Shahi Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in a creamy gravy)

When I think of Shahi paneer, I remember a very distinct fragrance and flavor. Imagine a creamy gravy filled with aromatic spices. Imagine dunking a piece of hot naan or tandoori roti in it and then having that very first bite when your taste buds are filled with wonder and amazement. Shahi Paneer always has diamond shaped Paneer pieces in it which also makes it very unique not square or rectangle but diamond. It may be for presentation purposes but I have never had Shahi Paneer at a restaurant or wedding and not see the diamond shape.  My mom adds Paneer at the very end, right before switching off the heat and that keeps it soft and melt in the mouth. 

I think Shahi Paneer is one of those delicious yet easy to make recipes which are a must know for every paneer lover. This is also one of the most popular dishes in India. When I was in Delhi, Butter Chicken and Shahi Paneer used to be my all time favorite dishes eating out. 

My mom prepares paneer every week but it’s never the same dish, she keeps on rotating the recipes. So if you had mixed vegetables with paneer the previous week, this week it will be something else. Maybe it will be Chana r Dalna or Matar paneer and then next week it will be something else. It always amazes me how much time moms put in planning the weekly menu. Of course it’s a way of showing their love and care towards the family but also such an intelligent system to remember all these fantastic recipes without ever writing them down! Now that I have baby Prisha, I can understand how much happiness our moms feel when we love a recipe. I felt it too when Prisha tasted a piece of Paneer and gave me a look, as if she was saying, and all this time you gave me bland purees? Believe me, Prisha absolutely loves the Matar Paneer and Shahi Paneer recipes of my mom. So, today I am sharing this special hand-me-down recipe to you in the hope that your kids will like it too.

This recipe is also perfect for those who have nut allergy because this recipe does not use any types of nuts (almond or cashew) in it. Although the preparation is very simple, it tastes every bit delicious, creamy and rich. Shahi paneer is originally a Mughlai dish. The addition of cream brings that whitish color and mild flavor in it. It also makes it quite rich and heavy and hence it is better to reserve Shahi Paneer for special occasions. Serve it with Naan, Tandoori Roti or Pulao. With its rich flavor and aroma this dish sure knows how to elevate your taste buds. In short, this is truly a perfect dish fit to be served to the royals.

You can prepare paneer at home by boiling milk and adding a mixture of white vinegar and water in it till the milk curdles and solids separate. I went through this whole phase when I used to cook with homemade paneer only. Now after becoming a mom, I love spending all my time with Prisha. We go on walks, play ball, read stories, sing. So, if I feel that something can be done later or maybe bought readymade I go for it. There are tons of good stuff available at Costco and Paneer is one of them. I usually get 1-2 packs of Paneer and use half of it within a few days while the other half is immediately frozen. When thawing frozen Paneer, I prefer to leave it outside on the kitchen counter at room temperature for a couple of hours and that usually softens it up again. See, you can freeze paneer but you can’t cook it for a long time because it turns rubbery. So once you start heating up the paneer the clock starts running and you gotta put your whole attention on it to get that melt in the mouth texture and creamy taste.

I love that Indian cuisine offers such a grand variety of dishes for the vegetarian food lovers. If you are looking for a warm, comforting dish which can be served for a special occasion then this is the recipe for you. Try it!

Ingredients:

• Paneer – 2-3 cups, cut into bite size diamond shapes
• Red Onion – 2/3 cup, cut in cubes
• Garlic – 3 big cloves, peeled, cut in halves
• Ginger – 1 inch, peeled, cut in small cubes
• Tomato – 1, medium, cut in medium cubes
• Coriander Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Milk – 1 cup (or as required for gravy)
• Salt – ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
• Garam Masala - ¼ teaspoon 
• Kasuri Methi – 1 tablespoon
• Ketchup – 1 tablespoon
• Meat Masala – 2 teaspoons 
• Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Sugar – ¼ teaspoon
• Heavy Cream – 1 cup
• Cumin Seeds – ¼ teaspoon
• Bay Leaf – 1
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Canola Oil –2 tablespoons (for frying the vegetables) + 1 tablespoon (for making the gravy) 
• Ghee – 1 tablespoon

Directions:

• Heat a non-stick/ cast iron pan over medium heat.
• Add the Canola Oil (2 tablespoons) in it.
• After a minute, move the oil in the pan, if it moves around smoothly, it is hot enough to fry. Add the chopped Onion, Ginger and Garlic. 
• Fry till the Onion turns golden then add the Tomato. Mix well.
• The Tomato will soon start melting down, add the Salt, Turmeric Powder (¼ teaspoon) and Sugar.
• Turn off the heat and allow it 10-15 minutes to cool down.
• Grind the vegetables to a smooth paste in your blender/ Nutri Bullet.
• Heat the same pan again on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of Oil in it (you may want to wash the pan lightly with water before hand).
• Add the Cumin Seeds, Bay Leaf and Asafoetida in it.
• When the seeds start to sputter, add the paste prepared above (of onion and tomato). Fry for 10 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream in it, cook for 10 minutes. Then cover and cook for 10 minutes over low heat.
• Add the Turmeric Powder (¼ teaspoon), Ketchup, Meat Masala and Coriander Powder in it. Mix well then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Stir everything, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until you see oil separating from the spice mix. Make sure the paste doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep scraping the bottom lightly with the spatula.
• Add the Garam Masala in it and fry for 2 minutes then add 1 cup of lukewarm Milk (or as desired for the gravy).
• Taste to adjust the Salt then add the Paneer pieces in it and cover and cook for 10 minutes, keep the heat on low at this time.
• Add the Kasuri Methi. 
• Check the consistency of the gravy. Add the Ghee, mix and serve hot with Naan, Tandoori Roti/ Plain Roti, Rice or Pulao and enjoy!

Love Paneer? Try these recipes as well:

• Palak Paneer (Fresh Cheese in Spinach gravy)
• Mamma’s Matar Paneer (Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in a tomato gravy)
• Butter Paneer (Indian Recipe: Fresh Cheese in a creamy buttery gravy)
• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)
• Paneer Alu Pulao (Rice with Fresh Cheese and Potato)
• Mamma’s Mixed Vegetables
• Chanar Dalna (Bengali recipe: Fresh Cheese and Potato Curry)
• Amritsari Chole (Delicious Chickpea gravy with Fresh Cheese)
• Homemade Pizza with Paneer, Tomato and Basil
• Easy Air Fryer Paneer Tikka