Shahi paneer is made with paneer cubes, fried or raw, cooked in a gravy consisting of onions, tomatoes, cashew nuts, onion, curd, cream and a lot of other spices. The process to make shahi paneer at home is quite simple, as described in my recipe.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Shahi paneer is one of the most common and popular dishes in India, loved by young and adults alike.
- Serve it with tandoori roti, naan, chapati or steamed basmati rice for a wholesome meal.
- Shahi paneer tastes lightly spicy, creamy, sweet, savory and
- Other similar recipes are paneer butter masala, kadhai paneer, and paneer pasanda.
The Ingredients:
To fry the paneer:
- 200 grams paneer (cut into small cubes)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To make the masala paste:
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled, whole)
- 1 piece ginger (1-inch size, diced roughly)
- 2 pieces green chilies (broken in half)
- ½ cup onion (diced roughly)
- ½ cup tomato (diced roughly)
- 12 pieces cashew nuts (whole)
- ½ cup water
To make the masala gravy:
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 4 tbsp curd (Dahi)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 cups water (or as desired)
- Salt to taste
- 1 sachet Maggi MEM Shahi Gravy Masala
- 1 tsp Kasuri Methi (crushed)
- 3 tbsp fresh cream
This recipe was given by my elder son’s painting teacher during an open house. For lunch, she had brought this dish with paratha. The flavor of the dish filled the entire room. I casually inquired about the dish and she smilingly said it was her post-art energy dish. I asked for the recipe and noted it down.
I tried making it the next day and it turned out well. My husband said it was “colorfully comforting,” and my sons thought it felt “creative.” Now, it is our art-day dinner. That day reminded me that just like painting, cooking brings colors to life—sometimes on a plate instead of canvas, but always with heart.
How to Make Shahi Paneer? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp each of butter and cooking oil in a frying pan on a medium flame and mix them thoroughly. Put 200 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes) and fry them until they turn slightly golden brown in color. Remove them on a plate when done.
(Pro tip: Always try to mix cooking oil and butter because cooking prevents the butter from burning quickly).
Step 2: In the same pan, put in 8 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), a piece of ginger (1-inch size, diced roughly), 2 pieces of green chilies (broken in half), ½ cup of onion (diced roughly), ½ cup of tomato (diced roughly), 12 pieces of cashew nuts (whole) and fry them for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, on a medium flame so that the onions turn translucent and tomatoes become soft.
(Pro tip: You can add ½ tsp of salt to the onions and tomatoes. It will help the tomatoes become soft faster).
Step 3: Then, add ½ cup of water. Mix them nicely, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, switch off the gas stove and let it cool down.
Step 4: When cool, transfer the ingredients to a blender jar. Blend it to a smooth paste.
(Pro tip: If you want the eventual texture of the gravy to be smoother, you may strain this paste with a strainer).
Step 5: Now, to make the masala gravy, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil on a low to medium flame in a different pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and tomato paste, mix it and cook for a minute or so.
Step 6: Then, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 1.5 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder to it and mix nicely. Cover the pan and cook it for 3 minutes on a low flame.
Step 7: After 3 minutes, remove the cover and add 4 tbsp of curd or Dahi to it. Mix it nicely with the masala.
Step 8: Now, add 1 tsp of coriander powder to it. Mix it nicely. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes so that the masala infuses into the Dahi and is cooked nicely.
Step 9: Then, remove the cover and add 1.5 cups of water (or as desired) and salt to taste. Mix nicely and cover it again until it starts to boil.
Step 10: Now, add the fried paneer (or raw, if you like) to it. Mix nicely.
Step 11: Then, add a full sachet of Maggi MEM Shahi Gravy Masala to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook it for about 2 minutes or so. Check the consistency of the gravy. If needed, cook for a couple of minutes more.
Step 12: Now, add 1 tsp of Kasuri Methi (crushed) to the dish and mix it nicely. Cook for another 20 seconds and turn off the flame. Finally, add 3 tbsp of fresh cream to it and mix nicely.
Step 13: Your tasty and creamy shahi paneer is ready to eat. Transfer it to a serving bowl, garnish it with a small stem of coriander leaves and pair it with tandoori roti and onion salad.
Recipe Card
Shahi Paneer
Ingredients
To fry the paneer:
- 200 grams paneer cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
To make the masala paste:
- 8 cloves garlic peeled, whole
- 1 piece ginger 1-inch size, diced roughly
- 2 pieces green chilies broken in half
- ½ cup onion diced roughly
- ½ cup tomato diced roughly
- 12 pieces cashew nuts whole
- ½ cup water
To make the masala gravy:
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 4 tbsp curd Dahi
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 cups water or as desired
- Salt to taste
- 1 sachet Maggi MEM Shahi Gravy Masala
- 1 tsp Kasuri Methi crushed
- 3 tbsp fresh cream
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp each of butter and cooking oil in a frying pan on a medium flame and mix them thoroughly. Put 200 grams of paneer (cut into small cubes) and fry them until they turn slightly golden brown in color. Remove them on a plate when done. (Pro tip: Always try to mix cooking oil and butter because cooking prevents the butter from burning quickly).
- In the same pan, put in 8 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole), a piece of ginger (1-inch size, diced roughly), 2 pieces of green chilies (broken in half), ½ cup of onion (diced roughly), ½ cup of tomato (diced roughly), 12 pieces of cashew nuts (whole) and fry them for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, on a medium flame so that the onions turn translucent and tomatoes become soft. (Pro tip: You can add ½ tsp of salt to the onions and tomatoes. It will help the tomatoes become soft faster).
- Then, add ½ cup of water. Mix them nicely, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, switch off the gas stove and let it cool down.
- When cool, transfer the ingredients to a blender jar. Blend it to a smooth paste. (Pro tip: If you want the eventual texture of the gravy to be smoother, you may strain this paste with a strainer).
- Now, to make the masala gravy, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil on a low to medium flame in a different pan. When the oil is hot, add the onion and tomato paste, mix it and cook for a minute or so.
- Then, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 1.5 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder to it and mix nicely. Cover the pan and cook it for 3 minutes on a low flame.
- After 3 minutes, remove the cover and add 4 tbsp of curd or Dahi to it. Mix it nicely with the masala.
- Now, add 1 tsp of coriander powder to it. Mix it nicely. Cover and cook for another 2 minutes so that the masala infuses into the Dahi and is cooked nicely.
- Then, remove the cover and add 1.5 cups of water (or as desired) and salt to taste. Mix nicely and cover it again until it starts to boil.
- Now, add the fried paneer (or raw, if you like) to it. Mix nicely.
- Then, add a full sachet of Maggi MEM Shahi Gravy Masala to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook it for about 2 minutes or so. Check the consistency of the gravy. If needed, cook for a couple of minutes more.
- Now, add 1 tsp of Kasuri Methi (crushed) to the dish and mix it nicely. Cook for another 20 seconds and turn off the flame. Finally, add 3 tbsp of fresh cream to it and mix nicely.
- Your tasty and creamy shahi paneer is ready to eat. Transfer it to a serving bowl, garnish it with a small stem of coriander leaves and pair it with tandoori roti and onion salad.
