Shahi Paneer Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Last updated on February 6th, 2019

Shahi paneer recipe with step by step photos. Sharing with you all a delicious restaurant style shahi paneer recipe where soft paneer cubes are tossed in rich and flavorful gravy. This paneer gravy tastes wonderful with naan, kulcha or jeera rice for a special weekend dinner!

This Shahi paneer is a very gently spiced royal side dish with nuts and saffron that you can make for any special occasion also. Another popular version is Punjabi shahi paneer made with tomato gravy.

Shahi means royal and shahi paneer means royal India cottage cheese curry. Addition of dry fruits, cream and saffron makes this paneer curry very delicate and rich.

This Shahi paneer is popular side dish from mughlai cuisine. Few other royal side dish recipes that I have shared on the blog are navratan korma, shahi paneer korma.

The gravy for shahi paneer is made of  blanched onions, almonds and thick curd. I have also added some cashews for richness. We can make shahi paneer without cream and cashews. But for restaurant style shahi paneer do add cream and cashews.

For making shahi paneer recipe use fresh and thick curd. The curd or yogurt should be smooth to avoid curdling. Also I have not added tomatoes to the shahi paneer gravy as yogurt is used. You can use tomato puree instead of yogurt. It will become Punjabi style recipe. In authentic shahi paneer recipe tomato is not used.

You can use the shahi paneer gravy as base for making shahi bhindi, shahi gobi too. The shahi paneer sauce is a very rich mix of onions, badam and cashews. I have used spice powders like turmeric powder and chili powder very less to maintain the light color.

Serve shahi paneer with jeera rice, naan, kulcha, roti or plain paratha too.

More paneer recipes:

palak paneer, paneer lalabdar, paneer butter masala, chole paneer recipes.

Vegan version:

For vegan version of shahi paneer  you can use

1. tofu instead of paneer
2. almond yogurt or cashew yogurt instead of dairy yogurt.
3. Omit fresh cream

How to make shahi paneer recipe (step by step)

For making gravy sauce for shahi paneer
Bring 3 cups water to a rolling boil. Add cubed onions, almonds and cashews.Cook in medium flame for 5 minutes. Let the onions and nuts remain in hot water for 5 more minutes.

Drain and grind to a smooth paste.
Making shahi paneer curry
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pan.
Add the whole spices and saute for a minute.

Next add the onion gravy and saute well.
Then add the whisked curd and mix well. Cook in low flame for 5 minutes.

Add turmeric powder, chili powder and mix well.

Also add 1 1/2 cups water and season with salt. Mix well and let the gravy thicken to required consistency.

Next add saffron, fresh cream and mix well.

Finally add paneer cubes and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro leaves, mix well and serve with roti/ naan.

Shahi paneer recipe card below:

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Shahi Paneer Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Shahi paneer recipe is a tasty rich and cream gravy with paneer cubes. In the recipe of shahi paneer the creaminess is attained by using yogurt, cashews and almonds. Furthermore saffron makes the paneer gravy royal and rich.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, mughlai

Keyword: how to make shahi paneer curry, shahi paneer mughlai, Shahi paneer recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 278 kcal

Ingredients (1 cup=250 ml)

For shahi paste

• 1 onion cubed
• 15 almonds
• 15 cashews

For making shahi paneer curry

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• 1/2 cup yogurt plain curd, fresh and whisked well
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron strands
• 1/4 cup fresh cream
• 200 grams cubed paneer Indian cottage cheese
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

For making gravy sauce for shahi paneer

1. Bring 3 cups water to a rolling boil. Add cubed onions, almonds and cashews.Cook in medium flame for 5 minutes. Let the onions and nuts remain in hot water for 5 more minutes.
2. Drain and grind to a smooth paste.

Drain and grind to a smooth paste.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pan.

   Add the whole spices and saute for a minute.

2. Next add the onion gravy and saute well.

   Then add the whisked curd and mix well. Cook in low flame for 5 minutes.

3. Add turmeric powder, chili powder and mix well.
4. Also add 1 1/2 cups water and season with salt. Mix well and let the gravy thicken to required consistency.
5. Next add saffron, fresh cream and mix well.

6. Finally add paneer cubes and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

7. Garnish with cilantro leaves, mix well and serve with roti/ naan.