Paneer Makhanwala Recipe

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This Paneer Makhanwala has soft paneer cubes (Indian cottage cheese) in a buttery, creamy, tangy, lightly sweet gravy or sauce made with onion, tomato, cashews, herbs and spices. This delicious paneer makhanwala has restaurant style flavors, taste and gets done under 45 minutes. If you like a creamy buttery taste in a paneer dish then this recipe is for you.

paneer makhanwala topped with cream, grated paneer, coriander leaves in an orange dotted bowl on a red cotton napkin.

About Paneer Makhanwala Recipe

This recipe of Paneer Makhanwala is a variation of Paneer Butter MasalaPaneer Lababdar and Paneer Makhani – where the makhani gravy is the hero element in these dishes.  

Wondering what is a Makhani gravy? It is tangy and mildly sweet tasting gravy that features butter (or makhan in Hindi language), tomatoes (usually pureed), spices, cashew paste and cream. 

Some people say that paneer makhani and paneer makhanwala are the same dishes with different names and some say paneer makhani and paneer butter masala are the same. All this confusion is because of the similar gravy and the butter (makhan) which goes in the preparation of these recipes.

I won’t go into this discussion because at the end what matters is the taste and flavor. Basically all these dishes using the makhani gravy as a base taste awesome. 

Generally, the makhani gravy does not have onions. However, in this recipe, I have added onions together with a few whole spices. 

The method that I prefer to make paneer makhanwala is similar to my Shahi Paneer recipe except for the ingredients used. This is a rich curry and so is very filling. Together with the butter and cream I have also added cashews. 

Swap paneer with tofu if you are not fond of paneer. Basically it is this makhanwala gravy that is the hero here. It is so flavorful. So you can opt to add vegetables, tofu, button mushrooms to the gravy.

This is a rich and great paneer dish to make when you have guests at home or during a festival or celebration. 

Paneer Makhanwala and Veg Makhanwala is often seen in many of the Indian restaurant menus. Many years back this dish along with Chilli Paneer would be mine and my sister’s choice of paneer dish in any restaurant.

Paneer Makhanwala is best served hot with Naan or tandoori roti. The next best is to serve with chapati, roti or phulka.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Paneer Makhanwala

Make Makhani Paste

1. First take the following listed ingredients in a medium saucepan.

  • ¾ cup roughly chopped onions
  • 1.5 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 10 to 12 whole cashews
  • 2 thin single strands of mace
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 2 to 3 green cardamom
  • 1 cup water

You can rinse the cashews with water if you prefer.

mix ingredients in a saucepan

2. Stir to mix and combine. Cook these ingredients without a lid until the tomatoes and onions soften completely.

Allow this mixture to cool. Cook for a total of 14 to 15 minutes on a medium heat.

cook tomatoes and onions in the sauce pan

3. When warm or cooled, add all of the cooked and softened ingredients including the stock (the water in which they were cooked) in a good blender or grinder. Blend or grind to a smooth and fine paste.

Remember there should be no small pieces of chunks of cashews or the spices. Add water if needed while blending. But it is better to avoid adding water, if possible. Because if you add water, then while sautéing the masala paste splutters.

making puree of the cooked ingredients

Sautéing

4. Heat 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of butter in the same pan or another pan. Make sure the pan is dry before you add the butter. Add 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf).

I have used fresh tejpatta. Sauté for a few seconds.

heat butter or makhan and add tej patta

5. Add the ground makhani paste and mix with the melted butter. Take care while adding the paste as the mixture can splutter.

ground makhani paste or puree added

6. Add 1 to 1.5 teaspoon of kashmiri red chili powder. I recommend to use Kashmiri red chili powder as it gives a deep orange color and is not pungent or hot.

You can also use sweet paprika or deghi mirch instead.

add red chilli powder added

7. Stir well and sauté the masala on a medium heat. If the mixture starts spluttering, then keep a lid half covered on the pan. Let the moisture reduce and the spluttering will stop. But do stir often while cooking the masala paste.

saute the masala

8. Keep on stirring often. You have to sauté the masala till you see the butter leaving the sides. It has to be sautéed so well. This takes time but patience is the key.

