Shahi Paneer: Look, I love paneer. Like, a lot. And Shahi Paneer is the fancy one that feels special without needing 50 ingredients or 3 hours. I started making it because I got tired of ordering takeaway every time I craved that creamy, nutty gravy. My early versions were… not great. Too much tomato = sour mess. Too little cream = sad soup. Burnt nuts once (don’t ask). But after probably 20 tries over the years, I’ve got a version that people actually ask me to make again.
This isn’t some ultra-authentic royal recipe from a 16th-century cookbook. It’s the one that works in a normal Indian kitchen with stuff you can buy at the local store. Tastes close enough to restaurant style that my family doesn’t complain.
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Stuff You’ll Need (for 4 normal eaters or 3 hungry ones)
Paste things:
- 2 normal-sized onions, chopped however (no need to be pretty)
- 10–12 cashews (cheap ones are fine)
- 8–10 almonds (I usually skip blanching because lazy)
- 1 tbsp melon seeds if you have them (they make it ridiculously smooth — worth keeping a small packet)
- 1-inch ginger piece
- 4–5 garlic cloves
- 2 green elaichi (cardamom)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3–4 laung (cloves)
- Small cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
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Gravy & finishing:
- 200–250 g paneer — cut into cubes or those little triangles if you’re feeling fancy
- 2 medium tomatoes — I just puree them raw in the mixer
- 2–3 tbsp desi ghee (or half ghee + half oil if ghee is expensive)
- ½ tsp haldi (turmeric)
- 1–1½ tsp Kashmiri lal mirch powder (gives nice colour without killing you with heat)
- 1 tsp dhania powder (coriander)
- ½ tsp garam masala (I use Everest or MDH — whatever’s open)
- Salt — obviously
- ¾ to 1 cup fresh cream (Amul or whatever you get)
- ½ tsp kasuri methi — rub it between your palms before adding
- Pinch of kesar (saffron) soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk (skip if you don’t have it, still good)
- ½–1 tsp sugar (helps if tomatoes are sour)
- Coriander leaves to throw on top
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How I Do It (Real Steps, Not Chef Drama)
Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a kadai or deep pan. Chuck in jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, elaichi. Let them sizzle 20–30 seconds till they smell nice (not burnt — burnt = bitter).
Add onions + ginger + garlic + cashews + almonds + melon seeds. Fry on medium till onions get golden-ish. Don’t rush this — raw onion taste ruins it. Takes maybe 7–8 minutes.
Toss in the tomato puree + little salt. Cook till tomatoes lose raw smell and oil starts showing up a bit (another 5–7 min). Add a splash of water if it sticks.
Switch off, let it cool 5 minutes, then blend everything smooth with a little water. I strain it through a big sieve sometimes because I hate bits of skin or spice in my gravy. Takes 2 extra minutes but looks & feels pro.
Back in the pan, 1 more tbsp ghee, pour the blended paste. Cook on medium, keep stirring. After 5–6 min it thickens and you see oil separating — that’s when flavour builds.
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Add haldi, red chilli powder, dhania powder, salt. Bhuno (cook) another 4–5 min till it smells amazing.
Lower flame, pour in cream slowly while stirring. If you dump it in fast it can split — been there. Add sugar if it needs balancing, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi.
Taste. Adjust salt/chilli/cream. This is the make-or-break moment.
Gently add paneer pieces. Simmer 4–5 min max — longer and paneer gets chewy. Pour saffron milk on top if using. Cover, switch off, let it sit 5 min so paneer drinks the flavour.
Finish with chopped coriander. Done.
Total time: 40–50 min if you’re not slow.
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Read More Recipes: Paneer Paratha – My Everyday Punjabi-Style Fix That Actually Tastes Like Home
Little Things I’ve Learned the Hard Way
- Soak store paneer in hot water 10 min before using. Makes it soft & fresh-tasting.
- Don’t overdo tomatoes. More nuts/cream = better Shahi vibe.
- If gravy too thick after adding cream, add warm milk — water makes it watery.
- Kashmiri chilli is non-negotiable for that pretty colour.
- Make double paste and freeze half for next time — lifesaver.
- If cream is old or low-fat, sometimes it splits. Fresh malai works better.
What Goes With It
Butter naan (store-bought or homemade if you’re ambitious). Jeera rice if we want to keep it simple. Cucumber raita + sliced onions + green chutney. Pickle if someone likes tang.
