Shahi Paneer (Restaurant Style)

Ingredients

• 12 (23 grams) whole cashew nuts
• 10 (12 grams) almonds ((or silvered or blanched or almond flour))
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms (( elaichi))
• 1½ cup (170 grams) yellow or white onions ((diced or sliced, 2 medium, avoid purple onions))
  2 notes
• 1 inch (8 grams) ginger ((peeled & sliced roughly))
  1 note
• 4 large (12 grams) garlic cloves
• 1 to 2 small tomatoes ((diced, optional, refer notes, I don't use))
  Optional1 note
• 1 green chili slit ((deseeded if preferred, optional))
  Optional1 note
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) water ((to blend))
• 225 to 250 grams paneer ((cut to ¾ inch or 1½ to 2 cups) )
• 3 tablespoons ghee or oil ( (divided 1+2))
  1 note
• 1 bay leaf ((tej patta, omit if you don’t have))
• ½ teaspoon shahi jeera ((Indian caraway seeds, or sub cumin seeds, optional))
  Optional1 note
• 2 inch cinnamon piece ((omit if you don’t have))
• 2 cloves
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ((optional, use to color & heat preference))
  Optional1 note
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric ((optional, I use for yellow color))
  Optional1 note
• ½ teaspoon salt ( (adjust to taste))
  1 note
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala ( (adjust to taste preference))
  1 note
• ½ cup (130 grams) plain yogurt ((Indian curd))
• ¾ to 1 cup water ( (to cook the sauce, I use 1 cup))
• ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper ( (adjust to heat preference))
• 1 pinch saffron strands ((optional))
  Optional1 note
• 2 to 4 drops Kewra water (or 1 teaspoon rose water (optional))
  Optional1 note
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream ((whipping cream, optional))
  Optional1 note