Restaurant Paneer Tikka Masala

This is an fail proof restaurant paneer tikka masala recipe shared by restauranter and very good friend of mine. He was generous enough to share his restaurant secret recipe with me. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out excellent.

Paneer Tikka Masala

Ingredients

Paneer- 250 gms

Onion- 4 nos

Tomato- 5 nos

Thick curd- 1 cup

Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Kasoori methi- 2 tsp 

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Red chilli powder- 3 tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder- 2 tsp

Coriander powder- 2 tsp

Cumin powder- 2 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Kuskus/ poppy seeds- 2 tsp

Cashew nuts- 10 nos

Sugar- 1 tsp

Cardamom- 3 nos

Cloves- 3 nos

Cinnamon- 1" stick

Coriander leaves- few

Oil required

Salt to taste

Paneer Tikka Masala Restaurant Style

Method

In a large bowl whisk curd along with salt, ginger and garlic paste, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder and 1 tsp oil. Add paneer cubes to this and marinade for 2 hours. 
Grind onions to fine paste. 
Blanch tomatoes in hot water for 10 mins, remove and discard its skin and grind to puree. Lightly roast the kuskus and grind along with cashew nuts to smooth paste. 
Add marinated paneer pieces along with its marination to a pan and fry until curd marination reduces in quantity. 
In another pan heat about 1/4 cup oil, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fry for few secs. Now add ground onion and sugar, fry until onion paste is lightly browned and oil separates on sides of pan. 
In a small bowl mix 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder with little water. 
Add this mixture to the onion paste and add crushed kasoori methi, fry for few mins. Now add ground tomato paste, cook for another few mins and add salt, stir well the gravy. 
Add ground cashew- kuskus paste to the gravy and cook until oil separates from gravy. 
Now add the curd marination dried paneer pieces to gravy, mix well and cook for few more mins. 
Finally garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot restaurant paneer tikka masala with nan, poori or jeera rice.

Paneer Tikka Gravy