MATAR PANEER

22.10.2020: A paneer recipe after ages! When I started the blog, I was worried I’d be pegged as a Paneer Recipes blog as that was all I ended up posting initially. Here are some of the Paneer recipes on my blog – Chilly Paneer, Paneer Jalfrezi , Paneer Butter Masala, Paneer Bhurji , Malai Kofta, Shahi Paneer, Masala Paneer, Cottage Cheese, Corn and Broccoli Salad, Paneer Rasmalai.

I have been cooking paneer dishes all this while but the thought of clicking pictures just before dinnertime is *sigh* such a drag. The other day I asked R not to cook dinner. I wanted to try a new dish I had seen online. I later changed my mind and said I would make it for lunch instead, on a weekend. I had to click good pictures you see and that doesn’t happen post evening.

This recipe is adapted from Sanjyot Keer’s recipe.

The gravy is a bit chunky as the onions aren’t ground to a paste. The golden brown onions lend a mild sweetness to the gravy which is perfectly balanced with the tanginess from tomatoes. Roasted besan thickens the gravy. This goes best with rotis. We had this gravy with laccha paranthas and masala egg fry.

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MATAR PANEER

Ingredients:

Paneer – 250 gms

Tomatoes (medium sized) – 5 -6

Ghee/Oil

Onions (medium sized)- 2-3

Jeera (cumin)- 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Green Chilly – 1

Turmeric powder –1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder-1 tbsp

Besan (Gram flour) – 1 tbsp (roasted)

Coriander powder- 1 tbsp

Green peas – 1 cup

Water – 200 ml

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsps

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.   Blend the tomatoes into a fine paste and set aside.

2.   In a pan, heat some oil/ghee. Add jeera and sauté until it splutters.

3.   Add finely chopped onions and cook until it turns golden-brown.

4.  Add ginger garlic paste, finely chopped green chilly and turmeric powder. Cook for about 2 minutes.   

5.   Add the tomato puree. Add salt to taste and cook for a minute.

6. Add besan, chilly powder, coriander powder and cook till oil begins to leave the mixture.

7.  Add green peas . Mix well, cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 5 mins. If the mixture is too dry, add a little water.

8.   After 5 minutes, add about 200 ml of water and bring the gravy to a boil.

9. Add the paneer pieces and cook for 5 minutes more.

10. Add the garam masala and kasoori methi. Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on top.

11. Done.

 

Recipe notes:

·       In the original recipe, the pieces of paneer are fried in butter along with slices of ginger and chilly. I have skipped this step as I don’t like fried paneer.