Shahi Paneer Recipe (Rich & Creamy)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
331 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Shahi Paneer Recipe (Rich & Creamy)
Description
Shahi Paneer Recipe (Rich & Creamy) showcases paneer cooked in a velvety sauce made from a paste of sautéed onions, cashews, almonds, and melon seeds. Whole spices such as bay leaf, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, and shahi jeera are fried in ghee to release their aroma before adding the nutty onion paste. The base is further enhanced with yogurt, saffron threads, and mild spices, resulting in a lush texture and balanced flavor. This method avoids tomatoes by relying on curd for tang and creaminess.
The preparation involves slow sautéing of the onion-nut paste to develop depth, with careful addition of water to adjust gravy consistency. Paneer is added towards the end, allowing it to absorb the sauce flavors. The final dish is creamy with a fragrant and subtle sweet note from the saffron and cardamom.
Shahi Paneer makes a fitting centerpiece for festive dining and complements flatbreads like naan or paratha, as well as plain or flavored rice dishes. It offers a balance of richness and delicate spice, without overwhelming heat.
Adjust the cream and fat content to preference by using more cream or butter if desired. The gravy consistency can be tailored by varying water amounts. Ensure the yogurt and nuts are fresh to maintain the dish’s quality.
Ingredients
For cooking onions and nuts
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons cashews
- 1 tablespoon almonds
- 1 tablespoon melon seeds - without the skins (magaz)
- ½ teaspoon garlic - chopped, or 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic
- ½ teaspoon ginger chopped or 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 1.5 cups water
Other ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or oil or butter
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ cup curd (yogurt), 125 grams - whisked till smooth
- 1 to 1.5 cups water or add as needed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as required
- salt as required
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 15 to 20 trands saffron - crushed lightly
- 200 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or add as required - optional
- 1 teaspoon kewra water (screwpine water) or rose water - optional
whole spices
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 2 to 3 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
Instructions
Preparation
- Take the nuts and seeds in a bowl and rinse them a couple of times with water. Drain all the water and set aside.
- Cook onions, cashews, almonds, magaz or melon seeds, ginger and garlic in 1.5 cups water for 8 to 10 minutes until the onions soften.
- Strain some of the stock (water in which the onions, nuts etc were cooked) and set it aside. Let the onions cool at room temperature.
- Make a fine paste of the cooked onions, ginger, garlic along with the nuts and melon seeds, adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of the strained stock.
- Whisk fresh curd (yogurt) till smooth and set aside.
Sautéing onion paste
- Heat ghee in a frying pan on medium-low to medium heat.
- Fry all the whole spices (listed in the above ingredients) until they release their aroma in the ghee. Be very attentive here, as spices are delicate and can burn quickly if you aren’t paying attention.
- Add the ground onion paste and mix very well.
- On a low heat sauté stirring non-stop for 7 to 8 minutes or until the fat starts to leave the sides of the paste.
- Add red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, garam masala powder and coriander powder. Mix well.
Adding curd and simmering further
- Reduce heat to a low or turn off the heat.
- Add the whisked yogurt, water, sugar and salt as required.
- Mix very well and simmer gravy for 10 to 12 minutes until it thickens.
Making Shahi Paneer
- Add the cardamom powder and crushed saffron.
- Stir and add the cubed paneer and cream.
- Mix gently and turn off heat.
- Add the kewra water and stir. You can even add rose water.
- Garnish Shahi Paneer with some coriander leaves or mint leaves or a few saffron strands. Serve the Shahi Paneer with cumin rice or roti, naan or paratha.
Notes
- You can increase cream and use butter instead of ghee for a richer gravy.
- Substitute yogurt with tomato puree if preferred; add cream to balance acidity if tomatoes are used.
- Use vegan options like tofu and cashew yogurt with neutral oil; omit nuts if using cashew yogurt.
- Freshness of yogurt and nuts is important to prevent sourness or rancidity.
- Adjust water quantity to make the gravy thicker or thinner as desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 331 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 331kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 69mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 46mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 204mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 294IU | 6% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1µg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Vitamin D | 1µg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 3µg | |
| Calcium | 304mg | 30% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 12µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 40mg | 10% |
| Phosphorus | 93mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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