You have to stir often. The masala would start clumping together and begin to reduce slowly. It will thicken and look glossy.

stir and sauté the masala

9. Here is how the masala should look like with the fat oozing from the sides. This sautéing took me about 20 minutes on a medium to medium-high heat.

The correct sautéing of the masala is very important to get the right notes of flavor and taste in the paneer makhanwala.

sauteed masala

Make Paneer Makhanwala

10. Now add 1 green chili that has been sliced or slit, salt according to taste and 1.5 cups water or as required. For a slightly spicier version, you can add 2 green chilies.

water and green chilies added

11. Again mix very well and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes or until the curry or gravy has thickened slightly.

simmer the curry

12. Add ½ teaspoon sugar and again stir to mix. Add the paneer cubes. Stir gently and switch off the heat. Preferable use Homemade Paneer.

added paneer cubes

13. Add ¼ cup light cream (cooking cream of low-fat cream), ¾ teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves that are crushed (kasuri methi) and ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder.

If using heavy whipping cream then add 1 to 2 tablespoons.

added cream and kasuri methi

14.  Stir to combine evenly. Check the taste of the gravy and add more salt or sugar if required.

mix and check taste of gravy

15. Serve paneer makhanwala topped with 1 tablespoon of light cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated paneer. Garnish with a few ginger julienne and 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro).

Enjoy the curry hot or warm with naan or roti. You can also serve it with jeera rice or ghee rice or saffron rice.

I recommend to finish the dish the same day and do not keep any leftovers. As on reheating the paneer cubes may get overcooked and become chewy.

overhead shot of paneer makhanwala topped with cream, grated paneer, cilantro in an off white bowl on a red cotton napkin

More Paneer Recipes

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paneer makhanwala topped with cream, grated paneer, cilantro in an orange dotted bowl on a red cotton napkin

Paneer Makhanwala

This Paneer Makhanwala has soft paneer cubes (Indian cottage cheese) in a buttery, creamy, tangy, lightly sweet gravy or sauce made with onion, tomato, cashews, herbs and spices.
4.91 from 53 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

For makhani paste

  • ¾ cup chopped onions – 80 grams or 1 medium to large onion
  • 1.5 cups chopped tomatoes – 160 to 170 grams or 3 to 4 medium tomatoes
  • 1 inch ginger – chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves – small to medium sized, chopped or ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 2 single strands of mace
  • 2 to 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 2 tablespoon whole cashews or about 10 to 12 cashews
  • 1 cup water

Other Ingredients

  • 2 to 2.5 tablespoons butter – softened
  • 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  • 1 to 1.5 teaspoon kashmir red chili powder or deghi mirch or sweet paprika
  • 1 green chili – slit
  • salt as required
  • 1.5 cups water or as required
  • 250 to 300 grams Paneer – cut into cubes or squares (cottage cheese)
  • ¼ cup light cream or cooking cream of low-fat cream
  • ¾ teaspoon kasuri methi – crushed (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required

For Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon light cream or cooking cream
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons grated paneer – optional
  • 1 inch ginger – julienne
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Instructions
 

Making makhani paste

  • First mix chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cashews, mace, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms with 1 cup water in a medium saucepan.
  • Cook everything without a lid till the tomatoes and onions soften. Cook for about 14 to 15 minutes on a medium flame. Allow this mixture to cool.
  • When the ingredients are warm or cool, add everything including the stock (the water in which the ingredients were cooked) in a good blender or grinder. Grind to a smooth and fine paste.
  • Remember there should be no small pieces of cashews or spices. Everything should be ground very well till fine and smooth.

