Whether served spicy or creamy, paneer dishes are something you can never get bored of. Among thousands of interesting paneer dishes, two of the most commonly cooked or ordered are paneer makhani and paneer tikka masala.
Where one is a combination of mixed spices, the other one comes with a mouth-watering blend of tomatoes and creamy additives. Scroll down, and you’ll be amazed to know how these amazing Indian dishes differ from each other.
Let us begin this paneer makhani vs paneer tikka masala clash.
Similarities between paneer makhani and paneer tikka masala
Paneer Makhani
Just like Dal Makhani became one of the favorite dishes of Indian cuisine lovers, paneer makhani came into the competition and won many hearts as well.
In this wonderful traditional Indian meal, cubes of cottage cheese are cooked in a rich and creamy tomato-based gravy.
The term makhani, which basically means “buttery,” is derived from the word makhan, which translates to “homemade butter.” This meal is a vegetarian variation of Murgh Makhani, which is also known as “Butter Chicken” outside of India and is a popular Indian dish.
Paneer Makhani was invented by turning the original butter chicken recipe of Mr. Kundan Lal Gujran into a vegetarian substitute.
The majority of the ingredients in this creamy, tangy homestyle dish are tomatoes, cream, and spices. While this delicious recipe is extremely similar to Paneer Butter Masala and Paneer Makhanwala, the amount of spices in this dish is somewhat different.
One unique fact about paneer makhani vs paneer tikka masala is that, unlike the latter, paneer makhani is prepared without onions. As a result, the dish is simple enough to prepare on the weekend and delicious enough to serve at a small party or get-together with friends.
Paneer Tikka Masala
In this restaurant-style Paneer Tikka Masala dish, the spicy tomato onion curry sauce and marinated grilled cottage cheese bring out the best in each other.
This is a type of Punjabi dish that everyone in your family will love. The time and effort required to make this meal are definitely worth it!
In Indian cuisine, the term “tikka” refers to chunks of meat or vegetables that have been marinated in spices. “Masala” is a term used to describe spice mixtures that are either paste or powder form.
The basic similarities between the two dishes are as follows:
- Both recipes are composed mostly of tomatoes, with just 30 percent of the components coming from other sources.
- Paneer is used in each of these recipes, which makes them a healthy source of protein.
- Both meals are made out of dairy products such as cream, curd, and cottage cheese.
- Both paneer makhani and paneer tikka masala are best served with chapati, paratha or naan. However, if you wish to have a gluten-free meal, you can alternatively serve these dishes with steaming jeera rice or basmati rice.
What is the difference between paneer makhani and paneer tikka masala?
Despite the fact that both meals are substantially similar, there are a number of variables that distinguish paneer makhani vs paneer tikka masala from one another.
- Onion is not utilized in paneer makhani but it is used in paneer tikka in the sauce and is also grilled along with paneer cubes that have been marinated in the spices.
- Paneer makhani is made up of a number of different components, one of which is butter. When it comes to the shiny texture of the gravy, this is the primary component responsible for this effect. Butter is not used in the preparation of Paneer Tikka masala. Instead, cashew nuts are added to give it a shimmering appearance.
Paneer makhani vs paneer tikka masala recipe
How to cook paneer makhani
Paneer makhani is one of the easiest paneer dishes you can cook at home.
All you need to do is take a pan and add 3-4 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste and saute it well.
Now it’s time to add the tomato puree (made of blended tomato and cashew nuts) in it and cook it for 3-4 minutes. Then add salt, chili powder, and turmeric powder to the mixture and give it a good stir. At last, add 1.5 tablespoons of garam masala and mix it.
You can add water to it to set the consistency of the dish according to your preference.
Immediately cover the pan and simmer over medium heat until the gravy thickens. You can now see that the butter is beginning to float on top of the gravy a little. Because there is just a little amount of butter used, you will only notice minor traces of butter. Now add paneer cubes to the gravy.
Finally, garnish the dish with some kasuri methi and stir gently. Your paneer makhani is ready to serve!
Tips for cooking Paneer Makhani
- In order to save preparation time, instead of using homemade tomato puree, you can also use the readymade one that is readily available in the market.
- Cashew nuts are also used in the preparation of paneer makhani. However, if you or someone in your house is allergic to nuts, you can use cream instead.
- The vegan version of paneer makhani can also be made by using firm tofu instead of paneer.
- If you are not able to manage any kind of cream for your dish, you can make use of curd or ½ – 1 tablespoon milk powder to achieve the creaminess. However, it is important for you to know that adding milk powder could make the dish taste sweet.
Along with creamy tomato gravy and pan fried cottage cheese cubes, this dish also consists of some chopped vegetables like capsium and onion. To achieve the best taste, garnish your bowl of paneer tikka masala with some coriander leaves, and you’ll be ready to go.
How to cook paneer tikka masala
The recipe for paneer tikka masala involves 2 different parts, and they are as follows:
- Paneer Tikka
Take paneer cubes and marinate them in a mixture of basic spices, oil, and curd for around 2-3 minutes. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before grilling it on a medium temperature in a pan.
You can also grill marinated chopped capsicum and paneer, which can be purchased online.
- Gravy
To make the gravy, heat some oil in a pan and add the chopped onion, cumin seeds, salt, red pepper, coriander powder, turmeric, and curd. Cook until the onion is slightly brown. Allow it to simmer for a while, then add the diced tomatoes after it is done.
Cook for 5 minutes after adding some water to the pot. Blend the gravy in a blender until smooth, then transfer the gravy to a pan. After that, you can top it with paneer cubes, veggies and your dish is complete.
To finish it off, sprinkle some kasuri methi on top and serve.
Fun fact: Some more dishes similar to paneer makhani are dal makhani, paneer shahi and paneer masala. Find out more about paneer makhani vs dal makhani, paneer makhani vs paneer shahi and the comparison between paneer masala vs paneer tikka masala!
Tips for cooking Paneer Tikka Masala
- It is advised to use red and ripe tomatoes that are a bit sweet in taste instead of ones that are tangy or sour otherwise, your dish might taste extra salty.
- In order to marinate paneer cubes, use only fresh full thick yogurt. Using sour curd will prohibit the flavor of spices from blending with the paneer.
- Don’t cook the paneer cubes on the grill or in the pan for a very long time because this will cause the cubes to become dense and hard.
- Generally, the paneer tikka masala’s gravy has medium-thick consistency. However, you can make it according to your preference by adjusting the amount of water you add to it.
What makes paneer makhani and paneer tikka masala come under Punjabi cuisine?
Punjab is famous for its cuisine and music. Punjab is closely connected to agriculture and its cuisine mostly consists of staples that are cultivated in the state. Dairy products are also widely available in the area, which means that many popular Punjabi meals are cooked using milk or cream and thus paneer makhani and paneer tikka come under the Punjabi cuisine.
What causes the paneer to get rubbery?
Overcooking homemade or store bought paneer often results in a rubber-like texture. First and foremost, be certain that you are not overcooking it during the “grilling” process.
Secondly, you should only add paneer cubes once the gravy has been withdrawn from the heat. In order to keep your paneer soft, you need to allow it to warm up in the gravy for a few minutes instead of continuing to cook.
What is kasuri methi? Is there any substitute for it?
Kasuri Methi are fenugreek leaves that are sun-dried and used as a seasoning. Fennel and celery combine to create this earthy flavour that has a little bitter taste to it. If you don’t have access to kasuri methi, you may just leave it out of the gravy altogether.
Hope you liked this comparison of paneer tikka masala vs paneer makhani.
