Shahi Paneer Recipe | Punjabi Shahi Paneer | Cashew nut based Paneer Gravy

Shahi Paneer is a rich and creamy paneer gravy made using tomato, onion and cashew paste. It can be relished with roti, naan, rice or any other bread. The word shahi means royal. As the name suggest it has a very rich flavor. I can say this is my last post of the year 2019 or the first post of the year 2020. New year has begun in India and its still 31st evening in Canada. And I'm ready to post my 2nd recipe on paneer. Just noticed that i have posted very less recipe on paneer. So i decided to post this recipe which was in draft for a longer time. And by the end of 2020 i will post atleast 15 paneer recipe in my website.

Recipe after the picture...

Shahi Paneer Recipe

Recipe Cuisine: North Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish for Chapati / Dinner
Prep Time: 5 mins | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250gm
Onion - 1, large
Tomato - 2
Cashew nuts - 10 to 15
Milk - 1/4 cup
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch, optional
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Fresh cream - 2 tsp, optional
Fenugreek leaves - 1 tsp, optional
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tblspn

Method:

Bring water to a rolling boil and blanch onion for 4 minutes and purée them. Purée tomatoes and keep aside.

Soak cashews in milk for 15 mins and blend them to a smooth paste.

Cut the paneer into cubes and soak it in warm water. This step is purely optional. But it makes the paneer soft.

Heat oil in a pan, add in ginger garlic paste and sauté until raw smell is gone.

Add the puréed onion and sauté them for 3-4 minutes.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, cardamom powder and turmeric and sauté for a minute.

Add the tomato purée and give it a good mix. Add salt, sugar and cook for 5 minutes.

When tomato is cooked add the cashew sauce and paneer cubes. Cook for 2 minutes, add fresh cream, crushed fenugreek leaves and switch off the flame.

Serve hot with naan, chapati or pulav.

Note:

• Instead of blanching onion, you can sauté onion along with spice powder and blend them into a smooth paste.
• If you blanch onion, make sure to cook until it browns otherwise it will give a bitter taste.
• You can also shallow fry the paneer.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready

Bring water to a rolling boil and blanch onion for 4 minutes.
Instead of blanching onion, you can sauté onion along with spice powder and blend them into a smooth paste.

Purée the blanched onions and raw tomatoes and keep aside.Cut the paneer into cubes and soak it in warm water. This step is purely optional. But it makes the paneer soft. Soak cashews in milk for 15 mins and blend them to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan, add in ginger garlic paste and sauté until raw smell is gone.

Add the puréed onion

and sauté them for 3-4 minutes

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, cardamom powder and turmeric

and sauté for a minute.

The masala gets blended well into the onion paste

Now, add the tomato purée and give it a good mix.

Add in 1/2 teaspoon of sugar

salt to taste

and cook for 5 minutes.

When tomato is cooked add the cashew sauce

Add 1.5 cup of water

Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes

Now, add the paneer cubes. Cook for 2 minutes

Add fresh cream

Give it a quick stir

Crush little fenugreek leaves and add it to the gravy

Cook for few seconds and switch off the flame.

Shahi Paneer is ready to be served!