cashew paneer

shahi paneer in a bowl with onions rings and roti

Shahi paneer is soft malai paneer in a mellow cashew-tomato or cashew-yogurt gravy. Made either way, it is creamy, rich and lip-smackingly delicious with warm naan. Both recipes included below!

Course Brunch/Lunch

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cashew paneer, Indian cottage cheese recipes, shahi paneer

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 368kcal

Author Saima Zaidi

Ingredients

350 g approx. 13 oz Indian cheese or paneer, cut into cubes
1 medium to large onion cut into thick pieces
1 medium tomato cut into chunks OR ¼ cup yogurt
4 garlic cloves
1 ” ginger peeled and chopped
1 fresh red chilli – sub with 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder if red chilli is not available
10 cashewnuts
1 bay leaf
1 whole cardamom
3 green cardamom
3-4 cloves
1 " piece cinnamon
½ teaspoon turmeric powder if making shahi paneer with tomatoes
10-12 saffron strands dissolved in 1 tablespoon water if making shahi paneer with yogurt
2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 tablespoon cream
1 sprig cilantro leaves optional
salt to taste

Instructions

Shahi Paneer with Tomatoes

In a frypan or saucepan, add the onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, fresh red chilli, cashewnuts and whole spices. Pour one and a half cups water and set on medium heat. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Take the frypan off the hob and let it cool down.
Discard the whole spices. Put the rest of the content of the frypan in a blender and whiz to get a smooth puree.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the puree prepared above. Add turmeric, salt and half a cup water. Cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat. Cover with a lid as the masala is going to splatter.
Add paneer and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, then swirl the cream on top.

Shahi Paneer with Yogurt

In a frypan or saucepan, add the onion, garlic, ginger, fresh red chilli, cashewnuts and whole spices. Pour one and a half cups water and set on medium heat. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until vegetables soften. Take the frypan off the hob and let it cool down.
Discard the whole spices. Put the rest of the content of the frypan in a blender and whiz to get a smooth puree.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the puree prepared above. Add the yogurt, salt and half a cup water. Cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat. Cover with a lid as the masala is going to splatter.
Add paneer, saffron and cream and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, then switch off the heat.

Notes

Paneer is easily available in Indian grocery stores or even big chain supermarkets like Walmart and Superstore in Canada.
Don't forget to cover the pan as the gravy is cooking, or else the contents are going to splatter all over the cooktop and there will be a huge mess to clean up afterwards!
The red chilli pepper adds a very mild heat to the dish, so don't be afraid to add it. It's the smaller, Thai chillies that are seriously hot, not the big ones.
Feel free to adjust the water added to the gravy. One and a half cup is standard, but depending upon how thick you want the gravy to be, add more or less during the cooking process.
You can substitute the red chilli pepper with 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder as well. It will add the same red colour and mild flavor to the gravy.

Nutrition