Making paneer makhanwala

  • Heat butter in the same pan or another pan. Make sure the pan is dry when you add the butter. Add tejpatta (Indian bay leaf) and sauté for a few seconds.
  • Add the ground makhani paste. Stir well to mix with the butter
  • Add kashmiri red chili powder which gives a good color and is less spicy. You can also use deghi mirch or sweet paprika
  • Stir well and saute the masala on a medium heat.
  • Keep stirring often. You have to sauté the masala till you see the butter leaving the sides. It has to sautéed really well. This takes time but patience is the key. 
  • Sauteing the masala paste takes about 20 to 22 mins on a medium to medium-high heat. Check the step by step photos (picture number 9) for the consistency of how the masala paste should be before you proceed to the next step.
  • Add slit green chilies, salt and water. Again stir very well to make an even curry mixture. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Then add sugar and again stir. If you want to add honey instead of sugar then kindly check the notes section below.
  • Add the paneer cubes. Mix gently and switch off the heat.
  • Lastly add the light cream, crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and garam masala powder.
  • Mix very well and switch off the heat. Check the taste of gravy and add more salt or sugar as needed.
  • Serve paneer makhanwala garnished with cream, grated paneer, ginger julienne, and cilantro leaves, hot or warm with naan or roti.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Paneer Makhanwala
Amount Per Serving
Calories 338 Calories from Fat 252
% Daily Value*
Fat 28g43%
Saturated Fat 16g100%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 71mg24%
Sodium 334mg15%
Potassium 259mg7%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 917IU18%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 11mg13%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin K 8µg8%
Calcium 361mg36%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 17µg4%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 31mg8%
Phosphorus 68mg7%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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142 Comments

  1. Paneer makhanwala turned out great and just perfect! Made two times already!5 stars

  2. ????????????????????I try this recipe…..very yummy taste….thank you so much….my son like d dish.????????????

  3. This turned out to be really restaurant style! Both my husband and brother in law loved it! Thanks.5 stars

  4. Thanks for the recipes. I have been cooking Palak Paneer and Paneer Makhanwala from several years and it tastes mouth watering.
    Steps are so easy to follow.
    Thank you and keep posting awesome recipes.5 stars

  5. It’s amazing.
    I was just wondering how didn’t I found ur site before.
    But now m checking it daily,and finding a lot more of simple dishes.
    Thanks Amit for the wonderful website u hve made for decilious recipes.
    It’s awesome ????.
    Now I have subscribed to Ur channel at you tube too.
    M a usual user of Ur site now.
    Again thanks a lot for sharing delicious recipes.
    Now m making new receipes in my free time.5 stars

    1. Welcome Nikitayadav. Glad to know that you are liking the website and the recipes. Thanks for your positive feedback and appreciation.

  6. I tried it at home, and it was so delicious. You make feel cooking so easy. You are definitely my favourite Mr. Dassana Amit.. Lots of love and appreciation5 stars

  7. Could you tell me how much paneer ,tomatoes and onions I would need to make this for 25 people? I know you rely on andaaz,but I feel I could attempt so only for the masala part.Please help..I am a great fan of yours.As I am not much of a cook, I blindly follow your recipes..5 stars

    1. indu, i will try to increase the proportions of onions, tomatoes proportionately. for spices, oil, ghee and water andaaz is required. but with paneer, onions and tomatoes, you can easily increase them proportionately. so i would use 4 cups onions, 7.5 cups tomatoes and 1 to 1.25 kilo paneer.

      thanks for the kind words 🙂

  8. Hi,
    Tried this receipt, it’s ws awesome.
    My daughter just loved it.
    Thanks for sharing5 stars

    1. thanks madhavi for sharing this feedback. glad to know that your daughter liked the recipe.

  9. Hi dassana
    I have one doubt can I fry panner and keep that in curd or water before putting it in to the gravy
    And if I put panner directly will it become hard4 stars

  10. Hello Dassana.. I love your recipes and follow it to the tee. Always with awesome results. Thank you very much. I owe you big time. For this recipe of Paneer, why do you add honey? Would it make a difference in taste if we use sugars?

    1. honey is added just to give a slight faint sweet taste to the paneer makhanwala gravy and also to balance the tanginess of the tomatoes. both honey and sugar taste different. the difference is felt but its very subtle. if using honey, i would suggest to add it when the gravy becomes warm.

  11. Hiiii dear….
    I tried this recipe 3 days back and it turned out very tasty, delicious is the perfect word.
    Thanks a lot… thanks a lot for the simple method & tasty dish???? ????? lots of love?

  12. I have tried every single paneer recipies of yours and they have come out really amazing. I always recommend VRoI to everyone. I wish there is an option to upload pics along with comments.5 stars

    1. thanks a lot varun. currently there is no option. we did look into this, but the plugin that has this feature makes the page loads slowly.

