Moghul Style Mixed Vegetables with Paneer
Submitted by loo
Mughlai-style mixed vegetable curry with paneer, cream, pineapple, and golden raisins. A rich, mildly spiced North Indian dish that finishes with a sprinkle of fried nuts for royal-court flair.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
20 minREADY
45 min
Mughlai cuisine traces back to the imperial kitchens of the Mughal emperors, where Persian techniques met Indian spices in lavish, cream-rich dishes meant to impress visiting royalty. This vegetable curry carries that lineage in every bite: golden raisins plumped in butter, fried nuts scattered as garnish, soft cubes of paneer, and a finishing splash of pineapple for sweetness and acid.
The spice profile is gentle by Indian standards (turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, with just a whisper of cayenne) so the cream and butter take center stage instead of the heat.
Frying the nuts and raisins first in butter, then setting them aside before building the curry, is the signature Mughlai move. It infuses the cooking butter with their flavor while keeping the garnishes crisp for the final scatter.
Pro Tips
- Cube the paneer and pan-sear or broil it until golden before stirring in. Raw-cubed paneer goes spongy in sauce, browned paneer holds its shape and adds savory edge.
- Use slivered almonds or pistachios for the garnish (or a mix), the nut category in Mughlai cooking traditionally favors these.
- Cut all the vegetables roughly the same size, this lets them cook evenly during the 8 to 10 minute covered simmer.
- Add the cream off heat or at very low heat to keep it from breaking. Boiling cream curdles fast.
- Serve with basmati rice or warm naan for sopping up the sauce.
Variations
- Use a vegan substitute like firm tofu and coconut cream in place of paneer and dairy cream.
- Swap pineapple for fresh mango chunks for a deeper tropical sweetness.
- Add a teaspoon of garam masala stirred in at the end for a more aromatic, perfume-forward finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add nuts and stir-fry until brown.
Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
Add raisins and fry until plump, remove and set aside.
Add remaining butter to the skillet.
Add garlic and onion and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
Stir in tomato and cook until soft.
Add remaining vegetables and stir-fry for 6 minutes.
Stir in spices, salt and water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in paneer, cream and pineapple.
Cook until heated through.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with fried nuts and raisins.
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