Matter Paneer Masala / Green Peas Paneer Curry

This North Indian curry made with mutter ( Green peas) and Paneer is probably the most frequently ordered dish in Indian restaurants.    Every home cook will have their own version for this gravy with few minor changes.  My recipe is very simple and you can make this very easily.

Ingredients:

Frozen Peas (or) Fresh Green Peas -   1 cup

Paneer (diced) -                              1 cup

Grated carrot   -                              2 tbsp.

Organic tomato sauce –                   ½ cup

Diced tomatoes -                            1no

Green chilies (diced) -                      2 no

Ginger paste   -                               1 tbsp.

 Gram Masalas

 Broken Cinnamon stick   -                 1 no

Bay leaves   -                                  1no.

Big cardamom –                               1no

Kashmiri chili powder –                      1 1/2 tsp.

Coriander powder –                           1tsp.

Pav bhaji masala powder -                  1tsp.

Other ingredients

Cooking Oil   -                                  2tbsp.

Water              -                              1 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Heavy cream    -                             3 tbsp.

Chopped Coriander leaves –               for garnishing.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and gently stir-fry the cubes of Paneer till golden. Remove onto a paper towel and keep aside.
• In the same oil crackle the bay leaf and cinnamon &, cardamom pieces.
• Now add ginger paste, green chilies and tomato pieces and fry for few second. Then add all masala powders and tomato sauce.
• Let it fry, stirring continuously till the oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Pour in a glass of water; add the peas, grated carrot. Cover and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Then add the Paneer, water and salt, reduce flame to a simmer and cook till the gravy thickens.
• When the gravy is as thick, turn off the flame and stir in the cream.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, cream and serve hot.
• Mutter Paneer tastes great with naans, parathas, and fried rice.

Paneer Tikka & Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka is an Indian dish made from chunks of Paneer marinated in spices and grilled in a tandoori. It is a popular dish that is widely available in Indian Restaurants. Chunks of Paneer, are marinated in spices and are then arranged on a stick with capsicums, and tomatoes. These sticks are grilled in a tandoor and the dish is thereafter served hot, seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala. When Paneer Tikka is served with gravy, it is called Paneer Tikka masala.  I made it at home and it came out very well.   It can be made in the oven, on the stove top or in a Tandoor. Here I cooked it in the Electric Skillet.

Ingredients

 Paneer cubes      -                                  2 cups

Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum                      1 no

Tomato                                                 1 no

(Cut Paneer and Veggies into 1” square pieces)

Butter                                                  1tsp

Ajwain                                                   1/4tsp.

Satay bamboo sticks                               few

For the Marinade

Ginger pastes                                        1 tbsp.

Mustard paste                                       ½ tsp.   

Thick Yogurt                                         1/4 cup

Kashmiri Red chili powder                      1 tsp.

Gram masala                                       1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder                                  1/4tsp.

Lemon juice                                       2tsp.

Besan                                                1 tsp.

Corn flour                                          1tbsp.

Oil                                                     1tbsp

 Sugar                                                ½ tsp.

Salt                                                    to taste.         

For Garnish

Coriander leaves

Lemon Juice

Chat masala                                     3 pinches

For Garnish

Method For the Tikkas

• Heat the butter in a pan, put Ajwain, besan flour. Roast it till you get nutty flavor. Mix it with corn flour. Add little water and Blend it well.  Keep aside.
• Take a bowl, add besan mixture, curd, red chili powder, gram masala, sugar, mustard paste  and salt.
• Heat one teaspoon of oil, add turmeric powder in it.  Add it to above mixture. Blend whole thing very well.
• Mix Paneer cubes, capsicum cubes and tomato cubes into the marinade mixture.  Mix it very well. And leave it  in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Soak the satay sticks in the cold water for ½ an hour.
• Arrange the marinated vegetables and Paneer on a skewer. Grill it in a tawa/skillet, until slightly golden brown.
• Sprinkle with chaat masala, coriander leaves and lemon juice over the Paneer Tikka and serve as appetizer  .

Method for the Paneer Tikka Masala:

Ingredients For Tikka Masala

Marinade Paneer and vegetables

Tomato puree                                       1 1/2 cup

Butter                                                  1 Tsp.

Ginger Paste                                         1 Tsp.

Tandoori masala                                    1 Tsp.

Bay leaves                                            2 nos

Salt                                                      To taste

Sugar                                                   1 Tsp.

Cream (optional)                                   2 Tbsp.

Freshly crushed cardamoms & cloves      1 tbsp.

