Shahi Paneer Recipe – creamy restaurant style shahi paneer at home
shahi paneer recipe is one of the most popular north indian dishes. made with soft paneer cubes cooked in delicious gravy of onions, tomatoes, cream, chashews and aromatic spices, This dish is perfect for a family dinners, festival and specials occcasions.
In this recipe I will show you how to make restaurant style – shahi paneer recipe at home with simple ingredients.
shahi paneer recipe
Ingredients 
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 10-12 cashew nuts
- 1 inch ginger
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 green chili
Other ingredients
- 250gm paneer,cubed
- 1/2 cup fresh cream
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Instruction:
- Prepare the gravy base (the heart of the dish
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the roughly chopped onions and saute untile they turn translucent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, soaked cashews, ginger , garlic and green chillies. cook for 5-7 minutes, until the tomatoes soften.
- pour in 1/2 cup of water, cover, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. This helps everything soften for a smooth puree.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture cool down completely. once cooled, transfer it to a blender and blend into a super smooth paste. add a little more water if needed, but aim for a thick consistency. set aside.
2. infuse with aromatics:
- in the same pan, heat a little more ghee or oil. add the whole spices green cardamon, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Build the Flavour:
- Reduce the heat to low. add the kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder to the pan. saute for just 10-15 seconds, being careful not to burn the spices.
4. Combine and simmer:
- immediately pour in the blended onion-tomatoes-cashew paste. stir well to combine with the spices.Add salt to taste.
- Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer, cover the pan and let it cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens and you see oil separating from the sides. this step is crucial for developing deep flavors.
5. Add the Royal Touch:
- stir in the fresh cream and garam masala. mix well.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. if you prefer a slightly sweeter touch, add the optional sugar.
- Gently add the paneer cubes to the gravy. Mix carefully to avoid breaking them.
- Finally,crush the kasuri methi between your palms and sprinkle it over the gravy. This adds an authentic, slightly bitter, and aromatic note.
6. final Touches:
- cook for another 2-3 minutes, just enough for the paneer to warm through and absorb the flavors. Do not overcook the panner, the panner, as it can become tough.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving .
shahi paneer is best enjoyed warm with:
- Naan bread or Tandoori Roti
- jeera rice
- plain basmati rice
- pulao
Tips for success:
- Soak Cashews: Don’t skip soaking cashews it ensures a silky- smooth gravy.
- Blend Thoroughly: For the best texture, blend the gravy base until it’s completely smooth with no chunks.
- Don’t overcook paneer: panner cooks quickly. Adding it at the end and simmering for just a few minutes keeps it soft and tender .
- Adjust spices: Feel free to adjust the green chilies and red chili powder to your preferred spice level.
- Quality ingridients: Good quality paneer and fresh cream make a noticeable difference in the final taste.
There you have it! A comprehensive guide to making glorious shahi paneer. Dive in and savor every creamy, rich and flavorful bite of this royal indian dellicacy. Happy cooking!