Shahi paneer is a typical dish from northern India that is usually eaten with roti or naan (typical Indian breads similar to our piadinas): it is the preparation of paneer cubes in a creamy and spicy sauce prepared with tomato, onion, curry and cashews. To add a spicy touch, green chillies, cardamom seeds and garam masala are used. The result is a creamy dish similar to a soup that can be eaten as such or as a "filling" for roti. It is a very rich dish, for this reason it is served during parties, dinners and occasions that require a special menu.
Last year we went to Rajasthan, a province in northern India bordering Pakistan. The food there is almost entirely vegetarian, but not vegan. One of the most popular recipes was a fresh and easy-to-make cheese called paneer. If you've never seen paneer, it's very light in color, a bright white, and is made only with cow's milk and lemon juice.
Souring milk was a taboo in ancient Indo-Aryan culture. Paneer, meaning cheese, appeared in Indian cuisine as early as the 12th century. An ancient manuscript from that time details its recipe in Sanskrit.
In a country where 250 dialects, 12 religions and 120 ethnic groups coexist, and where all backgrounds are represented with their products, it is difficult to precisely define an "Indian cuisine": in reality India has dozens of different cuisines.
Like most Asian cuisines, there is no strict separation of courses in India: unlike Western custom, which includes appetizers, first courses and second courses, on the Indian table everything is served at the same time, including desserts. So you may find yourself in front of a dish with a spicy and very spicy flavor, next to a traditional Indian dessert.
Yogurt is a fundamental component of the gastronomy of the subcontinent, and is the undisputed protagonist also when it comes to drinks, enriched with sugar or salt, in one of those contradictions that abound in Indian recipes. So, sweet and spicy together, sugar and spices: nothing more distant, in the Western way of conceiving cuisine, but in India the ingredients blend, fuse, in an impossible yet stable, pleasant, fascinating balance.
In every Indian family, fresh cheese called Paneer is prepared at home, used for both savory and sweet recipes, and not to be consumed as a simple cheese. It is not salted because the subsequent seasonings of the recipe will determine its flavor.
It’s a key ingredient in some of my favorite dishes like saag paneer (spinach), shahi paneer (cream, tomatoes, and spices), and mattar paneer (peas and tomatoes).
Since it is not prepared with animal rennet, it is one of the major sources of protein for Buddhists. Paneer is prepared by curdling milk with lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid diluted with water. It is the most well-known Indian cheese: it resembles unsalted ricotta, but unlike this, Paneer is filtered and pressed, and therefore has a much firmer consistency, similar to fresh cheese. It can be cut into cubes, fried or browned on the grill and will always maintain its shape, without melting.
Our homemade paneer recipe is very quick and easy, just like the original. All you need is milk and lemon juice. Remember, both must be fresh. UHT (Ultra High Temperature) pasteurized milk changes the protein structure of the milk, preventing it from separating.
To make it, all you have to do is boil the milk, add lemon juice, wait until the curd and whey separate, strain, press and enjoy! It's that simple: now you have fresh paneer in less than 30 minutes, ready to use in your favorite dish.
You can use paneer in the filling of your favorite samosa recipe to give a soft and wonderful texture to the mix.
Here is a recipe of the Shahi PaneerIngredients:
1 cup cottage cheese cubes (paneer)
3 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 green chili, slit
1 onion, grated
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 cardamoms, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 cup curd
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 tbsp cashewnut paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1 cup milk cream
1 tsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
Soak the cashew nuts for atleast 2 hrs and then grind them to a smooth paste. Keep cashew paste aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a frying pan, add onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and cardamoms. Cook till onion turns translucent. Add tomatoes, cover it and cook for 5 minutes.
Add curd and cashew nut. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from fire. Cool down the above ingredients and put them in a grinder along with a cup of water. Strain the puree.
Take a frying pan, add 1 tbsp of ghee and add the above pureed paste and cook for 10 minutes on low flame till oil separates.
Add salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric, coriander and tomato sauce. Add enough water so that there can be thick gravy. Keep on low flame and cook for 5 minute. Remove from fire.
Add paneer cubes and gently simmer it for few minutes. Add milk and mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.
Have a nice week ahead.