“Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble ventures.”
— M.F.K. Fisher
shahi paneer | introverted cheese nuggets, get it?

shahi paneer | introverted cheese nuggets, get it?

Making of the gravy base @fatmadame

Making of the gravy base @fatmadame

Shahi Paneer

recipe courtesy of Rajshri Foods by chef Varun Inamdar

serves around 4 ppl

INGREDIENTS

Gravy Base (can be used for any types of vegetable or meat bases)

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 inch cinnamon stick

  • 1 black cardamom

  • 1 star anise

  • 4 cloves

  • 4 black peppercorns

  • 2 medium chopped onions

  • 1/2 tbsp ginger paste*

  • 1/2 tbsp garlic paste*

  • 1/2 green chilli paste*

  • 200 grams chopped tomatoes

  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1/2 tsp garam masala

  • 1 tbsp coriander powder

  • water as needed

Gravy add-ons for the Shahi Paneer

homemade paneer @fatmadame

homemade paneer @fatmadame

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 2 green cardamoms

  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

  • 3 tbsp heavy cream

  • 100 grams full-fat yogurt

  • salt to tast

  • 1 tsp fenugreek leaves

  • 1 cup paneer cubes store bought or homemade

Note

** Scroll down the “starter kit” page for a ginger and garlic paste recipe. This shahi paneer recipe calls for 1 tbsp of garlic ginger chili paste mix. As I have these pastes separated, I used 1/2 tablespoons of each.

Method

Instructions, how I’ve interpreted them and adapted to read more thoroughly

  • Heat a kadai, or heavy bottom pan over medium heat and add the oil

  • Add the chopped onions and let it cook for about 5 minutes, no longer as you don’t want them to be done before adding the other spices.

  • Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, star anise, cloves, black peppercorns and let it all temper and infuse the oil and onions

  • Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.then add the ginger, garlic and green chilli pastes

  • Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder and mix it into the pan well

  • Add enough water to just cover the mix and bring it to a boil for about 30 seconds and then lower the heat back down to medium-low.

  • Cover and allow it to simmer for around 20-30 minutes

  • Once the tomatoes become soft and mushy, take the lid off and remove the big whole spices, except peppercorns and cloves

  • Place the mix into a Vitamix or spice grinder so that it becomes a thin paste

  • That paste is now your Gravy Base which then needs to be strained into a finer paste (I did not take this extra step)

Putting the Shahi into Shahi Paneer

  • Place a plan on high heat and add the vegetable oil

  • Once the oil is heated, add green cardamoms and Kashmiri red chilli powder

  • Allow the chilli to begin cooking for about 2-3 minutes watching closely and mixing so that the powder doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan

  • Add in the Gravy Base and stir it in well

  • Incorporate the cream and yogurt well

  • Add salt, crushed fenugreek leaves and finally the paneer cubes

  • Allow all the ingredients to simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes

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