Paneer Masala
Ingredients
- 100g paneer, cut into small cubes
- 10g butter (or 1 tsp oil)
- 1 small sachet ginger-garlic paste (about 1 tsp)
- ½ cup water
- ½ pack (50g) ready-made tomato puree
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsp milk or fresh cream
- Pinch of sugar
- ½ tsp garam masala
Steps
- 1
Add butter and ginger-garlic paste
Put 10g of butter (or 1 tsp oil) and 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste into the kettle.
- 2
Add water, tomato puree, and spices
Pour in half a cup of water, half a pack of tomato puree, salt to taste, pepper powder, and chili flakes. Stir briefly.
- 3
Boil until the raw smell goes
Turn on the kettle and bring the mixture to a boil. The kettle will auto-shutoff once it reaches boiling. Switch it back on once more if needed — you want the raw ginger-garlic smell to disappear completely, which takes about 1–2 boil cycles.
- 4
Add paneer and cream
Once the sauce smells cooked and fragrant, add the paneer cubes and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream. This adds richness and prevents the sauce from being too sharp.
- 5
Season and finish
Add a pinch of sugar (balances the tomato acidity) and half a teaspoon of garam masala. Let it sit in the hot kettle for 1–2 minutes with the lid closed so the paneer heats through and the flavours meld.
- 6
Serve
Pour into a bowl and serve hot with bread, roti, or rice. The sauce thickens slightly as it cools.
Tips for Best Results
💡 Use small paneer cubes
Cut paneer into small (2cm) cubes. Smaller pieces absorb the sauce better and heat through faster in the residual heat of the kettle.
💡 Cream makes a big difference
Even 2 tablespoons of cream or full-fat milk transforms the sauce from sharp-tomatoey to restaurant-smooth. Do not skip it if you have it.
💡 Control heat with chili flakes
Start with ¼ tsp if you are unsure — you can always add more, but you cannot take it out once it is in.
💡 Do not boil after adding cream
Once you add the cream, just let the residual heat warm it through. Boiling cream in a kettle can cause it to split and foam.
About this recipe ↓About this recipe ↑
Can You Really Make Paneer Masala in a Kettle?
The short answer is yes — and it is faster than you expect. The electric kettle reaches boiling point quickly, which is enough to cook a tomato-based sauce and heat paneer through without a flame in sight.
The trick is using a pre-made tomato puree sachet and ginger-garlic paste so you skip the chopping and long cooking stage. A small addition of cream or milk at the end rounds off the sauce and adds the richness you expect from restaurant-style paneer masala.
This recipe was demonstrated by MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria specifically for gas-shortage situations — it is designed to be practical, quick, and genuinely tasty.
Why the Kettle Works Here
Paneer does not need to be fried or browned in this recipe — it just needs to be warmed through in the sauce. The kettle boils water rapidly, and that high heat is more than enough to cook the ginger-garlic paste until the raw smell disappears, cook the tomato puree, and heat the paneer.
The result is closer to a restaurant "makhani" style than a stir-fried bhurji — smooth, saucy, and coating the paneer cubes evenly. If you want texture on the paneer itself, you can quickly press each cube against the inside of the kettle wall while the sauce is still hot.
Recipe by MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria
More details ↓More details ↑
More Electric Kettle Recipes
The kettle is more capable than most people realise. From morning chai to an evening meal of veg pulav or paneer masala, it can handle a surprising range of Indian cooking.
Explore more no-gas electric kettle recipes below.
