Safed Paneer | Paneer in White Gravy

Creamy nutty gravy with soft paneer, Safed Paneer is unlike any curries that you might have tasted. Its light and mildly spiced. perfum-y aromatic from fennel and green cardamom. Cooked with ghee, Safed Paneer is a rich curry served in several Indian restaurants. The dish is very similar and often referred to as Malai Paneer Curry, Shahi Paneer or Mughlai Paneer.

When we think of curries, it’s normal to visualize it as bright yellow or gorgeous saffron color. Safed means White and unlike all the yellow curries, safed paneer stays white.

What key ingredients are added in the Safed Paneer?

Onion – You can choose either white or red onion.

Nuts – I used almond but feel free to use cashew or mix both.

White Poppy Seeds – White poppy seeds give a lovely nutty taste to the curry and make it creamy.

Ghee – Cooking with ghee makes it rich.

Heavy Cream – Just a little amount of heavy cream is added at the end for the mild sweet taste.

SPICES:

Whole Spices: Green Cardamoms, Cumin Seeds and Fennel Seeds

Powdered Spices: Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Fennel Powder

Herb: Dried Fenugreek Leaves

How to make the Safed Paneer gravy creamy white?

There are just a few points to keep in mind:

1. Don’t caramelize the onion when sautéing along with garlic, ginger and whole spices. Keep stirring while you cook the onion for a while.
2. Simmer the onion with nuts (I used almond) and poppy seeds (if using) in water to soften the onion further and remove the raw flavor.
3. Blend the softened onion and nuts into a smooth puree.
4. When you cook the puree in ghee, makes sure you constantly stir so it doesn’t get burnt at the bottom of the pan.

We eat paneer quite often as my little one loves paneer. He is still not used to spicy food and hence, I didn’t add any heat. Adding a couple of green chilies and a good dose of cracked black pepper will definitely add a subtle heat.

It pairs great with rice or naan!

NUT ALLERGY?

This gravy does call for nuts to make it creamy but you can surely make it without the nuts. The white poppy seeds help to get the creamy texture. In addition, you can add some khoya (solid milk) to the curry for the subtle sweetness and smooth thick gravy.

ONE KEY point to remember is that paneer tends to get a little hard as it cools down at room temperature. So, do make sure that you warm the paneer curry before you serve.

Safed Paneer | Paneer in White Gravy

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Creamy nutty gravy with soft paneer, Safed Paneer is unlike any curries that you might have tasted. It's light and mildly spiced.

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Ingredients

• 1/3 cup whole almonds
• 1 teaspoon white poppy seeds
• 14 oz (1 block) paneer
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 medium red or white onion
• Two green chili (if using for heat)
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon ghee
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• SPICES USED:
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms
• 1 and ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon fennel powder

Instructions

1. Soak the almonds in warm water for 15 minutes. Also, soak the poppy seeds in a separate bowl.
2. Peel the skin off the almond and keep the peeled almond in a bowl to be used later.
3. Roughly chop the garlic and ginger.  Slice the onion into big chunks. Slice the paneer into triangles or bite size cubes.
4. Place a pan at medium heat and pour the oil. Once the oil heats up, add the fennel seeds, green cardamoms and cumin seeds. Then, add the garlic and ginger and stir it around.
5. Scatter the onion and season with salt. Stir around for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the powdered spices (cumin, coriander, fennel) and crushed dried fenugreek leaves. Sauté it for 2 minutes.
6. Drop the peeled almonds and 1+1/3 cups of water. Let it boil and cook at medium heat for 5 minutes.
7. Pour everything into a blender along with the soaked poppy seeds. Blend until it’s pureed to a smooth consistency.
8. Place a pan at medium heat and add the ghee. Once it heats up, add the puree and stir it around. Add the sugar and the paneer pieces.
9. Keep stirring and cook for 5 minutes. Also check for salt and add any, if required.
10. Finally, pour the heavy cream and cook for 2 minutes.
11. Serve warm with your choice of Indian bread or rice.

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 454Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 70mgSodium 1316mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 22g

All nutrition information presented are intended for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.