Nawabi Paneer is a rich and creamy paneer curry that comes with a royal touch. The word “Nawabi” means royal, and this dish truly lives up to the name with its smooth, nutty gravy and gentle spices. It’s comforting, full of flavor, and easy enough to cook at home — whether it’s a weekend meal or just a regular day when you want something a little more special.
Watch on how to make the Nawabi Paneer
Key Ingredients
Paneer – This is soft Indian cottage cheese. It’s the star of the dish and soaks up all the lovely flavors from the gravy. You can use fresh homemade paneer or store-bought — just make sure it’s soft and fresh.
Cashews – These are blended into the gravy to make it rich and creamy. Cashews give a slightly sweet, smooth taste. If you prefer, you can also use about 10 blanched almonds. Just soak them in warm water before blending so they become soft and easy to grind.
Onion, Ginger, Garlic, and Green Chill – These are cooked together and form the base of the curry. They add depth, a bit of heat, and that comforting home-cooked flavor. You can adjust the green chilli depending on how spicy you like it.
Whole Spices – A few whole spices like black cardamom, green cardamom, and bay leaf are added at the start of cooking. They release a beautiful aroma and give the dish that royal, Nawabi touch. You don’t need a lot — just a few of each will do.
Cream or Milk – This is what makes the gravy so smooth and velvety. You can use fresh cream for a rich finish, or milk if you want a lighter version. Both work well to bring everything together.
Step-by-Step Instructions on how to make Nawabi Paneer
- Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add the paneer cubes to the pan. Let them cook slowly.
Stir and turn the paneer cubes gently so they cook evenly. Keep cooking until the paneer turns golden brown and slightly crispy on the outside. Once done, take the paneer out of the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Using the same pan, add a mix of butter and oil, then heat until melted and sizzling. Once it’s hot, add black cardamom, green cardamoms, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chilies, cashews, and onions to the pan. Stir everything well and cook until the onions look soft and clear.
- Add ½ cup of warm water to the pan. Cover it with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Take out the bay leaves and black cardamom from the mixture. Let the rest of it cool completely. Once it’s cool, put the mixture in a mixer or blender. Blend it into a smooth paste. It is not necessary to add any extra water while blending.
- Take the ground base paste and put it in a clean pan. Do not add any oil or butter. Cook it gently on a low flame for 2 minutes. Stir it occasionally to prevent it from burning.
- Add the dry spices one by one. These include salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, cardamom powder, and white pepper powder. Make sure to add them slowly and carefully. Stir the mixture well and cook it on low heat for about 5 minutes. This will help the spices release their aromas. Keep stirring so everything mixes evenly and nothing sticks to the pan.
- Slowly add the whisked yogurt to the mixture. Stir it gently so that it blends in completely. Let it cook for 2 minutes to mix properly.
- Next, pour in the fresh cream. Stir it slowly while keeping the heat on low. Let it cook for another 2 minutes to combine the flavors.
- Add the golden paneer cubes carefully. Stir them gently so they get coated in the sauce evenly. Cook for 2 more minutes to let the flavors soak into the paneer. Sprinkle some crushed kasuri methi on top for a nice, fragrant touch
- Finally, pour in the milk. Stir everything together and let it simmer for 1 more minute. This will make the dish creamy and flavorful.
- Take a small pinch of saffron and mix it with a little bit of hot milk. Stir it well until the saffron blends completely into the milk. This will give it a nice golden color and flavor. Pour the saffron milk into the pan. Make sure to stir it carefully so it mixes evenly with the rest of the dish.
- Chop some fresh cilantro leaves and sprinkle them on top of the dish. The green cilantro will make the dish look colorful and fresh. Mix it in gently so the flavors spread evenly. Before serving, turn off the heat and add a small piece of butter to the pan. Stir it in until it melts completely. This will make the dish taste richer and give it a smooth, shiny finish. Nawabi Paneer is ready to serve. Serve hot with naan, roti, or steaming basmati rice for a truly royal dining experience.
