Can I make this dairy-free?
Use cashew cream in place of the heavy cream and neutral oil in place of ghee. The sauce will be lighter but still rich.
Indian · dinner
Shahi Paneer: Mughal-Style Paneer in Cashew and Onion Cream
#indian#vegetarian#paneer#mughal#shahi
50m
Total time
4
Servings
460
kcal
medium
Difficulty
May 20, 2026
INGREDIENTS.
4
Dairy
- 300 g paneer, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 40 g ghee, divided
- 80 ml heavy cream
Pantry
- 60 g raw cashews, soaked 20 min in hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp rose water (optional)
Produce
- 2 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 15 g fresh ginger, grated
Spice
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick (3 cm)
- 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 0.3 tsp turmeric
- 0.3 tsp saffron, steeped in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 0.5 tsp garam masala
THE METHOD.
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0/6 done
FAQ · Things people ask
About this recipe.
What is the difference between shahi paneer and malai paneer?
Both are creamy paneer dishes. Shahi paneer uses a nut paste base (cashew/almond) and typically includes saffron and whole spices. Malai paneer is simpler — paneer in a cream-based sauce without the nut paste, sometimes with tomato.
Should the paneer be fried first?
Optional, but recommended. A quick sear gives the paneer a golden crust that holds up in the rich sauce. Unfried paneer can become too soft and lose its identity in the cream.
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