Shahi Paneer
Shahi Paneer is one most flavorful delicious paneer dishes from India. It’s prepared with paneer in an aromatic creamy onion/tomato sauce. Best enjoyed with jeera rice or naan, parathas.
It is believed that the dish originated in Mughlai cuisine. Of course, it changed its flavors through out time. The word Shahi means luxurious and it’s because of cashews and cream used in the recipe. It’s not a dish we make as everyday cooking, it’s more of a celebratory meal or occasionally we make this dish.
Recently I made this paneer dish for Diwali and decided to write down the measurements so that I can share the recipe.
Let me walk you down the ingredient list
Paneer – It is the main ingredient of the dish. It’s easily something you can buy form the store or make it yourself at home.
Oil/butter – Use neutral flavored oil or butter for extra richness. If you want to keep it vegan, then of course use oil.
Cashew nuts – They add healthy, rich, nutty flavor to the dish. You can swap cashews for almonds or white melon seeds too. I would not use peanuts or any other nuts.
Whole spices – like fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, bay leaf; These get blended in the sauce.
Cardamom powder: I love to add cardamom powder at the end as it retains its flavor and aroma. Sometimes, I will add it just before serving.
The gravy or sauce is made up with all the aromatics and onion tomatoes. It’s the base sauce recipe for most of the north Indian style subjis.
Heavy Cream – I usually do not add heavy cream in dishes, but this one taste more indulgent with it. You can easily sub coconut milk to make it vegan or entirely skip it.
Storage
Leftovers store well for 3 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Notes
You can lightly saute paneer before adding in.
Lot of recipes call for saffron, but I did not use any, just a little at the time of serving.
Cardamom powder at the very end of cooking enhances the taste so much.
You can veganize this by not using the heavy cream.
Don’t overcook paneer after adding it in the sauce. It tends to become chewy.
Sub cashews for almonds or melon seeds.
Shahi Paneer
Ingredients
Base sauce
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion ¾ – 1 cup
- 1 green chili
- 1 inch ginger piece
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 cloves
- 1 pod green cardamom
- A small stick of cinnamon
- 5-6 cashew nuts
- 1 can tomato sauce/puree 8 oz
Shahi Paneer
- 7 oz Paneer cubed (200 grams)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder kashmiri chili powder give a nice red color and they are not hot
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- Salt
- 1 tsp sugar or honey
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi crushed
- 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
- ¼- 1/3 cups heavy cream
- cilantro & saffron
Instructions
- Soak cashew nuts in warm water for few minutes. Keep it aside.
- On medium heat in pan, take some oil or butter and once its hot add cumin seeds, onions, garlic, ginger and green chili. Saute it until onions turns translucent.
- Add other whole spices too along with fennel seeds, and then add cashew nuts and tomato sauce. Let it cook for few seconds and then let it cool down.
- Blend this mixture once it cools down with 1/4 -1/3 cup water. You can add more water if required. Strain the mixture after blending so that sauce looks smooth and silky.
- Heat butter in a pan on medium heat. Once it’s hot, add prepared onion tomato sauce.
- Stirring occasionally cook it until it thickens up for 3-4 minutes.
- Add spices like red chili, turmeric, coriander powder and salt.
- Add garam masala close to it getting cooked along with crushed kasuri methi and add sugar or honey.
- Add paneer cubes. If you like you can sauté paneer very lightly before adding in.
- If you are using cream, then add it at this point along with cardamom powder. Mix and let it simmer for few seconds and turn off the flame.
- Garnish it with cilantro if you like and some saffron and it is ready to be served.
Notes
- You can lightly saute paneer before adding in.
- Lot of recipes call for saffron, but I did not use any, just a little at the time of serving.
- Cardamom powder at the very end of cooking enhances the taste so much.
- You can veganize this by not using the heavy cream.
- Don’t overcook paneer after adding it in the sauce. It tends to become chewy.
- Sub cashews for almonds or melon seeds.