SHAHI PANEER

Shahi paneer is a typical North Indian dish eaten with with roti, chappati, nan or other Indian breads.
Shahi paneer is preparation of paneer pieces in a thick, creamy and spicy gravy prepared in tomato, onion and cashewnuts paste. Here I have added poppy seeds too, as it helps the gravy to be thick and also it enhances the taste. Paneer is the Indian word for cottage cheese, and shahi is the Indo-Persian term for royal (in reference to the Mughal court) as information through Sources available.

Ingredients:
200 gms paneer (cottage cheese), cut into even size cubes
2 medium onions chopped 
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 cup cashew nut (kaju) paste [Soak 2 fist full of cashews & poppy seeds in warm water, then grind to smooth paste using milk cream/ or even milk is fine]
1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste (Choice, but i hav used paste as well as chopped pieces)
1 big tbsp chilli paste [I have ground fresh red chilli to fine paste]
4 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 star anise
1" Cinnamon stick (cut into 2-3 smal piece)
3 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Shahi jeera
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp fine chopped garlic
2 tsp fine chopped ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
2-3 tbsp Coconut oil for shallow frying paneer
2 tbsp coconut oil + 1 tbsp Ghee
For garnish fine chopped cilantro leaves/ melted butter [Choice]

Method:

• Cut the paneer into even size cubes.

• Shallow fry the Paneer until they are golden brown and keep aside.

• Take a Kadai, add coconut oil and ghee, fry the spices (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera) untill you get the pleasant smell. Add the ginger-garlic chops followed by onions and salute well till it gets golden brown. 
• Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt to taste and fry well for 2-3 mins. Now add the tomato puree and chilli paste. Now cool this masala mixture to room-temperature and grind it to a paste. Again transfer this masala paste to kadai. [You can also add 1-2 green chilli here]

• Grind the cashew and poppy seeds along milk to fine smooth paste. [You can also strain it through fine mesh strainer, in order to get a smooth paste]. Now add the Cashew paste into the ground masala content and saute well for 5 minutes. Adjust the salt if needed. Now add adequate quantity of milk (milk : water -> 1:1 ratio) to bring the masala mixture to gravy consistency, the poppy seed added along cashew paste helps the gravy to get thickened (Do not make the gravy dilute add little by little mater to check the thickness of the gravy).

• Now when the curry is getting to boil add the fried paneer and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Switch off the burner, garnish with fine chops of coriander if needed. You can also top it with some butter. Serve along chapati/nan/dosa/ Rice. Its Yummmmm and creamy rich recipe and healthy too :)

Padmashree Raikar

@ gHara javaN