The article, paneer makhani vs butter paneer, focuses on the two most famous Indian dishes. Paneer is a classic coagulated dairy product from India that is crucial for the body’s nutritional needs to keep it in good shape. It is primarily used in a variety of culinary dishes.
Paneer is often known as Indian cottage cheese, a high-calcium, high-protein dairy product. It is an essential component of Indian cuisine, and Indians like using this versatile vegetable in their snacks, curries, and dessert recipes.
Among the other delicious paneer Indian recipes are Creamy Matar Paneer, Tandoori Paneer, Bhurji, Creamy Matar Paneer, Palak Paneer, Spicy Achari Paneer, Saag Paneer and Paneer Makhani vs Paneer Tikka Masala.
What is Paneer Makhani?
Paneer Makhani is a delicious Indian dish in which soft cottage cheese or paneer cubes are cooked in a thick tomato cashew gravy with butter and milk cream before being offered. A little sour, spicy, and moderately sweet characterizes the flavor of this creamy texture, luscious meal.
Eating Indian flatbreads such as roti, paratha, or naan paneer makhani is delicious, but it may also be presented with plain rice or jeera rice. Easily prepared at home, paneer makhani is a festive and memorable occasion dish that may be given on holidays and special events.
What is Butter Paneer?
Butter Paneer is one of the most popular paneer dishes. Very creamy and yet mild in spices. It can be served with Naan or Rice.
To make this paneer dish, you’ll need a lot of patience (By the way, is paneer pasteurized?). The flavor is also identical to that of the curry base offered in Indian restaurants.
The delicate paneer cubes are dipped in a gently sweet gravy of tomatoes and cashews. It’s made much more appealing with a dash of kasoori methi and freshly whipped cream.
Restaurant-style paneer butter and kadai paneer are the two most popular paneer dishes in Indian cooking, and it can frequently be seen on the menus of restaurants and dhabas around the country.
Paneer butter masala vs paneer makhani: Are they similar?
They are somewhat similar to one another. There is a common gravy component in each of them, made of butter or makkhan.
The base of the butter paneer gravy is made up of tomatoes simmered with spices and cashew nuts, which are then blended until smooth.
Meanwhile, paneer makhani is made with whole spices, onions, seasonings, and tomato puree as its foundation. No matter how many changes and similarities, it doesn’t matter as long as the meal is rich and completely finger-licking delicious.
What is the difference between paneer makhani and paneer butter masala?
Despite the fact that the fundamental ingredients for the paneer makhani recipe and the butter paneer recipe are almost the same, it is widely thought that ‘Paneer Makhani’ is essentially the preparation of the paneer in a basic makhani sauce that is relatively rich with cooking cream and cashews. In contrast, ‘Butter Paneer’ is produced in an overload of butter-filled hot tomato gravy.
Both recipes are made with cubed paneer cut from paneer block in a buttery tomato sauce; however, the spices used in each dish may differ somewhat from one another. A very little modification exists in the recipe since it is not precisely the same.
Paneer Makhani vs Butter Paneer: Calorie Content
Paneer Makhani
Paneer Makhani Recipe has 456 calories per serving. Carbohydrates provide for 69 calories, proteins for 63 calories, and the remaining calories (325 calories) come from fat.
Paneer makhani should only be taken in less quantity by those who are trying to lose weight as it is high in calories. At exceptional events and festivals, though, you might treat yourself to homemade paneer instead of purchasing it.
We may undoubtedly reduce the number of calories in the meal by regulating the number of nuts and butter used in the preparation. To lower the calorie count, milk cream may be substituted by preparing the gravy with fat-free milk, and low-fat handmade paneer can be used instead of a regular one.
You may also use watermelon seed paste for the cashew paste since the fat level of watermelon seeds is lower than that of cashew nuts, making it a healthier alternative.
Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer Butter Masala has 635 calories per serving. Carbohydrates contribute for 118 calories, proteins for 84 calories, and fat, which accounts for 433 calories, for the remaining calories. Paneer Butter Masala provides around 32% of the total daily calorie requirement of a 2,000-calorie adult diet in one meal.
It has been noted that butter paneer has more calories than other cheeses since it is served in butter-laden hot tomato sauce.
