kashmiriMediumvegetariangluten freesoy free

Shufta

Name: Shufta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: kashmiri
Ingredients: 200 g paneer (cut into small cubes); 25 g almonds (soaked and peeled); 25 g walnuts (halved); 25 g cashews (halved); 25 g raisins; 40 g dried apricots (cut into small pieces); 40 g dried dates (seedless, chopped); 3 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp ghee; 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground); 1 pinch cinnamon powder; 3 pcs green cardamom (seeds crushed); 5 pcs saffron (soaked in 1 tbsp warm water); 3 tbsp water (for syrup)

RATING

4.3/5(37)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A rich Kashmiri sweet made with paneer, dry fruits, nuts, and warming spices. It is lightly cooked in ghee and sweetened just enough, giving you a festive dish with soft, chewy, and crunchy bites in every spoonful.

PREP

20m

COOK

15m

SERVES

1 KATORI

439 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 6 STEPS

prep · ~20 min
Prepare the nuts, dry fruits, and paneer.
1.Soak the almonds in hot water for 20 minutes, then peel them.
2.Cut the dried apricots and dried dates into small pieces.
3.Cut the paneer into small cubes so it mixes evenly through the sweet.
fry · ~5 min
Lightly fry the paneer and nuts.
1.Heat ghee in a wide pan over low to medium heat.
2.Add the paneer cubes and fry gently until light golden on the edges.
3.Add almonds, walnuts, and cashews and cook for 1 to 2 minutes without darkening them.
4.Stir in the raisins and cook just until they puff.
TIPKeep the heat low so the nuts toast gently and the paneer stays soft.
boil · ~3 min
Make the spiced syrup.
Add sugar and water to the pan and stir gently. Cook just until the sugar melts and forms a light syrup, then add black pepper, cinnamon powder, crushed cardamom seeds, and saffron with its soaking water.
mix · ~2 min
Add the dry fruits and coat everything well.
Add the dried apricots and dried dates to the pan. Mix gently until the paneer, nuts, and dry fruits are glossy and evenly coated with the spiced syrup.
rest · ~5 min
Let the shufta sit briefly.
Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes so the flavors settle and the syrup clings nicely to the dry fruits and paneer.
serve
Serve warm or at room temperature.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Use a wide pan so the syrup coats the paneer and nuts in one even layer instead of steaming them.
2
Fry the paneer only until the corners turn pale golden; over-frying makes it chewy in shufta.
3
Add raisins last and remove the pan from high heat as soon as they puff, or they can harden.
4
Keep the sugar syrup light and fluid, not stringy; shufta should be glossy, not candy-like.
5
Soak saffron in warm water before cooking so its color and aroma spread evenly through the sweet.
6
Let the finished shufta rest for a few minutes before serving so the syrup clings better to the dried fruits.
7
If making ahead, cool completely and store refrigerated, then bring to room temperature or warm very gently before serving.