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method for Masala

• Heat the oil in skillet on a medium heat. Put marinated Paneer in it, and gently stir-fry for about five minutes until Paneer becomes light brown.   Take out the Paneer and keep aside.
• Heat the butter in a same skillet. Add bay leaves and ginger paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add the marinated capsicum and tomatoes pieces and sauté for few minutes.
• Now add the tomato puree, tandoori masala, cream (optional), crushed cardamoms, salt ,and sugar ,and cook until oil separated (medium slow flame).
• Add the stir-fry Paneer in the tomato gravy and let it cook for 5 minutes on low medium heat.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Pulao, Naan, Pulkas

Paneer Makhani – Butter Paneer Masala

 Paneer Butter Masala / Paneer Makhani is well known dish in Indian cuisine. Paneer cooked in rich gravy with tomatoes, butter and cream. Paneer Butter Masala is similar to other Paneer gravies, except that as the name implies, it is richer due to butter and the gravy is thickened by using tomatoes and cashew paste rather than just cream. .It’s really yummy.

 Making this recipe is might differ from region to region and even from one household to another. Some like to fry and brown the Paneer, while some use it raw. Here I marinated the Paneer and baked it in the oven for few minutes and also I used already precooked Mahani sauce. (When machani sauce in hand, you can make this gravy any time). In this recipe , I used very less butter, because of health reasons. If you want  and buttery sauce , you can add more butter.

Ingredients:

For Paneer Preparation: 

Paneer cubes                               – 2 cups

Thick yogurt (curd)                         – 2 tbsp.

Kashmir red chili powder                  – 1 tsp. (Its gives you color)

Salt                                             – a pinch

Kasuthuri Methi Powder                   – ¼ tsp.

Red color                                       – 1 drop (optional)

Oil                                                  - 1 tsp.

Method: 

• Whisk the yogurt, salt, chili powder, kasuri Methi powder. Add oil in it. Mix well.
• Add Paneer cubes to the bowl and toss for the marinade to coat the Paneer, keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven at 350 degree. On an oven prove tray, place aluminum foil and place the Paneer and bake for 6 minutes and turn them over and again bake it for 4 minutes. Set aside. 
• Now Paneer is ready. 

For the sauce:

Ingredients:

Makhani Sauce                - 1 ½ cup (without  cream)

Makhani Sauce

Chopped capsicums          – 1cup

Ginger paste                   – 1tsp.

Oil/Butter                          – 1tsp.

Cloves, Cardamom                – 2 each

Water –                              1 cup

Cream                                   – ½ cup

Sugar                                 – 1 tbsp.

Kasuthuri methi Powder            – 1tsp

Salt                                     to taste

To be grind:

Cashews                             – 1 tbsp.

Khuskhus                             – 1 tbsp.

Almonds                                – 1 tbsp.

Method for Paneer Makhani 

• Soak the cashews, almonds and khuskhus in a hot water for ½ hour. Then drain the water and grind it very smoothly.  Keep aside.
• Dry fry the cloves and cardamoms and grind coarsely.
• Heat butter in a pan, add ginger paste and fry for few seconds, then add chopped capsicums n it and saute for few minutes. Keep aside.
• Take a deep pan, add Makhani Sauce, add little water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat.
• Add the powdered dry masalas, capsicums, sugar in it, and cook it in low heat.
• Now add Paneer cubes, cashew paste, and kasuri powder and salt in it. Mix it gently.
• Add little water and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes in a low heat. Now add cream gently in the mixture and cook it for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Now Yummy Paneer Makhani is ready.
• Serve with Nan, Pulao, Pulka.

PUDINA PULAO

Instead of making just Pudina rice I thought why not make Pudina Pulav (Mint Pulav). Yesterday I bought a perfectly fresh and beautiful Mint from the Indian store.  So I made this tasty pulao with mint leaves.

Ingredients

Basmati rice                          2 cups

Water                                – 2 ½ cup

Chopped carrot                   – 2 tbsp.

Green peas                          – 4 tbsp.

Salt                                      to taste

For Grinding:

 Chopped Fresh mint leaves     1 1/2 cups

Green Chilies                       – 4 no

Ginger Paste                         1tsp

Seasonings:

Ghee                                 – 4 tbsp.

Bay leaves                         – 1 no

Green Cardamom                 – 2 no

Black Pepper                      - few

Cloves                             – 4 no

Cinnamon sticks                – 2 no

For Garnishing

Ghee                                – 1tsp

Raisins                             – 2 tsp.

