September 27, 2013

Matar Paneer (Gravy with heavy cream)

Undoubtedly, one of the mouth-watering & delicious gravies, that pairs up well with roti / rice varieties.



Basic Info
Complexity - Medium
Prep time - 25 mins
Cook time - 30 mins
Serves - 3-4

Ingredients
Bay leaf - 1 no
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom pods - 1 no
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 no (chopped)
Tomatoes - 2-3 nos (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
Garlic - 2 cloves (minced)
Green chilly - 1 no (vertically slit)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp

Frozen Peas - 1 cup
Paneer cubes - 1 cup (more or less)

Kasoori methi - 1/2 tbsp
Heavy cream - 1/4 cup
Cilantro - 1-2 tbsp (chopped)

Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp + 1 tbsp

Method
Heat a tbsp of oil and shallow-fry paneer cubes until golden brown on all sides. Drain the fried paneer onto a kitchen towel and set it aside.

In the same pan, heat 2 tsp of oil. When hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom seeds and fry them until fragrant. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add green chilli, ginger, garlic, onion and saute until onion changes color. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are soft. After it cools, use a blender and blend it into a smooth paste without adding water.

Transfer the ground paste back to the pan, and add peas, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and let it boil until the raw smell of the powders are gone. Add heavy cream, crushed kasoori methi, fried paneer cubes and let it simmer for a minute.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice/roti.



Notes
- If using fresh peas, you might have to pressure cook it separately before adding to the gravy.
- If you are not using fresh cream, soak 6-8 nos of cashews in a tsp of milk and grind it into fine paste. Add this cashew paste & 1/8 cup of milk in place of heavy cream.