Paneer Masala

Paneer is a relatively new addition to Indian cuisine, as curdled milk cheese was introduced with Persian and Afghan traders and settlers around the 16th century, and incorporated into the spicy gravies that are the hallmark of Mughal cuisine, such as shahi paneer and kadai paneer. 

The masala used to make it is even more interesting than the biryani blend: twenty-five ingredients, including stone flower (dagad phool), a wild lichen that is only part of the masala in a few of India's more complex spice blends, and kalonji, nigella seeds that most home spice boxes do not have. It's designed to give a plain block of paneer the kind of restaurant depth that would otherwise take a dozen separate jars to build.

What is it?

Cold-ground and packed in an air-tight pouch, a blend of chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, black salt, kachari, asafoetida, turmeric, salt, onion, garlic, dry ginger, fennel seed, dry mango, cinnamon, stone flower, dry fenugreek leaves, black cardamom, mace, clove, nutmeg, citric acid, green cardamom, kalonji and bay leaves. This is intended to be used in paneer gravy or curry base, or as a marinade for grilling, similar to tandoori.

What makes it special?

Twenty-five ingredients, compared to ten to fifteen in most shelf paneer or curry masalas. Two stand out: stone flower, which gives a smoky, woodsy undertone more common in biryani and meat blends than vegetarian ones, and kalonji, which adds a mild bitterness on top of the onion and garlic already in the dish. The spices that take a gravy from "spicy" to "shahi" are black cardamom, mace, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Why choose Shaman?

Each of the 25 ingredients is listed separately, rather than in the generic "curry masala" line. Because the spices are cold-ground, the oils that give mace, clove, and both cardamoms their fragrance stay intact instead of cooking off before the pouch is sealed. No added colour, no added preservatives in a blend where many commercial versions rely on colour to fake that depth

How do you use it?

Add to a ghee or oil gravy with onion and tomato, cook for a couple of minutes to release the spices, then add the paneer. To make paneer tikka in a tandoor, marinate paneer for 30 minutes to a few hours in yogurt with a little oil. It can also be added during the pan stage of paneer bhurji.

What foods go well with it?

Shahi paneer, kadai paneer, paneer tikka, paneer bhurji, mixed vegetable curries, and paneer-stuffed parathas that want a rich, layered filling instead of a plain one.

What's in it?

Chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, black salt, kachari, asafoetida, turmeric, salt, onion, garlic, dry ginger, fennel seed, dry mango, cinnamon, stone flower, dry fenugreek leaves, black cardamom, mace, clove, nutmeg, citric acid, green cardamom, kalonji, bay leaves. No artificial colors; the reddish-brown color is due to turmeric, chilli, and the whole spices.

How is it made?

Cold-ground is more critical here than almost anywhere else in the range, since a 25-ingredient blend has to protect many delicate spices, like mace, clove, and cardamom, that heat-grinding would flatten.

How can you identify good-quality paneer masala?

Three things to check. First, it should have a smoky, woody stone-flower aroma underneath the chilli and coriander. Second, the colour should be a reddish-brown from turmeric and whole spices, not a bright, dyed red. Third, the ingredient list should be long; a "shahi" paneer masala with 8 or 10 ingredients is missing most of what makes it shahi. This one ticks all three: a smoky stone-flower aroma, natural reddish-brown colour, and a full twenty-five-ingredient list. 

How should you store it?

Store airtight, cool, and dry, away from direct sunlight. Refrigerate once opened mace, clove, and both cardamoms are the first to flatten out with repeated air exposure.

Is it suitable for everyday use?

Yes, and it's the second lowest in terms of sodium content in Shaman's range. Produced in a facility that also handles sesame, wheat, mustard, peanut, and cashew; not suitable for anyone with a severe allergy to these.