Cooking Time: 40 – 50 Minutes

Shahi Paneer comes from the Mughal era and is a part of India’s rich food history. This dish was enjoyed by Mughal emperors and shows off the luxurious flavours and traditions of that time. With my step-by-step guide you can easily make this Shahi Paneer recipe at home for dinner.

I love Shahi Paneer because of its rich, creamy taste and aromatic spices. It’s made with paneer, tomatoes, cashews, and a hint of saffron. This combination makes it a delicious and satisfying dish.

I promise you enjoy Shahi Paneer at its best, I like to serve it with warm naan or jeera rice. Adding a fresh cucumber salad and some mint chutney makes the meal even more delightful.

Here are I added similar Butter Paneer Recipe

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Ingredients for Shahi Paneer Recipe

For cooking onions and tomato Paste

½ cup chopped onions or 1 medium sized onion
1 cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium sized tomato
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
1 tablespoon almonds
1 tablespoon magaz or melon seeds without the skin
½ teaspoon chopped garlic or 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic
½ teaspoon chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
1½ 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 strained stock (got from boiling the onions with nuts) + water or 1 to 1.5 cups water
½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or add as required
Salt as required
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
15 to 20 strands saffron – crushed lightly
200 grams Paneer (cottage cheese)
1 tablespoon heavy cream or add as required – optional

whole spices

1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
1 piece cinnamon
2 to 3 cloves
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
½ teaspoon shah jeera

Cooking Instructions Shahi Paneer Recipe

Preparation

Heat one tablespoon of ghee in a pan. Add chopped cashews, green cardamom, and chopped almonds. Fry until they turn light golden, about a minute.
Add cubed onions and green chili (optional). Fry until onions turn transparent. Include tomatoes if using.
Cook until onions soften. Add a little water or oil if the mixture is too dry.
Allow to cool completely, then blend into a smooth tomato puree with a little water.
Lightly fry the paneer in ghee. Keep the fried paneer immersed in hot water for 15 minutes to soften.(Optional)

Cooking Shahi Paneer

Heat the same pan with the remaining ghee or oil.
Add cumin, cloves, and cinnamon.
Once spices sizzle, add ginger garlic paste. Fry until the raw smell dissipates (1-2 minutes).
Add the onion-cashew paste, chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt.
Fry for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell of spices disappears.
In a separate bowl, beat the curd until smooth.
Lower the flame and add the beaten curd to the pan. Mix well. Tip: To prevent curdling, temper the yogurt first by adding a bit of the cooked onion-nut mixture to it before mixing into the pan.
Cook until the mixture thickens and begins to leave the sides of the pan. Add up to 1 cup of water. Include saffron if desired.
Cook until the gravy thickens, with oil traces appearing on the surface.
Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Add paneer and cook for 2 minutes on low heat. If using fried paneer, add and immediately turn off the heat.
Stir in kewra water and cream if using.
Transfer Shahi Paneer to a serving bowl to prevent overcooking.
Garnish with cream and optionally sprinkle crushed pepper for added heat.

Expert Tips

Fresh Ingredients: I always use fresh paneer and high-quality spices. Fresh ingredients make a big difference in the taste and texture of Shahi Paneer. It ensures the dish is creamy and full of flavour.
Slow Cooking: I find that slow cooking the gravy allows the flavours to blend perfectly. Give the tomatoes, onions, and spices enough time to cook down and release their flavours before adding the paneer.
Cashew Paste: To make the gravy extra creamy, I add a smooth paste made from soaked cashews. This gives the dish its signature richness. Just blend soaked cashews with a little water until smooth, and stir it into the gravy.
Saffron and Cream: For that authentic royal touch, I always add a pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk and a splash of fresh cream. This not only enhances the flavour but also adds a beautiful colour and luxurious texture.
Infuse Spices in Oil: I start by heating whole spices like bay leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom in oil before adding onions. This technique, called tempering, releases the essential oils of the spices, making the dish more aromatic and flavourful.
Tomato Puree: Instead of just using chopped tomatoes, I use a mix of pureed and chopped tomatoes. The puree gives a smooth texture to the gravy, while the chopped tomatoes add a bit of texture.
Paneer Preparation: I lightly fry the paneer cubes until they are golden before adding them to the gravy. This gives the paneer a slight crust, which enhances its texture and prevents it from breaking apart in the gravy.