Manisha’s Shahi Paneer Recipe
Shahi Paneer is a wonderful, aromatic side dish or main course. The sauce is so good, with subtle background spice notes and a mild depth of flavour, resulting in a restaurant-quality dish that your guests or family will love. We were introduced to the recipe by our friend Manisha, who always spoils us when we visit and generously shares her recipes.
It may not be traditional, but the dish can easily be adapted for vegans.
Vegan version: The sauce can be made vegan by replacing the cream and milk with coconut milk and soy cream—or your favorite dairy alternatives. The paneer can be omitted and replaced with your preferred type of tofu, whether silken, firm, or even the trendy deep-fried variety.
This recipe is wonderfully versatile. If you’re planning ahead, you can make the Shahi Paneer a day in advance. Simply reheated minutes before serving. Letting it rest overnight in the fridge enhances the flavors—although it’s still delicious when made and enjoyed the same day.
Fresh tomatoes are essential—they lighten the sauce. I often stir in a cup of petit pois or 150g of cooked, chopped spinach with the water squeezed out. This simple addition transforms the dish into Shahi Matar Paneer (peas and paneer) or Shahi Saag Paneer (spinach and paneer). I often include this dish in my Indian-inspired dinner party menu, and it’s always a hit.
- 5 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cm piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- A splash of water
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 star anise
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- Chilli powder, to taste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 150 millilitres fresh milk
- 2 slabs of paneer, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup frozen petit pois, or 1 cup cooked, chopped, and drained spinach
- 2 tablespoons double cream (optional, for added richness)
- Salt, to taste
- 10 dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
- In a pot or frying pan, combine the chopped tomatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic.
- Add a splash of water and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes and onions have softened and broken down.
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then blend into a smooth paste using a blender. Set aside.
- Clean and dry the pan you used, then add the oil and heat over medium.
- Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, star anise, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds. Stir constantly until the spices release their aroma; do not walk away at this point, as you want to ensure the spices do not burn.
- Stir the tomato purée into the spices and cook for a few seconds, until the oil begins to separate from the paste.
- Pour in the blended tomato, garlic, and ginger mixture, and stir to incorporate the spices.
- Add the turmeric, ground coriander, chilli powder, and garam masala and stir well.
- Let the sauce bubble on low heat, stirring often and covered with a splash guard if you have one.
- Once it comes to a gentle boil, add the milk a little at a time, stirring continuously and well after each addition to prevent curdling.
- Add the paneer to the sauce and stir to coat each piece.
- At this point, you can cool the sauce and refrigerate overnight.
- If you are making and eating the curry on the same day, simmer the sauce on low for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- If using, add the peas or chopped, drained spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes, until heated through.
- Stir in the cream (if using), salt to taste, and the crushed fenugreek leaves.
- Enjoy the curry over basmati rice or served with warm naan bread.
