From the recipe box
Shahi Veg Handi
Indian gravies, koftas, and saucy mains meant to pair with rice, roti, or phulkas.
- Protein
- Paneer
- Meal format
- Curries & Gravies
- Base
- Jeera Rice, Roti
Onion, Carrot, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Frozen Peas
From my kitchenCook this meal
Ingredients & method
- Prep
- 30 mins
- Cook
- 38 mins
- Total
- 68 mins
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- —Step 1: Roasted Vegetables & Paneer
- 8 ozpaneer, cut into small cubes
- 1medium carrot, cut into small pieces
- 1 cupcauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cupgreen beans, chopped
- ½ cupfrozen peas
- 1–2 tablespoonsoil (optional, especially if using a nonstick tray)
- —Step 2: Shahi Masala Base
Blend into a smooth paste:
- ⅔large onion, roughly chopped
- 6–7black peppercorns
- 1green cardamom (elaichi)
- 2cloves
- ½star anise
- 1 tablespooncoriander seeds (dhaniya)
- ½ tablespooncumin seeds (jeera)
- 1small piece cinnamon
- ½ inchginger
- 2garlic cloves
- 5–6cashews
- as needed for blendingWater
- —Step 3: Milk Components
- ¼ cupcoconut milk
- ½ cupbuttermilk (yogurt thinned with water)
Optional:
- —A few saffron strands soaked in warm water
- —Step 4: Handi Base
- 1 tablespoonoil or ghee
- 1 teaspooncumin (jeera) seeds
- ⅓medium onion, cubed
- to tasteSalt
- ½ teaspoonred chili powder (mirchi powder)
- ¼ teaspoonturmeric powder
- 1–2 teaspoonskasuri methi
Notes & Tips
- Breaking this recipe into separate ingredient sections makes a big difference for multi-step dishes like this. Having ingredients grouped by preparation step helps avoid missing anything while cooking.
- The roasted vegetables add a wonderful texture and depth compared to boiling everything directly in the gravy.
- Fresh peas are highly recommended if available — they add a sweet pop of flavor that balances the rich gravy.
- For special occasions, add ghee-fried cashews and raisins on top for an extra festive touch.
Step by step
Method
- 01
Prepare Your Vegetables & Paneer
- 02
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- 03
Cut the paneer, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and any optional vegetables into small bite-sized pieces.
- 04
Spread them on an oven tray. Drizzle lightly with oil if desired (especially if not using a nonstick tray).
- 05
Bake for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are lightly roasted and the paneer is slightly firm.
- 06
Note: Some recipes deep fry the vegetables and paneer, but roasting gives great flavor without the extra oil.
- 07
Prepare Your Shahi Masala Base
- 08
Add onion, peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, star anise, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, and cashews to a blender.
- 09
Slowly add water and blend into a completely smooth paste.
- 10
Take your time here — a smooth masala base is what gives this dish that rich, restaurant-style texture without any unpleasant pieces of spices or nuts while eating.
- 11
Prepare the Milk Components
- 12
Mix yogurt with enough water to create a thin buttermilk-like consistency.
- 13
Keep the coconut milk ready.
- 14
Note: If following Ayurvedic practices where heating yogurt is avoided, thinning yogurt into buttermilk and adding it toward the end gives you the yogurt flavor while being gentler.
- 15
Make the Shahi Veg Handi
- 16
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
- 17
Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
- 18
Add the cubed onion and sauté until soft.
- 19
Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and kasuri methi.
- 20
Add the prepared shahi masala paste and cook covered on medium heat until the oil begins to separate and the raw smell disappears.
- 21
Add the roasted vegetables, paneer, and frozen peas. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
- 22
Add the coconut milk and simmer gently.
- 23
After a few minutes, add the buttermilk and mix well. Cook on low heat until everything comes together.
- 24
Finish with saffron-infused water, extra kasuri methi, and optional ghee-fried dry fruits.
- 25
This Shahi Veg Handi is a rich, festive dish that brings wonderful variety to everyday roti meals. Unlike many North Indian gravies, this version skips tomatoes and lets the nuts, spices, coconut milk, and roasted vegetables shine.
- 26
It pairs beautifully with roti, chapati, naan, or paratha.
