Mattar Paneer - Cottage Cheese with Green Peas

 Lately I have been listening to this gorgeous lady from a Facebook page called "Papa Mummy Kitchen".  The hostess talks in Hindi, is always beautifully dressed and is so efficient and thorough in the kitchen. I tried this recipe since I had all the ingredients handy. I didn't manage to get the colour she achieved, but the taste is good. 

You have probably had this dish in your local Indian restaurant - it is made from green peas and Indian cottage cheese called paneer. Paneer is made from cows milk that has been split by using lime juice or vinegar.  When the milk splits, the curds are separated with a muslin cloth and weighed down to make a block of cheese.  

You could go to your local Indian grocer and buy a block of cheese about 250 grams for approximately AUD 7.00  The rest of the ingredients are all easily available and if you can make some chappaties to go with the main dish, that would be great.  Or you can do what I did and get some "roti chanai" also called parotta to serve with your mattar paneer.  By the way, mattar means green peas and paneer is cottage cheese in Hindi.

Ingredients:

250 grams Indian cottage cheese (Paneer), cut into 1 inch squares.

1 cup  - frozen green peas (packed)

2-3 small tomatoes, scored at the top and bottom with a cross

1 red onion, peeled and halved

1 red onion, sliced into roundels

4-5 green chillies (reduce the number if you do not want your curry to be hot)

1 inch piece of ginger, chopped roughly

4 -5 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons ghee

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves (called methi, and available from the Indian grocer)

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon fresh cream

1/2 teaspoon sugar

chopped coriander - a handful, for garnish (note:  I have not added it)

salt to taste

Method:

In a saucepan, add 1 cup water, the halved onion, green chillies, tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Boil the water and let the skin of the tomatoes start to peel. Now add the green peas and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain the water and reserve it. Place the cooked green peas into ice water so that it retains its colour.

Next, peel the skin off the tomatoes. Place it into a blender along with the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic.  Blitz it to a smooth paste.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat two teaspoons of ghee and sauté the onions that you cut into roundels.  Make sure you cook it just enough so it becomes translucent.  Remove the onions and set it aside.

In the same saucepan, add the cut paneer pieces and sauté for a minute to a minute and a half - just as soon as it starts to look toasted, get the pieces off the pan and place them in a bowl of cold water. This helps to keep the paneer pieces soft and spongy later.

In a large saucepan, add a tablespoon of oil. When it gets hot, add the cumin seeds.  when it sizzles, add the tomato/onion paste you made before.  Cook for a while - like 6 - 8 minutes till the gravy gets thick and the oil starts to ooze off the sides.  Add the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and salt to taste.  Add the chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.

Next add the dried fenugreek leaves and the cup of reserved water from the cooked vegetables and mix well and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the cheese pieces and add them in along with the onion pieces cut into roundels. Next, add the garam masala.  Cook for a minute or two and lastly add the drained green peas. Mix well and cook for a further minute.  Garnish with a tablespoon of cream.  You can also add chopped coriander at this stage. I did not have it at home, so I did not add it.

The gravy will have drops of oil floating on the top - and that is when you know you have cooked it the right way.  Serve hot with rotis, Lebanese bread, chapattis or roti chanai.