Recipe: MATTAR PANEER

Mattar Paneer gravy

The next few recipes are for the dishes I made for lunch on Diwali. The spices used may seem the similar but give or take one or more makes all the difference to the taste. Indian spices – each of them has its own exotic flavour and give out a different aroma when used differently. For eg.: garlic tastes one way when you grind it and very different when you grate it. The same goes for tomatoes too.

If it is a quick method you are looking for then check out the Quick-fix Recipes section of my blog. The section with ‘Recipes’ is all about proper cooking methods that bring out the flavour and aroma of the dishes created.

Mattar Paneer is a gravy with peas and paneer just as the name suggests. It is not so difficult to make and tastes delicious too.

Ingredients:

Peas – ½ kg (I used frozen ones as fresh peas were not available) 
Paneer (cottage cheese) – ¼ kg (cut into cubes)
Tomatoes – 2 (cut into pieces)
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch

Masala ingredients

Red Chilli powder – 1 pinch
Oil – 2 tsp (for the gravy)
Cream – ½ cup (you can use less)
Chopped Kotmir (Coriander leaves) – 2 tsp
Some oil for frying the paneer

Masala:

Garlic – 2-3 cloves
Green chillies – 4
Ginger – ½ inch piece

Masala cooking

Onions – 2 (cut into pieces)
Dhania – 1 tbsp
Jeera – 1 tbsp
Saunf (Sombu) – 1 tbsp
Cloves – 3
Black pepper – 3
Cinnamon Bar – 1 tiny piece
Elaichi (Elakkaai) – 1
Khuskhus (khasakhasa) – ½ tsp

Method:

1. Boil the peas in water with ½ tsp salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Switch off gas and drain the water when peas are soft.

Tomatoes added to masala

2. Grind the masala ingredients along with some water into a smooth paste. Ensure that all ingredients are well ground.
3. Place a saucepan (kadai) on the stove and add the oil to it. When hot, add the ground masala to the oil. Allow it to cook for a while, stirring regularly. Add a bit of turmeric powder and the red chilli powder before adding salt. Let it cook some more. You can cover the saucepan with a lid and keep the flame at a medium level.
4. Grind the tomatoes and add to the saucepan as well.

Fried paneer

5. Stir for a short while and add the peas to the mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Beat the cream and add to the peas gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes before switching off the gas.
7. In another saucepan, heat some oil and shallow fry the paneer cubes in two or three batches till golden brown. Drain the oil and place them on a plate.

Add the fried paneer to the peas-gravy along with kotmir before serving hot along with Puris or Rotis.