Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Shahi Paneer
A royal Mughlai paneer dish featuring soft cottage cheese in an incredibly rich, sweet, and creamy cashew and onion gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- paneer
- onions
- cashews
- almonds
- heavy cream
- yogurt
- ginger-garlic
- cardamom
- saffron
- white pepper powder
- sugar
Equipment
- Blender
- Heavy-bottomed pan
Instructions
- 1
Boil Base Ingredients
In a saucepan, boil roughly chopped onions, soaked cashews, blanched almonds, ginger, garlic, and whole green cardamoms in water for 15 minutes.
- 2
Blend to a Paste
Drain the water, remove the cardamom pods if desired, and blend the onion-nut mixture into a completely smooth, velvety white paste.
- 3
Prepare Saffron
Soak a generous pinch of high-quality saffron strands in a couple of tablespoons of warm milk to release its color and aroma.
- 4
Heat Ghee
Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a heavy-bottomed pan. Ghee is essential for the royal 'Shahi' flavor.
- 5
Sauté the Paste
Pour the white onion-nut paste into the ghee. Sauté continuously on low heat for 8-10 minutes so it doesn't brown but loses its raw smell.
- 6
Whisk Yogurt
Whisk thick yogurt until perfectly smooth. Lower the heat entirely and slowly stir the yogurt into the pan.
- 7
Cook the Gravy
Keep stirring until the gravy comes to a gentle simmer and the ghee begins to separate at the edges.
- 8
Seasoning
Add white pepper powder (to maintain the pale color), salt, and a teaspoon of sugar or honey for its signature sweetness.
- 9
Add Saffron Milk
Pour in the saffron-infused milk, which will give the gravy a beautiful pale yellow tint.
- 10
Add Paneer
Cut paneer into triangles (the traditional shape for Shahi Paneer). Gently fold them into the simmering gravy.
- 11
Finish with Cream
Turn off the heat. Stir in a generous amount of heavy cream and a few drops of kewra water (screwpine essence).
- 12
Serve
Garnish with slivered almonds and a saffron strand. Serve hot with Naan, Roomali Roti, or Jeera Rice.
Cooking Tips
- Authentic Shahi Paneer uses absolutely no tomatoes, no turmeric, and no red chili powder. Its richness comes purely from nuts and dairy.
- Always use white pepper powder instead of black to maintain the pristine color of the gravy.
Variations
- Mughlai Shahi Paneer: Adds a little grated khoya (milk solids) into the gravy for even more richness.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A staple at Indian weddings and banquets, known for its sweet, mild, and highly aromatic profile.
Nutrition Estimate
480 calories · 15g protein · 20g carbs · 38g fat · 2g fiber per serving
