Paneer butter masala is built on a gravy rather than a long list of ingredients. Tomatoes, onion, ginger, garlic and cashews are cooked and then blended smooth, finished with butter and cream and seasoned with garam masala and dried fenugreek leaf. Cubes of paneer — fresh, unaged Indian cottage cheese — go in near the end so they stay soft and take on the sauce without falling apart.
It tastes mild, slightly sweet from the tomato and unmistakably buttery, which is why it is so often the first North Indian curry people try. Paneer itself is firm but yielding, closer to halloumi than to a melting cheese. Serve it with naan, kulcha or rice to carry the gravy. On our Main Course list it sits next to dal makhani, and a lighter, sharper counterpoint at the table is pani puri from the chaat counter.
Order paneer butter masala for dine-in at Cafe Junoon, 110 Corner Meadows Manor NE in Cornerstone, for pickup, or for local delivery to nearby Northeast Calgary communities such as Skyview Ranch, Redstone, Cityscape, Saddle Ridge, Savanna, Martindale and Taradale. Because we are a 100% vegetarian kitchen, a curry order for a mixed group is straightforward — pair it with aloo parantha in the morning or Amritsari nutri kulcha later on. The full menu is online, and you can contact us about catering for house parties and office lunches.