  13. Thanks a ton for this super simple recipe! And of course the awesome pictorial representation! I loveeee it! 😀

  14. hi dassana,
    I tried this recipie 2 times in 15 days time..It came out very well,
    infact the guest who had come over enjoyed it too much..
    Thanks a ton to you for this , you are my cooking Guru.
    i admire you .
    Dassana can you suggest some recipied for 14 months old baby,
    who is very fussy eater and more importantly doesnt like
    eating veggies, which I m keen to include in diet on daily basis5 stars

    1. thanks a lot sonia for this feedback. your comment had gone in spam and hence the late reply. try giving mashed or cooked semi sweet veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroot. you can even cook these veggies with moong dal and then make a mixed veg khichdi. you can also make rotis/parathas with grated veggies or mashed veggies. even something as basic as a dal can have mixed vegetables in it. first try with veggies that are on the sweeter side like carrots or beetroot or cabbage. then you can introduce veggies which are not sweet but still good to taste like cauliflower, beans, potatoes etc.

  15. I tried this recipe for last week, didnt add ginger n mace but added almond n cashew mix, came out amazing. Everyone loved it.So i want to make it for potluck for 50 people.pls tell me how make.5 stars

    1. thanks for the feedback sari. i cannot help you in increasing the quantities as curry or gravy recipes need to be made by andaaz or by eye balling the ingredients.

      1. Thanks Dassana for the quick response, i will only make it for 25 people, rest a friend will make. Do you think tripling the recipe will be enough.Sorry to bug you again.
        Thanks a lot.

        1. welcome sari. i would just suggest doubling it. but i am taking the risk here also by suggesting this to you. because i have made gravy recipes in bulk and i know that doubling or tripling the recipe does not work always. you need to use approximation/andaaz. check the taste and add some ingredients as required.

  16. Hi!!!! I tried this recipe yesterday….. Wow!!! Amazing taste….. All my family members luvd it!!!! Thnk yu sooooooo much fr sharing d recipe5 stars

  17. Hi Dassana….
    Thanks for sharing this restaurant style recipie….Steps with pictures helped me in every manner.This recipie turned out to be fantastic.Now my husband does not want to go out for dinner. I got appreciation but for me you are my star.Thanks a lot once again.Keep sharing such recipies.5 stars

    1. welcome bhavna. thanks for sharing this sweet feedback. glad to read your positive words.

  18. I tried your receipe. It turned out so well.amazing. Quite impressed with the step by step procedure of the receipe which is very helpful indeed while making it.great site. thanks dassana

    1. thanks rajeshwari for sharing your positive review on recipe and for your encouraging feedback.

  19. Hi Dassana,

    I look to your recipes everytime I need to make something and they are always fantastic, this recipe however was mind blowing!

    Thank you!5 stars

  20. Hi,
    I tried your receipe it turned out very well.very impressed by the method of showing step by step pics of the receipe along with the context.will surely try out other receipes too.5 stars

  21. Hi dassana!!
    Just made this yesterday for some guests we had over. It turned out perfect. Very creamy and delicately spiced. Everyone loved it.. All credit goes to you :-*
    Just one small change, it isn’t restaurant -style.. It’s much much better 😀
    I love your blog and have tried so many other recipes – gobi manchurian, schezwan fried rice, methi muthiya, methi theplas, methi matar malai, mawa cake, steamed bread pudding and fruit custard too… They all turned out fantastic.. Thanks a lot for your precise and beautifully illustrated recipes.
    You’re my food superstar 🙂
    Lots of love and thanks for being so inspiring.5 stars

    1. thanks a lot natasha. i agree home cooked restaurant style food is much much better than the actual restaurant food:-) and thanks for the title of food superstar 🙂 i get inspired with all the positive comments i get everyday. thanks once again.

  22. I tried out your recepie and it came so super. Thanks for this wonderful site.5 stars

  23. Hi Dassana,

    The recipe says to add 1 inch piece of cinnamon. So, do you blend this also in Step 3? I’ve done this before and ended up with chunks of cinnamon stuck in everything 🙂

    1. adam, you need to grind it very well. some blenders don’t do this job well. indian masala grinders work very well. otherwise you can add cinnamon powder (1/8 to 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder).

