Shahi Paneer

Shahi paneer, as the name suggests is a royal curry with paneer cooked in a rich and creamy gravy with cashews, cream and tomato. Onions and tomatoes are cooked with whole spices in butter and ground to a smooth gravy, which is again cooked in butter with cream and cashew paste. Lastly paneer is simmered in this rich and thick gravy. Though most of the ingredients going into shahi paneer and paneer butter masala are similar, it does taste a wee different. Butter naan or jeera pulao would make an excellent combo with this shahi paneer. You can also serve with roti or any mildly spiced pulao. Let’s see how to make this royal North Indian dish.

Shahi Paneer

Paneer / Cottage Cheese cooked in a rich gravy with cashews, fresh cream and tomatoes

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Recipe

Servings 4

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• Paneer – 250 gms
• Onion – 1 large chopped
• Tomato – 2 large chopped
• Tomato paste – 2 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Bay leaf – 1 small
• Green cardamom – 3
• 1 clove
• Cinnamon – 1 small piece
• Black peppercorn – 4
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder – 3/4 tsp
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp
• Curd – 2 tbsp
• Cashewnuts – 6 to 7
• Hot milk – 2 tbsp
• Cream – 2 tbsp
• Garam masala – 1/4 tsp
• Kasuri methi – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp

Instructions

• Soak cashews in hot milk for 10 minutes. Grind to a smooth paste and set aside.
• Heat 1.5 tbsp oil and 2 tsp butter in a pan. Add bay leaf, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, peppercorn and fry for 30 seconds.
• Add onions, little salt and fry till the onions turn light brown. Then add ginger-garlic and fry till raw smell goes.
• Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder and fry till raw smell of masala goes.
• Then add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and salt. Mix and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Once it is cooled, grind the onion-tomato mixture with curd to a smooth paste.
• Heat pan and add rest of oil and butter. Add the ground paste, cashew paste and 1/2 cup water and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Then add cream, garam masala, kasuri methi and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add paneer and simmer in the gravy for 5-6 minutes.

Notes

• Make sure the gravy is smooth after grinding. You can strain the gravy after grinding to ensure its smooth.
• Add extra cream if you want a more richer gravy.
• You can substitute tomato paste with tomato puree.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian