WHAT IS SHAHI MATAR PANEER
Anytime we host an Indian party at home or for any festive occasions (Holi, Diwali, etc), there is one recipe that TOPS our menu and that is Shahi Matar Paneer or Restaurant Style Shahi Paneer It’s this paste of ‘Yogurt + Cashews’ along with the Sweet Scented Spices that give it a royal/shahi taste. Infact you’d be surprised how easy it is to make this dish and literally if I donot protest 😉 we would be having this almost every week as everyone loves it so much. Because of its rich flavors, color and texture this recipe is a MUST in Weddings (you might see it with some milk solids/khoya to enhance the richness hence called Khoya Matar Paneer).
SHAHI MATAR PANEER INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil 1 Cup Paneer (cottage cheese cubes) – bite-size pieces 1 Cup Matar (peas) – fresh or frozen 2 Medium Onion – roughly chopped 2 Medium Tomato – roughly chopped 1 Inch Fresh Ginger – roughly chopped 5 Small Garlic Cloves – roughly chopped 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt 6 Raw Cashews 2 Tbsp Kasuri Methi (fenugreek leaves) – optional 1/2 Cup Water
WHOLE SPICES:
2 Tej Patta (dry bay leaf) 1 Tsp Jeera (cumin seeds) 3 Laung (whole cloves) 2 Choti Elaichi (green cardamom) 1/2 Cinnamon Stick
POWDERED SPICES:
1 Tsp HALDI (Turmeric Powder) 1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder 1.5 Tsp Salt – as per taste 1 Tbsp Coriander Powder 1 Tsp Garam Masala
HOW TO MAKE SHAHI MATAR PANEER
Prep Work: MAKE SHAHI MATAR PANEER :
I like to serve this recipe with steamed rice, jeera pulao, roti, paratha or even dinner rolls. Here are a few suggestions when cooking this recipe:
Can I Use Frozen Paneer?
Yes, you can use frozen paneer for this recipe in 2 methods: Method 1: Simply remove the paneer from the freezer, place it in a microwavable bowl, and defrost as per instructions on the microwave. Once microwaves, slice into bite-size pieces and use. Method 2: You can simply add the cubed/sliced paneer in the cooked onion-tomato paste and then follow the recipe instructions further.
Do I Need To Fry The Paneer?
Since the curry is already slightly rich, I would not recommend frying the paneer (as it unnecessarily makes the recipe more oily) But if the paneer is old/crumbly and you feel it will break once added to the curry, you can lightly saute the paneer in 1tsp oil.
COOKING & SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Vegetable Oil – you can use any light oil like canola, olive, sunflower, grapeseed oil, etc Onion – you can use any kind of onions like red, yellow or white. Fresh Ginger – if you donot have fresh ginger, you may use ginger powder (sonth) – 1/2 Tsp. Raw Cashews – you can use cashew powder too (1.5 Tbsp) Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – this gives a rich red color and is less hot than regular chili powder. You can use regular red chili powder. Kasuri Methi (fenugreek leaves) – I’ve mentioned this as optional, however, this definitely adds a nice smokey flavor to the recipe which is extremely delicious. Tried Our Recipe – AWESOME!!! Now Quickly SNAP A PICTURE & TAG : #easycookingwithmolly + @easycookingwithmolly on Instagram –> Connect with Me Here: Facebook / Pinterest / Instagram
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MAKE SHAHI MATAR PANEER :
Vegetable Oil - you can use any light oil like canola, olive, sunflower, grapeseed oil, etc Onion - you can use any kind of onions like red, yellow or white. Fresh Ginger - if you donot have fresh ginger, you may use ginger powder (sonth) - 1/2 Tsp. Raw Cashews - you can use cashew powder too (1.5 Tbsp) Kashmiri Red Chili Powder - this gives a rich red color and is less hot than regular chili powder. You can use regular red chili powder. Kasuri Methi (fenugreek leaves) - I’ve mentioned this as optional, however, this definitely adds a nice smokey flavor to the recipe which is extremely delicious.
