Shahi Paneer is one of the most popular North Indian Paneer delicacies made in India. Shahi Paneer literally means the Royal Cottage Cheese. Though it is known as North Indian curry, this curry has its roots in Mughlai cuisine. The name comes from the richness and flavors of the gravy that the Paneer is prepared in. The richness and creaminess of the gravy comes from the use of cashews, cream (malai), tomatoes and onions, while the flavors come from the use of whole spices. The thick creamy gravy can easily leave one craving for more! Whenever I make this delish curry at home, I make some extra gravy so that we can devour the gravy with Parathas or rice.
Since we are talking about Shahi Paneer and its richness, it naturally brings us to think if this is a healthy meal that you would like to prepare for the family. So let me tell you, Shahi Paneer may not be a dish that you would like to prepare for your daily diet but this is definitely a show stellar if you are preparing it for an occasion or for a weekend treat. Moreover, you could make this dish healthier if you take certain measures like using Ghee (Clarified butter) instead of butter or substitute some of the cream with yogurt. Also, I avoid frying Paneer which saves us from a lot of unwanted fats and calories. You can serve the curry with whole wheat Roti, Paratha or naan (what I usually do) instead of rice or white naan (made from maida/all purpose flour).
Oh and let's also review some health benefits of the ingredients. Paneer is freshly made cheese by curdling milk and is an excellent source of proteins, calcium, selenium and potassium. Paneer also contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that helps strengthen your bones and teeth. Thus, it is very important for vegetarians who do not get sufficient intake of these nutrients from eating meats or eggs. I usually try to prepare Paneer at home rather than buying from the store. It is very easy to prepare, as it takes only a few minutes to make it and is free of preservatives. On the other hand, the whole spices used to make the gravy help with digestion along with providing a lot of health benefits including anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory benefits. So here's the rich and healthy dish to please your palate for an occasional retreat...
Let's start from gathering ingredients for this restaurant style Shahi Paneer.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
Prepare time - 15 minutes
Cook time - 35 minutes
5 Medium tomatoes
1 Large Onion
1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
200 - 250 gm Paneer
1/2 Cup Heavy cream/ Malai
10-12 Pcs Cashew1 Tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
3 Cloves
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Pods Green cardamom
1 Pod Black cardamom
4-5 Peppercorn
1 Bay leaf
1 Tbsp Kasoori methi
1 Tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (divide into 2 parts)
1 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Tsp Garam masala powder (optional)
1/2 Tsp Sugar (optional - use if tomatoes are sour)
1/4 Tsp Cardamom powder
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Water
Salt to taste
Let's begin cooking...
Take a big saucepan or kadhai and heat up Ghee and Oil at a medium to high flame.
Roughly chop tomatoes and onions; add them to the saucepan. Lightly saute for 1 minute on a medium flame without turning the onions brown.
Now add Ginger garlic paste and mix it well. Saute for another minute or two until the raw smell of garlic is gone.
Next add all the whole spices including Jeera, Cloves, Cinnamon, Green cardamom, Black cardamom, Peppercorns and Bay leaf along with Cashew pieces. Mix it well.
Add powdered spices including Garam Masala (if whole spices in above step are not added), half of the Kashmiri red chilli powder, and Turmeric powder.
Add water and cover the pan or kadhai with a lid. Let this mixture cook for about 20 minutes at a medium flame while stirring occasionally.
Now turn off the heat and remove all the whole spices. I removed Cloves, Cinnamon, Green cardamom, Black cardamom, Peppercorns and Bay leaf. But you can leave black Peppercorns in, if you like to make it little more spicy.
Let the mixture cool down completely before adding everything to the the blender. Blend everything into a smooth gravy.
Take a big strainer and sieve the gravy into a bowl, this step is essential to make silky smooth gravy. Discard the residue.
Now heat up a saucepan or kadhai and add butter. When melted, add remaining Kashmiri red chilli powder. Give it a quick stir, don't let it burn.
Immediately add sieved gravy to the saucepan and mix well.
Now add Heavy cream/ malai (leaving some aside for garnishing), Cardamom powder and Kasoori methi powder to the gravy, stir it well. Kasoori methi is a must in any North Indian recipe.. don't skip it.
It's time to add the main ingredient of the dish that defines the curry - Paneer. Add cubed Paneer pieces and gently mix everything without breaking the Paneer cubes.
Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes and let the Paneer soak in all the flavors. Turn off the heat.
Drizzle remaining heavy cream or malai on the top before serving this palatable Restaurant style Shahi Paneer warm with Paratha, Naan or Rice.
Additional Notes -
I used homemade Paneer with fresh herbs in it to infuse more flavors to it. You can use plain Paneer instead, without compromising on the taste.
I have used Jeera/Cumin seeds here, you can also use Shahi Jeera (Caraway seeds) to add an earthy royal touch to the curry.
Since this is Shahi Paneer, it is a great idea to add other nuts if you have them handy. Instead of using only cashews, you can use half soaked almonds and half cashews.
Add Garam masala powder to the curry if you don't have whole spices as mentioned in the recipe.
Add Sugar only if Tomatoes are sour otherwise skip it.
You can avoid using butter completely. Instead simply use the same amount of Ghee (Clarified butter). It is a healthier option.
To make this recipe Jain, avoid using Onions and Garlic. Add Capsicum/ Green bell pepper instead to the Curry.