  24. Hi
    Thanks for all the recipes. I have only one word…. fantastic
    Just wanted to ask that in this paneer makhanwala recipe it took me really a lot of time to bhunao masala till oil separates. Kinda an hour. . I was doing on non stick pan on induction cooktop.
    Is there any faster method??
    Thanks again
    Dr Swati5 stars

    1. hi swati, it should not take an hour. it just takes about 18 to 20 minutes. must be due to the induction cooktop. there is no faster method but another alternative. in this you saute the onions, spices, tomatoes etc in oil. then grind with some water to a smooth paste. don’t grind the tej patta. then heat oil again and then add this ground paste. but remember when sauteing don’t brown the onions too much. they curry will have bitter notes. a light brown or translucency is fine in the onions. and thanks for the feedback on the recipe.

  25. Dear Dassana,

    I made this dish ‘Paneer Makhanwala’ today following your recipe and it turned out to be great. I must say that I love your website and your recipes have started giving me confidence that I can cook as well. Thanks for making it look so simple!

  26. I made this and your punjabi chhole recipe for a date with my boyfriend and it came out amazing!! Both of us loved it!

    I have to say trying your recipes really brought out the confidence in me that I can cook well. Now the chhole recipe has become a staple and I cook it at least once a week. However, I make this super simple paneer recipe when I want to impress someone 😉5 stars

    1. thanks ash for this positive feedback on recipes. glad to know that the blog is helping you in cooking.

  27. hi friend….
    I tried this recipe & veg handi just. it was superb. i loves cooking from my collage days. i m trying many recipies from d net. this may i m marrying. so ur recipies helps me a lot to try new recipies. i wil try peda & coconut burfi with condensed milk soon..
    thnk u so much for ur recipies.

  28. Hi Dassana, just tried this receipe but with a small twist. Instead of paneer I added mix veggies and it has turned out yumm. Thank you so much for all your efforts. Gos bless u!!!5 stars

    1. thanks for the feedback verena. veggies are a great substitute. i was anyways going to add veg makhanwala recipe soon 🙂

  29. Wonderful recipes dassana…me &my hubby enjoining with ur recipes…I request u for
    Sum more chiwda or snacks recipes…plz..&kip it up..dear

    1. thank you. there are three chiwda recipes posted on the blog. you can also find many starters and snack recipes already shared on the blog.

  30. Went to a great indian restaraunt and was inspired to start exploring more about Indian cooking. Luckily I found your incredible generous outstanding receipes. What a gift to explain a very complicated sophiticated cusines to anyone who is lucky enough to find your site. I cannot stop exploring a new taste everyday, and new combinations. Youhave truly inspired me. I am so excited.. A gift in my mouth…. chef Susan Plunkett

    1. thanks chef susan for the kind words. i hope you try cooking indian recipes. indian cuisine is not a complicated cuisine. but the flavors are complex and too good 🙂

  31. Thanks for such nice recipe…. I hv prepared it and everyone in my family loved it.4 stars

  32. Looks really delicious and very well presented.. I am going try it today… Will share it my blog too mentioning the source and providing a link to your website.

  33. I was searching for the paneer recipe n pulao recipe . Thank u so much really all the recipes u explained in detail.once again thank u so much4 stars

  34. Hi Dasanna,
    I came across your blog recently & have become a fan of ur recipes since then : ) Your recipes are explained so well with detailed pictures and the best part is you give lot of useful tips that really helps beginners like me. I tried ur papdi chat, paneer makhanwala, bhindi do pyaza, eggless banana cake, paneer tikka & vegetable pasta in white sauce. My family appreciated my preparations & parents are very proud of me. I was telling them that all credits go to Dasanna : ) With paneer tikka, I missed reading hung yogurt in the recipe& added regular yogurt & also frozen paneer was used. Although it tasted good, but I hope to get it perfect the next time. I have always searched for a blog where I could look for all kind of recipes & being a vegetarian ur blog just seems perfect. I feel I have a developed a genuine interest in cooking & I must really thank you for that. Best regards,5 stars

    1. your comment is truly motivating ans inspiring, pallavi. thanks for the feedback on all the recipes you made so far. also thanks for sharing your experiences. even though the recipes have helped you, the credit goes to you. as you have prepared & cooked the dish 🙂 for paneer tikka, if you use thick yogurt, then also it works fine. better to use fresh paneer or paneer which has been refrigerated and not frozen. we always learn from our experiences 🙂

      1. It is my pleasure Dassana 😉 thanks for the detailed reply & ur encouraging words . just a small correction , my name is Pavi

        1. No worries : ) I tried your palak paneer recipe . Instead of paneer, i used tofu. I must say it was superb. This is the best palak paneer that I have ever tasted. The detailed step by step pics really helped. I was not able to comment there, hence thought I will write here. Thanks Dassana!