Serving Suggestions
Nawabi Paneer is rich and creamy, so it goes really well with soft breads like naan, butter naan, or even simple roti or paratha. The gravy is perfect for scooping and tastes even better when eaten warm. If you’re more of a rice person, serve it with plain basmati rice or peas pulao or Jeera Rice — the soft rice soaks up the gravy and makes every bite super comforting. Since the curry is quite rich, a side of cooling cucumber raita or a quick salad with cucumber, tomato, onion, and a little lemon adds a nice, fresh balance. You can also make it part of a bigger Indian meal or thali with some dal, rice, roti, salad, and maybe even a small sweet like carrot kheer(video) on the side. It’s the kind of dish that instantly makes any meal feel special.
Nawabi Paneer Recipe
Description
Nawabi Paneer is a creamy and flavorful paneer dish that adds a royal touch to your everyday meals. Made with soft paneer, a smooth nutty gravy, and mild spices, it tastes rich and comforting. You don’t need a big reason to make it — just cook it whenever you want to make your lunch or dinner feel a little more special. It’s perfect with roti, naan, or even steamed rice.
Ingredients for Nawabi Paneer
For the Paneer
For the Base
Other Ingredients
Instructions on how to make the Nawabi Paneer
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Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan.
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Fry the paneer cubes until they turn golden and crispy on the outside. Set them aside.
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Use the same pan and add butter and oil. Once hot, toss in Black cardamom, green cardamoms, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green chilies, cashews, and onions.
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Sauté until the onions turn translucent and soft.
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Add ½ cup of hot water, cover, and cook on low flame for 4 minutes.
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Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and black cardamom, and allow the mixture to cool completely.
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Blend the cooled mixture into a smooth paste in a mixer. Do not add additional water while grinding.
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Return the ground base paste to a clean pan. Cook it on low flame for 2 minutes without adding oil or butter.
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Add the dry spices like Salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, cardamom powder, and white pepper powder.
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Sauté this mixture for around 5 minutes on low heat to allow the spices to release their aromas.
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Gently stir in the whisked yogurt, blending it thoroughly into the mixture. Cook for 2 minutes until fully combined.
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Pour in the fresh cream and gently stir over low heat. Let it cook for an additional 2 minutes.
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Gently fold in the golden paneer cubes, ensuring they are evenly coated. Let it cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend perfectly. Sprinkle in crushed kasuri methi for a fragrant touch.
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Pour in the milk and allow everything to simmer for 1 more minutes.
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Dissolve a pinch of saffron in a small amount of hot milk, stirring until fully infused.
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Add the saffron mixture to the pan, ensuring it blends evenly.
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Serve hot with rice or naan for a deliciously rich meal!
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Sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves over the dish for a vibrant garnish, then mix gently.
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Turn off the heat and stir in a small knob of butter to enhance the flavor and add a silky glaze.
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Nawabi Paneer is ready to serve. Serve hot with naan, roti, or steaming basmati rice for a truly royal dining experience.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 940.03kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 74.52g115%
- Saturated Fat 29.66g149%
- Trans Fat 0.45g
- Cholesterol 132.22mg45%
- Sodium 1453.78mg61%
- Potassium 1128.36mg33%
- Total Carbohydrate 48.12g17%
- Dietary Fiber 7.04g29%
- Sugars 22.88g
- Protein 27.41g55%
- Vitamin A 481.64 IU
- Vitamin C 182.87 mg
- Calcium 388.69 mg
- Iron 5.4 mg
- Vitamin D 1.45 IU
- Vitamin E 5.72 IU
- Vitamin K 54.35 mcg
- Thiamin 0.35 mg
- Riboflavin 0.61 mg
- Niacin 1.63 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.72 mg
- Folate 86.86 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.11 mcg
- Phosphorus 559.11 mg
- Magnesium 138.63 mg
- Zinc 3.19 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
