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paneer dunked in luscious creamy curry

Paneer Butter Masala in Instant Pot

Meenakshi
This paneer butter masala made in an instant pot features a creamy, luscious, aromatic, and buttery gravy that is used to carry the soft and tender paneer. Packed with the flavor of whole spices, this paneer recipe is by far the most decadent of all paneer recipes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6
Calories 363 kcal

Equipment

  • Instant pot

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g Paneer
  • 3 tablespoon Ghee
  • 6-7 Curry leaves
  • 4 Ripe tomatoes
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 1 inch Ginger
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 14 Cashew nuts
  • ¼ Cup Curd
  • 1 tablespoon Dry Fenugreek Leaves
  • 3 tablespoon Butter

Whole spices

  • 2 Red chilis
  • 2 Green chilis
  • 2 Green cardamom
  • 2 Cloves
  • 1-2 Cinnamon sticks
  • 7-8 Mace strands

Powdered Spices

  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Garam masala
  • ¾ teaspoon Red Chili Powder (Kashmiri chili powder)

Instructions
 

Step 1 Prepping the ingredients

  • Start by cutting the paneer into small cubes and place them in a bowl of warm water with a little bit of salt to make it soft and add some flavor.
  • Then chop onions and tomatoes. Peel garlic and ginger, and coarsely cut them.
  • In a small bowl, add curd and add powdered spices, i.e., turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Mix, and set aside.

Step 2 Making masala for butter paneer

  • Set the instant pot on Sauté mode at high temperature for 7 minutes.
  • First, add ghee. As the ghee melts, add curry leaves, chilis, cardamom, cloves, and mace. Stay back as the curry leaves make the oil sputter.
  • Once the sputtering stops add garlic, ginger, and onion. Sauté the onions just up to a point where they start to sweat.
  • Now add the curd and spices mixture. Give it a quick mix and cook for about 30-40 seconds. Now add the chopped tomatoes.
  • Mix and add ¼ cup of water. Close the lid of the instant pot and cancel the sauté mode.

Step 3 Pressure cook the tomatoes

  • Now set the instant pot in pressure cooker mode for 3 minutes. After it's done, let the pressure release naturally.

Step 4 Blending and sieving the masala

  • Carefully use a ladle or spoon to remove all the dry spices like cinnamon sticks, curry leaves, cloves, cardamom, etc.
  • Transfer the contents to a blender and blend to form a smooth paste.
  • Now use a metal sieve and sift the blended masala through it. Use the back of a spoon or something similar to push it through the sieve. In the end, you will receive a super luscious masala for the butter paneer.
  • Set it aside.

Step 5 Cooking butter masala and paneer

  • Now use the previously used pot and set the instant pot at sauté mode for 10 minutes at high temperature.
  • Quickly add butter, while it is still heating.
  • Now add the fenugreek leaves. As they start to sizzle, add the sieved masala.
  • Stir it and do a taste test. Add more salt if needed.
  • Now let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until it starts to leave the oil on the sides.
  • Keep stirring it regularly else it can stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • You can use some sort of lid to prevent the gravy from sputtering out of the instant pot pan.
  • Now add the paneer cubes. Give everything a mix and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
  • Turn off the instant pot. Remove the paneer butter masala into a serving bowl.
  • Serve it warm topped with heavy cream or butter alongside basmati rice or roti.

Notes

  •  Instant pots heat faster and you cannot instantly put off the flame and reduce the heat. So, prepping all the ingredients ahead will ensure the success of your recipe. 
  • As you will add curry leaves, the oil will kind of sputter, which can be hazardous. So, stay away until it stops sputtering. 
  • Remove any excess liquid from the masala before putting it for blending. You should retain this water and add it back to the masala white sifting. 
  • Take time to shift the masala, as this step is crucial to obtain smooth and luscious gravy for the paneer. •
  • Substitution Notes:
    1. Substitute ghee with vegetable oil or butter.
    2. Replace red onions with shallots.
    3. You can use canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
    4. To replace cinnamon sticks, use cinnamon powder while giving butter tempering to the masala in the end.
    5. Replace fresh ginger and garlic with the ginger garlic paste. But add it with the final tempering.

📋Nutrition Facts

table of nutrition facts about the paneer butter masala

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal
Keyword butter paneer instant pot, butter paneer masala instant pot, instant pot paneer butter masala, paneer butter masala instant pot, paneer curry instant pot
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