Shahi Paneer Curry Recipe
Shahi paneer is a Mughlai curry with a long history; it translates to "royal" paneer and features a suitably rich creamy sauce with a relatively mild heat level and the unmistakable flavour of saffron.
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 1014kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g Paneer 7oz
- 2 Small-Medium Tomatoes 200-250g Total
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 3 tablespoon Natural Yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- 1 Pinch Cardamom Powder
For the Cashew Paste:
- 20 g Cashew Nuts Around 12
- 35 ml Boiling Water 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
For the Onion Paste:
- 2 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallots 70g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 35 g Ginger 1 Thumb-sized piece
- 1 Green Chilli Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 6 Curry Leaves
- 1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 50 ml Water 3 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
For the Saffron Cream:
- 175 ml Double Cream ¾ Cup (Heavy cream in the US)
- 1 Pinch Saffron Strands
Instructions
- Pour the boiling water over the cashew nuts and let them sit whilst you make the other pastes.
- Cut the shallots in half, peel them, then cut them into a touch 1cm (½") dice.
- Peel the garlic cloves and roughly chop them.
- Peel the ginger and roughly chop it.
- Cut the chilli pepper in half lengthways.
- Heat an 18cm or 7" saucepan over a low-medium heat and add the oil when it is hot, followed by the cumin seeds, green chilli and curry leaves, then cook for 30 seconds.
- Throw in the shallots, garlic and ginger and gently cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the water, then add a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the shallots are very soft.
- Whilst the shallots are softening, pour the cream into a small (12-15cm or 5-6" ) milk pan and heat it until it begins to bubble at the sides, but do not boil. Then stir in the saffron, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside.
- Transfer the shallot mix to a mini blender and blitz to a very smooth paste, and transfer to a bowl.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes, add them to the blender, and blitz them to a smooth paste, then transfer them to a separate bowl.
- Wipe out the blender; you don't need to be too fastidious with this, then add the soaked cashew nuts and blend them to a smooth paste.
- Cut the paneer into a 25mm (1") dice.
- Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and add the ghee. When the ghee has melted, add the blended onion mix and fry for 3-4 minutes to drive off the water.
- Add the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric and salt, then cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the blended tomatoes and cook until the mixture is almost dry, then reduce the heat to low.
- Spoon in the yoghurt and stir for a minute or two.
- Add the garam masala, then pour in the saffron cream and the cashew paste and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the dish thickens.
- Crush the dried fenugreek between the palms of your hands into the wok and add the paneer and cook until the paneer is warmed through; this should only take 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the cardamom powder then serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1014kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 89g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 1577mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g
