What is Shahi Paneer?

Shahi Paneer can literally be translated to “royal paneer.” My recipe is that of a rich, creamy curry made with a base of nuts, onions, yogurt and spices. Paneer is a fresh cheese that is popular in Indian cuisine. It is made by curdling milk with a food acid (often lemon juice), then pressed into cubes. The most notable thing about paneer cheese is that it does not melt, providing a texture similar to tofu. There are some variations to make the recipe. Some Shahi Paneer recipes use tomatoes and butter. I have opted not to use these ingredients, instead using yogurt to lighten up the dish considerably.  The Shahi gravy is full of fragrant flavors including onion, ginger, garlic, red chilli powder, saffron and cardamom. Balanced out with thick, creamy yogurt, this lightened up version of Shahi Paneer is perfect for special occasions. If you are looking for a warming, comforting vegetarian dish to serve for supper, look no further. Shahi Paneer is one of my very favorite dishes and is sure to become one of yours, too. Now, more than ever, comfort foods are in order. This Shahi Paneer is sure to fill your bellies and warm your souls.

How to make Shahi Paneer

While the list of ingredients for Shahi Paneer recipe is quite long, you don’t need to be intimidated. The process for making this dish isn’t particularly technical or difficult.

Preparation

  1. Take the nuts and seeds – 2 tablespoons chopped cashews, 1 tablespoon almonds, 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz) in a bowl and rinse them a couple of times with water. Drain all the water and set aside.
  2. Simmer the below listed ingredients in 1.5 cup water for for 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

½ cup chopped onions 2 tablespoons chopped cashews 1 tablespoon almonds 1 tablespoon melon seeds (magaz) ½ teaspoon chopped ginger ½ teaspoon chopped garlic

  1. Continue to cook until the onions become soft, then strain the stock and set aside for later use.
  2. When cooled, place the softened onions, nuts, seeds, ginger, garlic in a blender or grinder-mixer jar. You can peel the almonds if you prefer.
  3. Make a fine paste of the cooked onion mixture, adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of the strained water or as needed.
  4. Beat ½ cup fresh curd (yogurt) till smooth and set aside.

Cook Shahi Paste

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons ghee in a pan over medium-low to medium heat. Let the ghee melt. You can even use oil or butter in place of ghee.
  2. Fry all the whole spices until they release their aroma in the ghee. The whole spices are listed below:

1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf) 2 to 3 cloves 2 to 3 green cardamoms 1 black cardamom 1 inch cinnamon ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera) – can swap with cumin seeds instead

Tip: Be very attentive here, as spices are delicate and can burn quickly if you aren’t paying attention. Note that the whole spices are not eaten. If you prefer, you can remove the whole spices (after they are fried in the oil) excluding the caraway seeds, with a slotted spoon before adding the onion and nut paste. 9. Add the onion and nuts paste. 10. On a low to medium-low heat mix until the paste is uniform. Then sauté for 7 to 8 minutes or until the fat separates at the sides of the paste. You will see that on further cooking the paste will thicken and become glossy. Keep stirring non-stop for even cooking. This will also prevent the paste getting burnt from the bottom. 11. Now add ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder. You could even replace red chilli powder with ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper powder. 12. Stir to mix well. 13. Reduce heat to a low or switch off the heat. Add the whisked yogurt, 1 to 1.5 cups of the strained stock and additional water, ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar and salt as required. 14. Stir well and simmer on a low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the gravy thickens. You can always alter the consistency of gravy by adding less or more water. 15. Add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder and crushed 15 to 20 saffron strands.

Make Shahi Paneer

  1. Stir and add the paneer cubes (200 grams) and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Add 1 teaspoon of kewra water and stir (optional step). If adding butter, you can add it here. Mix well and switch off the heat. Tip 1: If you are a vegan, you can easily substitute tofu for the paneer. Tip 2: If you prefer a richer version, feel free to add more cream or butter to the recipe where notated.
  2. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves or mint leaves or some saffron strands and enjoy with rice or flatbread.

Expert Tips

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Paneer Butter Masala Recipe (Restaurant Style) Malai Kofta Recipe (Restaurant Style Paneer Kofta) Paneer Tikka Masala Recipe – Restaurant Style Delight Paneer Lababdar (Restaurant Style Recipe) This Shahi Paneer recipe post from the archives first published in January 2013 has been republished and updated on November 2022.

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