Why this recipe works
Shahi means royal, and the richness here is cashew, not tomato. A pale gravy of onion and soaked cardamom-scented spices is blended with ground cashews to a silky, mild base, then finished with a little cream. Paneer brings the protein, and, as always, it must go in at the end so it stays soft.
Ingredients
- Paneer, cubed250 g
- Cashews (soaked)3 tbsp
- Onion, ginger-garlic1 + 1 tbsp
- Cardamom, garam masala4 pods + 1/2 tsp
- Cream or milk2 tbsp
- A little sugar, salt1 tsp
Method
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1
Soften the onion, ginger-garlic and cardamom without browning, then blend with soaked cashews to a smooth pale paste.
Why no browning: keeping the onion pale is what gives shahi paneer its light colour and delicate flavour, unlike the deep-browned bases of other curries.
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2
Cook the paste gently with a little water, garam masala and a pinch of sugar.
Why cashews: ground cashews emulsify into a luxurious, creamy gravy, the royal richness without needing much cream.
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3
Stir in a little cream to finish the gravy.
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4
Fold in the paneer and warm through only briefly.
Do not overcook: paneer turns rubbery when cooked hard or long, so add it at the end and barely simmer, just enough to warm it through.
An honest word
Shahi paneer is a rich, celebratory dish: the cashews, cream and paneer make it indulgent. It is also genuinely protein-rich from the paneer, and it lightens well, lean on the cashew base for creaminess, use just a spoon of cream, and keep the portion sensible. Paneer is high in saturated fat, so a modest serving with lots of roti or rice and a salad is the balanced plate.