Photo: Tracy Hunter · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Punjab · Lunch

Shahi Paneer

Paneer cubes in a regal cashew-almond cream gravy with saffron — a Mughal-influenced Punjabi dish of royal richness eaten at weddings and special occasions.

🧺 Ingredients

• 300g paneer, 3cm cubes
• 25g cashews, soaked
• 10g almonds, soaked and peeled
• 2 medium onions (200g), sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 3 green cardamoms
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
• 100ml cream
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• Rose water is subtle — add just 1 tsp or it overpowers.

👩‍🍳 How to make Shahi Paneer

1. Blend soaked cashews and almonds with 50ml water to completely smooth paste.
2. Set aside.
3. Heat ghee in heavy pan on MEDIUM.
4. Add cardamom, cloves, bay leaf — 30 sec.
5. Add onions — fry MEDIUM 10 min until soft and pale golden.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste — 2 min.
7. Blend the whole mixture smooth.
8. Return blended paste to pan on MEDIUM.
9. Add cashew-almond paste — stir constantly 5 min.
10. Add white pepper, sugar, salt.
11. Thin with 150ml water — bring to gentle simmer.
12. Cook 8 min until gravy thickens to coating consistency.
13. Add saffron milk — gravy turns golden.
14. Add cream, rose water.
15. Add paneer.
16. Simmer LOW 3 min.
17. Do not boil.

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