Paneer Makhani vs Butter Paneer: Ingredients
| Paneer Makhani (Serves 4) | Butter Paneer (Serves 4) |
| 250-300 grams paneer | 250-300 grams paneer |
| 5 tomatoes | 6 tomatoes roughly chopped |
| 1 tablespoon Oil | 1 tablespoon Oil |
| 2 bay leaves | 1 bay leaf |
| 2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste | |
| 3-4 tablespoon milk cream | |
| 2-3 cloves | 4-5 cloves |
| 3-4 tablespoon butter | 3-4 tablespoon butter |
| Salt | Salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon garam masala | 1/2 teaspoon garam masala |
| 6-7 cashew nuts | 2 tablespoons cashew nuts chopped |
| 1-2 teaspoon kasuri methi | 1 teaspoon Khus Khus white poppy seeds |
| 2-3 black peppercorn | 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns |
| 1” cinnamon stick | 1” cinnamon stick |
| 1 tablespoon sugar | |
| 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder | ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder cayenne pepper, 3 kashmiri red chillies |
| 2 onions | 1 onion roughly chopped |
| ½ teaspoon turmeric | |
| 6-7 almonds | |
| 1 ½ tablespoons ketchup | |
| 1 ½ teaspoon dried Kasuri Methi roasted and crushed | |
| 2 tablespoons fresh cream | |
| Cardamoms |
Paneer Makhani vs Butter Paneer: Method of Preparation
Paneer Makhani
Cut the paneer into small cubes.
- Fry them for 1-2 minutes until they start to turn somewhat brown, and then soak them in warm water until they are cooked.
- Prepare a smooth puree of garlic and tomato.
- Next, prepare the onion tomato paste. 1-1/2 tablespoons of butter should be heated in a skillet before adding the entire spices (cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom, bay leaf, and cloves).
- Allow the spices to cook for approximately a half minute in the butter. After that, add the thinly sliced onions and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add some fresh tomatoes, finely chopped, to this mixture.
- Cook the tomatoes and onions for around 2-3 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for a short period of time.
- Prepare the cashews and almonds by blanching them and then grinding them into a fine paste.
- Heat butter in a pan. Cook until the tomato puree has been reduced and thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the onion-tomato paste for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture begins to release oil from the pan.
- Now, add the red chili powder and sugar to the mixture. Stir thoroughly. Blend in the almond cashew paste until it is all incorporated with the gravy masala. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the milk cream with a whisker until it is well combined with the masala.
- Put a 1/2 cup of boiling water and season with salt to your liking. Add in the paneer cubes and cook the paneer makhani for 30 mins, covered, on a medium heat setting.
- Finally, add the crushed fenugreek leaves and garam masala. Remove the pan from the heat after giving it a toss.
It can be served with Laccha Parantha or Garlic Naan.
Butter Paneer
- Make a bouquet by wrapping minimal spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, pepper) in muslin or cheesecloth and tying it together.
- A spoonful of butter and a tablespoon of oil should be heated in a big pan or kadhai. Put in the ginger garlic paste, kashmiri red chilies, and cook for a minute or two. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes after adding the onions. Following that, add the cashews and poppy seeds.
- Add and cook the tomatoes. Then add the spice bouquet garni and half a cup water, stirring constantly. Cover the pan and heat for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are mushy.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and set it aside to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, remove the bouquet garni and combine it until it is a homogeneous paste. While continuing to mix, add another cup of water.
- To prepare the blended tomato onion paste, heat the remaining butter in the same skillet or kadhai, then add the paste made earlier. Put the chili powder, garam masala powder, turmeric, ketchup, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt in 1⁄2 cup of water. Bring the water to a boil.
- As soon as the delicious curry comes to a boil and simmers for 20 minutes, you’ll see oil floating on top and around the edges.
- In a separate pan, dry roast the kasuri methi until it is a fine powder, then grind it. Combine the kasuri methi and a tablespoon of curry powder in a small bowl. Toss in the paneer cubes. Continue to stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
Serve immediately with fresh cream or butter on top.
Paneer Makhani vs. Butter Paneer: Preservation Method
Butter paneer gravy may be frozen in parts in an airtight container that has been cleaned. However, keep in mind that you should not add cream in paneer butter before freezing it. It is possible to store this Indian curry in the freezer for up to 4 months. The same procedure may be used to preserve paneer makhani gravy as well.
