matar paneer spiced and creamy curry with peas and cottage cheese

Author: dassana
Recipe type: main
Cuisine: north indian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
main ingredients:
200-250 gms paneer/cottage cheese
1 cup peas or matar fresh or frozen
2 to 21/2 cups water
tsp turmeric powder/haldi
tsp red chili powder
tsp punjabi garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 or 3 tbsp oil or ghee
a few coriander leaves for garnishing
salt as required
sugar as required and optional (check notes)
ingredients for the masala paste:
3 medium sized ripe red tomatoes, chopped
1 medium to large onion, chopped
1 green chili, chopped
inch ginger, chopped
2-3 garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander, chopped
5-6 whole cashews, chopped
Instructions
1. blend all the ingredients mentioned under masala paste in a small grinder or blender to a smooth paste. keep aside.
2. heat oil or ghee. add tsp cumin seeds. add the masala paste.
3. fry for 6-7 minutes on a medium flame till the oil separates from the paste.
4. add all the dry spice powders and stir. add the peas or matar, water and salt.
5. pressure cook till the matar/peas are cooked. (check notes below on how to cook in a pan.)
6. when the pressure drops on its own, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
7. add the paneer cubes. simmer for 2-3 minutes or till the paneer cubes get cooked.
8. dont overcook as the paneer becomes dense and hard then.
9. garnish matar paneer with coriander leaves.
10. serve matar paneer with rotis, parathas, naan or rice.
Notes
1. if making matar paneer recipe in a pan, then first fry the masala paste in the pan. add the dry spice powders and stir.
add the matar/peas, salt and about 21/2 cups water. close the pan and cook the peas till they become soft. if the curry
dries up whilst cooking, add more water.
2. if the tomatoes are tart, then sweeten the gravy by adding some sugar.