No Indian menu is complete without the addition of a Paneer dish and Shahi Paneer is usually on top of the list. The word “Shahi” means royal, so needless to say that the dish is prepared using whole spices with paneer cubes wrapped around creamy, velvety, soft, and glistening sauce.

The authentic recipe for Shahi Paneer is prepared using cashews as the “cream” component, but I have prepared this dish without the cashews as a nut-free option.

What was it like growing up in Iran?

I always get asked, “where are you from”? It seems like an easy enough question, but for me, this question always presents a conundrum. I am a Sikh and was born in Tehran, Iran. My dad’s family immigrated to Iran in the 1950’s, a little after India’s independence in 1947. The move was never meant to be a long term move; our family had suffered financially during the partition and the move to Iran was supposed to be temporary till they were financially back on their feet, but fast forward 60 some years later, my parents are still living in Tehran.

I was born after 3 brothers so needless to say my arrival was celebrated with a bang. The dynamics in my family were pretty traditional, my dad was the breadwinner and my mom was a housekeeper. Life in Tehran was simple, yet beautiful. All the Indian kids went to an Indian school which was built by the Gurudwara (Sikh Temple). We were raised in a very tight-knit Indian community where our lives revolved around school and Gurudwara and some sports.

At school, we followed the same curriculum as schools in India so we grew up learning English, Hindi, Punjabi, and of course Farsi. All of our teachers were brought in from India on a 3-year contract and were provided housing in school but they all stayed way beyond 3 years as they too, fell in love with beautiful Tehran.

Even though we had Persian friends, we were raised as Sikhs with strong Indian values. We did not have an identity crisis. Iranian culture played a fundamental role in our lives and we had learned how to separate our two worlds. We only spoke Punjabi at home and with all of our Indian friends and Farsi all other times. It was fun knowing another language especially when we visited India and didn’t want anyone to understand what we were saying.

We grew up like any other Punjabi family where the focus of every get together is food and drinks. We had a small community but we always celebrated everything on a large scale. From birthdays to anniversaries to marriages, everything was always made at home and I guess that’s where my passion for cooking comes from. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and watching my mom make homemade mithai with my aunt. I never appreciated my mom’s hard work back then but today, I am in awe of her and don’t even know how she managed to do everything. We didn’t have any tools, gadgets, or machines at home. Everything was done by hand and domestic help was very limited.

Did you have to wear a Hijab?

Iran’s revolution took place in 1979, after which Iran’s name changed to, The Islamic Republic of Iran. Post-revolution women did have to wear hijabs but hijabs have many different meanings. Our hijab was to cover our head and body but we didn’t have to cover our face. I was 5 years old during the time of revolution so growing up I accepted the hijab as a norm and never questioned it. In fact, I remember going to India and buying a variety of scarves and head covers to match my outfits.

Why did you leave Iran?

I left Iran in 1987 due to the Iran and Iraq war. This war, like the hijab, was also a norm for us. The war began in 1980 (I was 6 then) and the sound of bombings was nothing new for us. I have a vivid recollection of my first experience of bombings and the sound of the siren to alert us that we are being bombed and to seek shelter. I remember my brother telling me that it was normal and not to be scared. Initially, the bombings were rare but around 1987 things turned really ugly and they were more frequent. I would go running to my parent’s room and clutch tightly to my mom and would not open my eyes or let go of her till it was over. There are times when I thought I had died as the bombings felt so close to us. It was then that my parents decided to leave Iran, and move to London, where my 2 older brothers lived. As the war settled down, my parents decided to move back to Iran but left me with my brothers and sister-in-law and that’s where part 2 of my journey begins which I will share in another post.

What is the difference between Shahi Paneer and Paneer Makhni?

The difference between the two dishes is very subtle and the names are often interchanged. Technically, Shahi Paneer is prepared using whole spices, cashews and has a sweet flavor from the tomato sauce. Paneer Makhni, as the name suggests uses butter and the sauce is not as sweet or mild.

Can I use the store-bought Paneer?

As much as I love homemade paneer, I understand that it is not convenient. I have tried many store bought paneers and the one that comes closest to the homemade paneer is Gopi Paneer. Certainly, feel free to use any paneer of your choice.

Do I have to saute the Paneer?

This is a personal preference. If you want to save time, you can skip the saute part and add the paneer straight to the gravy. I personally prefer to saute it lightly in kashmiri red chili powder but since we are doing a one-pot shahi paneer recipe, I will not be sauting my paneer for this recipe and this does not effect the taste of the recipe at all.

Is there a vegan version of Shahi Paneer?

Paneer is made from milk, so it is not vegan; however, you can substitute Paneer with Tofu and use coconut milk with tomato sauce. This does change the taste of the dish, but it is the closest thing to Shahi Paneer.

Can I prepare Shahi Paneer ahead of time?

You can prepare the sauce up to 24 hours ahead of time, but I would recommend adding the Paneer to the dish a few hours before you are ready to serve it. This sauce also freezes really well for up to 3 weeks. Defrost it by throwing it in your refrigerator the night before, and heat it in a Kadai. You will probably need to add some water to adjust the consistency as it can thicken up in the freezer.

What can I eat with Shahi Paneer?

Shahi Paneer can be enjoyed with roti, naan, kulchas, or rice. See some of my recipes below:

• Pudina Naan
• Onion Kulcha
• Persian Rice with Tahdig
• Butter Chicken

TIPS:

• Use good quality paneer. Paneer should not be chewy or hard. I know a lot of websites recommend soaking the paneer in hot water; however, I have never felt the need to do that if using good quality paneer.
• I will highly encourage everyone to use tomato sauce as it is smooth and velvety and slightly on the sweet side.
• I prefer to use half and half to get the creamy texture but you can use whipping cream. I personally find that half and half is a perfect balance for the dish. If you are looking for a healthier option, you can also use milk instead of half and half.
• Use white onions or even Vidalia sweet onions for this recipe. Red onions will change the color and taste of the recipe.
• You can also use dry red chilis in this recipe if you like your dish spicy
• A few threads of saffron at the end can also elevate the flavor of this dish. I did not use it in this recipe.