        2. thanks pavi. even i make the same recipe with tofu at times. works well with both tofu as well as paneer. we have disabled comments on old posts due to lack of time.

  35. Hi Dassana, I enjoyed making paneer makhanwala according to your recipe and folks at home enjoyed having it for dinner. Thank you.5 stars

  36. I have tried several recipes from your site. I must say, you are a real genius! Your simple outline of a usually complicated recipe, the numerous tips and the step-by-step detailing are fantastic…so much so that I, who rarely leave a comment in any of the sites I visit, have been prompted to do so here! Keep up the good work! May we see a cookbook from you in the near future.. God bless!
    Just an additional opinion : blanching the paneer in hot water (and not frying them) renders them very soft and makes this dish just like in the restaurant.

    1. thanks sandra for your motivating & encouraging comment. i am planning to have an ebook. hope the book comes out soon. i know about blanching the paneer in hot water. mostly i use fresh just made paneer, so don’t i blanch it. but i will add this point for the reference of readers. thanks sandra once again.

  37. Thanx Dassana,I have tried many receipes of yrs and they arevvery easy to make and with the ingredients which are already present in our kitchen.I hope u will further always think of the normal housewifes and make sure that the hardest receipe also becomes simple.Thanx once again for the wonderful receipes.5 stars

    1. thanks jaya. i always keep this fact in mind while preparing recipes. but to be honest, not all recipes are simple and easy. but i do experiment with various methods and techniques and post the recipes which everybody can make.

  38. Hi

    I have tried this and it came out excellent. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. It tasted exactly like that of a restaurant. With this recipe a South Indian like me could make this north indian food very confidently. My husband (an IHM passout ) liked the taste and was asking about the preparation. Thank you once more. going to try more recipes of yours5 stars

    1. welcome sini. glad to know that the blog is helping you in making north indian recipes. keep visiting and yes do try some more recipes. also, feel free to ask any query on recipes.

  39. Hey Dassana. Thank you so much, this is the second paneer recipe i’ve tried and result was YUM!!!

    Thanks again!!

  40. Hi amit
    please upload paneer butter masala dabha style…
    Can I get ur videos for all recipes or any booklet.
    Thank you

    1. welcome ajay. i will try to add dhaba style paneer butter masala. there are no recipe videos or book as of now.

  41. Hi,
    I just cooked paneer makhani, however daal cheeni is in excess. nw there is no taste. wht to do nw, as it is almost cookd. plz rply asap
    thanks
    neha

  42. Tried it today. Awesome awesome . Exactly restaurant style.
    Thnx a ton for posting fantastic recipes in such easy way…

  43. Hi Dassana 🙂 love your recipes for their simplicity. I just drop in from office and cook something new from your recipes. Tried Paneer Makhanwala with jeera rice today, the guests thought it was my recipe :D. Keep posting more.5 stars

  44. Dear Dassana, Tried your wonderful recipe and it came out fantastic. Everybody at home loved it. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Just wanted to know if it is ok to add honey to a boiling gravy as I read somewhere that as per Ayurveda heating or adding honey to something hot makes it toxic?4 stars

    1. thanks radhika. according to ayurveda, honey should not be added to hot drinks or anything hot or heated above 40 degrees C/104 degrees F. the honey become toxic. so as per ayurveda, honey cannot be added in this recipe. but then honey cannot be added even to the hot teas or milk. in spite of knowing this, i do add honey to my herbal teas at times 🙂 even adding honey in baking recipes like bread, cookies and cakes is not recommended as per ayurveda. but we do have have such baking recipes. for this paneer makhanwala recipe, you can let the gravy cool down a bit and then add honey. apart from honey, you can also add sugar. i will mention this aspect in the notes section too.

