes that we loved so much, we had to figure out how to make it on our own (because we can’t go to Namaste EVERY DAY), one of those being paneer tikka masala. We started out with a recipe we found online, made a few adjustments, and nailed it on the first try, and now we will never make it any other way.

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and let sit in the fridge, covered, for at least 30 minutes. 
2. Add oil to a pan over medium high heat. Fry the paneer until just starting to melt, 5 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft about 3 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. 
5. Add garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cardamom. Fry for 20 seconds until fragrant while stirring. 
6. Pour in tomato puree, chili powder, and salt. Simmer for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown-red color. 
7. Stir in the cream and brown sugar. Add fried paneer. 
8. Cook until desired consistency has been reached, adding water to thin out if needed.

Best served over basmati rice (cooked via the boiling method, where you can read about here) with a side of naan and mango chutney.