Shahi Paneer

Name: Shahi Paneer
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mughlai (Delhi & Lahore)
Ingredients: 7 onions; 4 tomatoes; 5 tbsp watermelon; 5 tbsp white sesame seeds; 5 tbsp cashews; 2 red chilies; 1 green bell pepper; 5 garlic cloves; 2 inches piece ginger; 4 black peppercorns; 4 bay leaves; 3 big black cardamom pods; 2 inches cinnamon sticks; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 0.5 tbsp red chili powder; 0.5 tbsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tbsp cumin powder; 4 tbsp yoghurt; salt; 1 pinch red food coloring; 1 kg cottage cheese; 2 tbsp gemini sunflower oil; 5 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Tomatoes, watermelon and white sesame seeds come together in this South Asian dish, fragrant with ginger and black peppercorns and simmered on the stove. Finish with corriander leaves.

50 min · Serves 4 · Medium

Method

Start cooking mode

Time: Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min · 50 min total
Difficulty: medium

1
In a pot, fry the onions, sesame seeds, tomatoes and cashewnuts in 2 tbsps. of oil. Remove from pot and prepare a paste of the same. You may add halfa glass to a whole glass of water.
2
Heat 1 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Toss the chopped ginger and garlic into a mixer to prepare a paste.
3
Add ginger-garlic paste and stir fry till the raw smell of both has gone and the mixture turns slightly brownish in appearance.
4
Fold in cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, black peppercorns and green cardamoms. Once the black peppercorns start spluttering, add onions, red chillies, cashewnuts and tomatoes.
5
Boil for 5 minutes. Fold in the masala powders. Do not add water at this stage. Mix thoroughly and after mixing check to see if water is required to make the gravy less thick if it is already too thick.
5 min
6
If desired, add a little water. Now, add a pinch of red food colour, if desired. When oil separates from the masala, add the cottage cheese cubes.
7
Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with rotis and/or white Basmati rice.