Shahi Paneer in Instant Pot

5 from 18 votes

Enjoy the richness of this creamy and exotic shahi paneer made effortlessly in the Instant Pot. The succulent cubes of paneer gently simmer in a mildly spiced, luscious, and silky curry, making it an ideal choice for parties and celebrations. Serve it with naan bread or jeera rice for a delightful dining experience.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Hindu, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Shilpa Kerur

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups paneer (16 oz)
2 tablespoon ghee (use store-bought or homemade ghee)
2 medium onions roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
¼ cup cashew
½ cup yogurt
1-2 green chili slit
1 cup water

Whole spices:

1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon
5 cloves
½ teaspoon black pepper

Finish with:

¾-1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
½ cup cream
½ teaspoon garam masala (use store-bought or homemade garam masala)
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Instructions

Prep:

Soak cashew in warm water for 10 minutes.
Cut the paneer into cubes and place them in warm water.
Grind the onion into a smooth paste using ¼ cup of water (make sure there are no big chunks of onion). Set it aside.
Grind together the soaked cashew and yogurt into a smooth paste.

Making the curry:

Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add ghee.
Once it heats, add the whole spices - bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Saute for a few seconds.
Add the onion paste and green chili. Saute for 3 minutes, taking care the onion does not change color.
Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Saute for one more minute.
Add the yogurt-cashew paste. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add 1½ cups of water. Mix well and deglaze the pot.
Cancel saute mode and secure the IP lid. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 3 minutes.
Do a natural release of pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
Open the lid and set the Instant Pot to saute mode - Low.
Add the paneer cubes, cream, garam masala, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Cancel saute mode and add the cardamom powder.
Serve hot with naan.

Video

Notes

Tt is important to add the salt only after pressure cooking. This is to prevent the yogurt from splitting.

Traditionally, onions are boiled before using them in this dish. However, since we are pressure-cooking the curry base, it is not needed in this recipe. If you prefer a milder taste, you can boil the onions before grinding them.

You can also use almonds instead of cashew nuts in this recipe. In that case, soak them in water and peel the skin before grinding them. To make this dish nut-free, use melon seeds or white poppy seeds.

I use green chili peppers here to retain the white color of the curry. You can replace the green chilies with red chili powder, although this may change the color of the dish.

Nutrition