Shahi Paneer
The 'royal' paneer curry of the Mughal kitchens: soft paneer in a velvety sauce of onions, tomatoes, cashews and cream, perfumed with cardamom and a touch of saffron.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
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Start your free weekContinue with free accessMake the base purée
Simmer the onions, tomatoes and drained cashews with 200ml water for 10 minutes until soft. Cool slightly and blend to a completely smooth purée.
Fry the aromatics
Heat the ghee with the bay leaf and cardamom. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute, then the chili powder and coriander for 20 seconds.
Cook the gravy
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Add paneer and cream
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Serve
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Make the base purée
Simmer the onions, tomatoes and drained cashews with 200ml water for 10 minutes until soft. Cool slightly and blend to a completely smooth purée.
Fry the aromatics
Heat the ghee with the bay leaf and cardamom. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute, then the chili powder and coriander for 20 seconds.
Cook the gravy
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add paneer and cream
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
'Shahi' means royal, and the name signals Mughlai cooking — the rich court cuisine of the Mughal emperors, built on nuts, cream, saffron and fragrant whole spices.
Shahi paneer applies that style to paneer, creating a festive vegetarian dish served at weddings and celebrations across North India.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Silky, mildly spiced and luxurious, shahi paneer is the vegetarian centrepiece of a celebration meal.
💡 Fun Fact
Mughal cooks used ground cashews and melon seeds instead of flour to thicken sauces — a technique still used in restaurant gravies today.
Delhi & Lucknow (Mughlai cuisine)
28.66°N, 77.24°E
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