Shahi paneer (Farmer's cheese cubes in Indian-style white cream sauce)

Dr. A. Ronnie Banerjee (@RonnieBanerjie)

Materials

Cashew nuts or almonds (2 tbsp)

Red onion (1 medium)

Cream (or milk, or soy milk, 2 tbsp)

Paneer (farmer’s cheese) cut into 1⁄2 inch pieces (~175 grams)

Avocado or canola oil (2 tbsp)

Garam masala (2 tbsp)

Whole cumin seeds (1 tsp)

Bay leaf (1)

Green chilies, slit (2)

Ginger paste (1 tsp)

Green cardamom pods (2)

Salt and sugar to taste

Cherry tomatoes (3-4) or small tomato (1)

Fresh or frozen peas (1 cup)

Ghee (clarified butter) (1 tsp)

Procedure

1. Soak cashews/almonds in 1⁄4 cup water for about 15-20 minutes.

2. Add a little more water to it and make a smooth paste out of it in the grinder or the blender.

3. Lightly fry the cubed paneers on medium heat in a non-stick pan with tablespoon oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the paneers and fry till a thin crust begins to form on the soft cheese surface. Take the paneer pieces out of the pan and place on a dish.

4. Take half of the onion chopped into coarse pieces and 0.5 cup of water and heat in a pan on medium heat until onions get soft.

5. Let it cool down a bit. Once cooled, add the tomatoes and ginger and grind into smooth paste.

6. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices (cumin, cardamom pods, bay leaf) and fry for 30-45 seconds.

7. Add the slit green chilies, the remaining half of the onion chopped finely, the peas, a half-teaspoon of sugar, and sauté for few seconds.

8. Mix in onion-tomato-ginger paste that was prepared, and salt. Cook it till most of the moisture evaporates.

9. Deglaze the pan with the prepared nut paste. Stir well.

10. Add the milk/cream and immediately mix well. If required, add a little water for gravy consistency and let come to a simmer. Add salt to taste.

11. Add paneer pieces and stir very gently.

12. Add garam masala. Mix well.

13. Mix and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, or pressure-cook for 5-8 mins in an instant pot.

14. Add a teaspoon of ghee on top before turning the stove off.

15. Serve hot with Indian flatbread (chapatis, rotis, naans) or basmati rice with salad and pickle on the side.

Figure 1. Shahi paneer served with chapatis and sweet mango-tamarind pickle.

Figure 2. Close-up view of the Shahi paneer

Supplemental Information

• A variation of this may be made with cooked prawns.

• To make it vegan, replace paneer with tofu, but it mayn't taste the same.

Source

Variation on an Indian recipe with modifications and simplifications.