Kashmiri Shufta
Veg
A dense, celebratory Kashmiri sweet — chopped dry fruits (almonds, cashews, coconut, dates, raisins) and fried paneer pieces tossed in ghee with sugar, dried ginger, saffron, and cardamom until lightly caramelised and fragrant. Served at Kashmiri weddings and festivals; the combination of fresh paneer with dried fruits cooked in ghee and spiced with saffron is uniquely Kashmiri.
Cuisines
Kashmiri
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1/2 cup | paneer, cubed |
| 1/4 cup | almonds |
| 1/4 cup | walnuts |
| 1/4 cup | cashews |
| 1/4 cup | raisins |
| 1/4 cup | dried apricots, chopped |
| 1/4 cup | sugar |
| 1/4 teaspoon | saffron strands |
| 1/2 teaspoon | ground cinnamon |
| 1/2 teaspoon | ground cardamom |
| 1/4 teaspoon | ground cloves |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 1 cup | water |
| — | salt to taste |
Instructions
- 1 Soak the saffron strands in a tablespoon of warm water and set aside.
- 2 Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- 3 Fry the paneer cubes until golden brown and set aside.
- 4 In the same pan, add almonds, walnuts, and cashews. Fry until they are golden.
- 5 Add raisins and chopped apricots to the pan and sauté for a minute.
- 6 Add the fried paneer back to the pan.
- 7 Pour in the water and add sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and salt.
- 8 Stir well and let it simmer until the sugar dissolves completely.
- 9 Add the saffron water to the mixture and stir to combine.
- 10 Cook until the mixture thickens slightly and the flavors meld together.
- 11 Serve warm as a dessert or a festive dish.
Tips
For a richer taste, you can add a few drops of rose water or kewra essence.