Matar Paneer Food

MATAR PANEER, HOW TO MAKE MUTTER PANEER

Steps:

• If using store bought paneer, soak it in a bowl of hot water for 20 mins. Drain the water and use. This step helps to keep the paneer soft.
• Pour 1 tbsp oil to a hot pan. When the oil turns hot, add 1 to 2 green cardamoms (optional), ginger & garlic.
• Fry for a minute. Next add 1 cup chopped onions & saute until they turn light golden.
• Put in 1½ cup tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Saute for 2 to 3 mins. Add 12 cashews. Cook covered until soft & mushy.
• Cool this completely. Add to a grinder along with curd/ yogurt (optional) and make a smooth puree.
• Heat 2 tbsps oil in the same pan. Saute 1 inch cinnamon & 1 bay leaf for a minute.
• Lower the heat and add ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ¾ to 1 teaspoon chili powder, sugar (optional), ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala and ½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder. Mix well.
• Pour the pureed onion tomato mixture. If your puree is not smooth, then pass it through a filter/sieve.
• Saute until the masala comes together and turns thick. Keep stirring to prevent burning.
• Next add ¾ cup green peas. Pour 1 to 1 ¼ cups water. If using fresh peas, boil them until tender in a pot, drain and use. If using frozen peas then you can rinse and use.
• Mix well to make a thick gravy. Add more water if needed.
• Mix and cook covered on a medium heat until the gravy thickens and traces of oil appear over the gravy.
• Crush 1 teaspoon kasuri methi in your palm & sprinkle all over. Mix well.
• Check salt and add more if needed. Add 1 slit green chilli (optional) & 250 grams cubed paneer.
• Cover and cook just for 2 mins. Sprinkle coriander leaves and cream.
• Stir well. Serve matar paneer with jeera rice, naan or paratha.
• Make a fine paste of ginger garlic and keep aside. Bring 1 ½ cups water to a rolling boil and add the onions. Boil for 5 mins and remove them.
• To a blender jar, add chopped tomatoes, boiled onions, cashews, cardamoms and yogurt (optional). Blend them to make a very smooth puree without adding water.
• Press saute button on the instant pot and pour oil. Do not let the pot become too hot. Add bay leaf, cinnamon and ginger garlic (to a side into the oil). Saute for 30 seconds.
• Pour the onion tomato puree. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, coriander powder and garam masala.
• Saute until the mixture turns slightly thicker and aromatic. Cover with an external lid to avoid splatters. This step takes about 5 minutes. Press cancel button.
• Pour 1 cup water and deglaze the pot well. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release valve to sealing.
• Press pressure cook button (low) & set the timer to 5 mins. If you want to put your rice together, soak basmati rice for 30 mins and drain the water. Place the rice bowl over a trivet and pour hot water.
• When the IP is done, wait for 6 to 7 minutes & then release the rest of the pressure manually.
• Stir the gravy. Add green peas and cook for 2 minutes. (If you are using fresh peas, you will need to boil them separately and then add here.) To avoid splatters, cover the pot when you cook.
• Taste test and add more salt if needed. If the curry is runny, cook it on saute mode for a few minutes.
• Add kasuri methi, cream and paneer. Stir and Press cancel. Remove the steel insert carefully & cover the pot immediately. Let matar paneer rest for 10 minutes.

MATAR PANEER

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm ¼ cup of the ghee. Add the cardamom and coriander and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until they have lightly browned. Stir in the onion, ginger, and chile and cook until the onion is translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are wilted, 5 to 6 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the cooled tomato mixture to a blender and blend into a chunky sauce-it should resemble baby food. If the mixture isn't blending well, add a few drops of water to get it going. Set the sauce aside.
• In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn a medium shade of brown, about 1 minute max. Reduce the heat to low and add the bay leaves, turmeric, and asafetida (if using). Pour the sauce into the pan, add the salt, and mix well. Add the paneer, peas, and 1 cup water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the peas are warmed through and have nicely comingled with the paneer and Serve sauce. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Garnish with the cilantro.

MUTTAR PANEER

Steps:

• Heat the oil a large skillet and add the paneer cubes, in 2 batches, and fry until they are golden. Remove the golden cubes to a double thickness of kitchen towel. (It is possible to dry fry the paneer cubes in the pan with no oil, to avoid the oil splashing you. Then continue with the recipe below.)
• Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil out of the pan. Put the onion, garlic cloves, and ginger into a food processor and blitz to a coarse pulp. Fry gently for about 5 minutes with a sprinkling of salt. Stir in the garam masala and turmeric and cook for another 2 minutes before adding the still frozen peas.
• Dissolve the tomato puree in the vegetable stock and pour over the contents of the pan. Stir again and turn the heat down to low, cover with foil or a lid and cook for 15 minutes, tasting to check that the peas are tender. You can cook muttar paneer up to this stage, if you like, uncovering and then reheating gently with the diced, oil-crisped cheese, or proceed directly now.
• In which case, take off the foil and add the paneer cubes to warm them through before serving.

MATTAR PANEER

Steps:

• Heat oil and fry paneer cubes till they turn golden brown. Set aside.
• In a separate pot, heat oil (or ghee) and mustard and cumin seeds, until they turn color and sputter.
• Add chopped onions, ginger and garlic and cook until onions soften.
• Add tomato, salt, sugar, and cook till the tomatoes soften.
• Then add garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric powder coriander powder and cumin powder.
• Add the water and stir it in, using your discretion depending on how dry the dish is. If you added too much water, just let it simmer away until much of it evaporates - you want your tomatoes soft anyway.
• Add the peas.
• Cook just until the peas are tender.
• Pour in the cream, mix, and add the paneer and let simmer on medium heat for the paneer to absorb the flavors.
• Garnish with cilantro.

MATTAR PANEER - INDIAN PEAS WITH PANEER CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet and saute the paneer in batches (add more oil if necessary), until lightly browned, and drain on paper toweling.
• In a large pan, heat the 3 tbsp oil or ghee and cook the onion, ginger and garlic until the onion is tender, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook until the spices become fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice.
• Add the paneer, water, and peas and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce is thick and smooth.
• Garnish with cilantro before serving.