      1. Thanks Dassana for the detailed explanation. Your site is my ready reckoner for all kinds of cooking ! 🙂

  45. Hi
    I am a south Indian and never tried paneer recipe before.But ur recipes are working out for me.today I tried this one and it was tasty.thanks for providing such clear method of making recipes that if any one cooking for the first time can make it delicious.5 stars

  46. Hi, Dassana,

    The recipe itself and the texture of the dish you made looks amazing.I was just curious and was wondering about where did you get the fresh bay leaf from ? I really don’t know if I can get fresh bay leaf in Canada or not but I would be very much thankful to you if you let me know.
    Again I must say you are doing wonderful job by posting such a tempting recipes.I have tried couple of them and they have turned out very nice.

    1. thanks kanak. the fresh bay leaves are from my mom’s terrace garden 🙂 i also have a plant, but the leaves are still small.

  47. Hi this was d first recipe i tried from your posts n i just cant tell u how well it turned out…..simply amazing… Perfect restaurant taste… Thanks5 stars

  48. It really taste like a restaurant style.Everyone liked very much.Thank u friend.5 stars

  49. Looks amazing! Paneer at its best. And as someone who is particular about how food images should look, I love your photography as well!4 stars

  50. Love the makhanwala recipe, I have an eye on this serving bowl…looks very unique 🙂

  51. Hi dassana

    I wanted to comment on the paneer butter masala but couldn’t see comment box there.

    I have tried both these recipes but for some reason my recipes involving tomatoe puree are not turning out good.For butter masala you told to cook the tomatoes for 12 mins. I cooked for over 20 mins in a non stick cookware but still the taste of gravy was like tomatoes. Do you know what wrong I m doing here.

    Shruti

    1. hi shruti, the comment box on most recipes have been removed for technical reasons. we will add them soon. i think its the quality of tomatoes. the tomatoes should have some sweetness in them. they should not be tart or sour. the sourness should be a pleasant one without giving an acidic feeling in the mouth. i make so many gravy dishes with tomatoes, but had a problem only once. i knew the tomatoes were sour but still added them to the gravy and i got a really sour gravy. there will be a slight taste of tomatoes, a slight tang is there, but these gravies don’t taste like a tomato rasam. there is also a slight sweetness coming from the cream and also creaminess from the cashews. i would suggest you to add ripe red tomatoes which are not too sour or tart. tomato puree will cook faster, so there is no need to cook for a long time. also add some honey instead of sugar. the honey neutralizes the acidity and brings a balance in the dish.

  52. hey dassana m a guy but love to cook good food.but you know what your food recipes are great and awesome..just tried 5 of them randomly and all turned out to be yummy.god bless…keep posting such good recipes…please post double ka meetha if possible….

    1. thanks saurabh. double ka meetha and shahi tukra is similar. i will be posting one of them soon.

  53. It tasted really good….. Ur recipes r making my family members happy…!! 🙂5 stars

  54. Hi,
    You post delicious recipes. But whenever i prepare paneer dishes it becomes tangy. Is there anything we have to add extra while preparing tomato puree.
    thank you.

    1. welcome archana. you can balance the tang by the addition of honey. honey also reduces the acidity of the tomatoes. you can also use sugar instead of honey. also add cream because that also balances the tang. another option is cashew paste.

  55. Hi,
    Thanks for this recipe. I was searching this recipe. In many hotels Menu it is a famous dish. I was interesting in this receipe, but i was not aware of how to make it. I will try now. Thanks a lot. One thing to ask – what is the meaning of 2 single strands of Mace? you have mentioned in ingredients list?? Please reply.

    1. welcome archana. just remove two strands/strings from the mace flower petal. mace is a strong spice and if you add two much then it will ruin the dish. do share your feedback.

      1. hi amit,
        just wondering if there is any substitution for mace strands?
        can i use nutmeg powder instead?
        thanks

        1. yes, you can add nutmeg powder. one to two pinch of nutmeg powder is enough. add nutmeg powder at the last.

        2. My mouth was watering reading your recipes– I love food and cooking—thank you for your detailed description of the recipes and your effort of pictorial representation—- one thing I need to bring to your notice -/ honey should not be heated or cooked– hope you don’t take offence

        3. thanks abhaya. no offence at all. i know about this aspect of honey. when i made this recipe, i did not know. but after reading some ayurveda books, i came to know that honey should not be heated. thats why i have mentioned in the notes sections of the recipe details about adding honey.