Cashew nuts                     – 1tbsp

 Fried Paneer                     - 1 tbsp. (optional)

Mint leaves                         - few

METHOD

• Soak the basmati rice in water for an hour.  After an hour, drain it and keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a pan and fry all garnishing items (except mint leaves) and keep aside.
• Wash and chop the mint leaves. Reserve a few mint leaves for garnish.
• Take mint leaves, green chilies, and ginger in a mixer. Add a pinch of salt and blend to fine consistency without adding any water. Keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Add bay leaves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cloves and peppercorns and saute till fragrant.
• Now, add the pureed mint-green chili- paste. Fry until the mint paste changes color from bright green to light-green color. Take care not to burn/brown the masala paste
• Now add the basmati rice in it and fry for two minutes.
• Put it in the rice cooker vessel, add hot water, and salt. Cook it.
• When rice gets almost cooked adds the sautéed green peas and carrot pieces in it and cooks it.
• When rice is cooked add the fried Paneer. Mix with fork, so that the rice retains its shape and does not get smashed.
• Transfer the rice to the plate and decorate with nuts, and cilantro and mint.
• Serve hot with Raita.

Kadai Paneer (Paneer and colorful bell peppers are sautéed in spicy tomato gravy)

Kadai Paneer is a great main dish for any special occasion. Kadai Paneer has an irresistible flavor with the blend of Green Bell Peppers, dried fenugreek leaves and the cardamom. Very healthy and nutritious dish, as it consumes very less fat and no cream. This dish is my all-time favorite and whenever we go to an Indian restaurant I always order this. I love the way in which Indian curries are served in a cute copper Kadai in restaurants. Getting one such Kadai, tops my list of to-buy items during my next visit to India. It is very easy to make when you follow the steps. Try my recipe and give me your feedback.

Ingredients:

 Paneer –                                           ½ pound

 Big Green bell pepper                 -         1 no

Sweet Peppers -                                 1 cup (Chopped Length wise)

Tomato                                             – 1 no

Green chilies                                     – 2 no

Organic Tomato Sauce                         – ½ - ¾ tin

Dry fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi)    – 1 tsp.

Cooking Oil    –                                   3 tbsp

Salt                                                 – to taste

Masala  - coarsely grounded

Coriander seeds                               -   3 tsp.

Whole red chilies                                – 3 no

 Green Cardamon                                - 2 no

Masalas

Chili powder                                     – 1 tsp.

Turmeric powder                               – ¼ tsp.

 For Decoration

Coriander leaves -                               2 tbsp

Preparation

Cut Paneer, Tomatoes and all chilies into ½ inch lengthwise pieces. Keep aside.

 Kadai Sauce:

• Put red chilies,cardamoms and coriander leaves into a blender and blend for about 20 seconds until you have a coarse powder.
• Put 3 tbsp. of oil into a frying pan to heat over a hot flame. Add the coarsely powder to the frying pan. Stir turn down to a low heat and leave to fry for about three minutes.
• Now add tomato sauce to the pan. Turn the flame up to a high flame and cook for further two minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Turn down to a low heat and add chili and turmeric powder.  Cook till all masala raw smell goes away.

Paneer& Capsicum: 

• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat . Add Paneer and fry about 3 minutes. Then carefully take the Paneer out of the pan and put it in the bowl of warm water.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the Paneer pieces. Fry for few minutes until a bit golden. Then add the chopped peppers and tomato pieces. Fry in medium flame for about 3 minutes.

 Mix:

• Add a little water in already prepared Kadai sauce and boil it. Keep stirring until it comes to the boil.  Now add Kasoori Methi  in it.  Cook it in a medium heat.
• Wait till gravy comes to boil, add Paneer bell pepper  mixture and salt , let it simmer for about five minutes on low medium heat.
• Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with Naan, Pulka, and Pulao

Homemade Paneer

Indian cheese is a treasure of nutrition. It is easy to digest and can be used in a number of preparations and is used in most Indian homes. It can be used in sweets, savories, and in gravies of dishes too. Indian cheese is a rich source of calcium. This helps in building strong teeth and bones. Paneer has the health benefit of preventing osteoporosis, which is a curse of old age. Equally interesting is the fact that Paneer helps prevent stomach disorders in people as they grow older.

Paneer also happens to be one of the easiest cheeses to make at home, requiring nothing more than milk and lemon juice. Here's how!

Ingredients:

Whole or 2% milk                                – 1 gallon

Lemon Juice                                       – 3 tbsp

Special Equipment:

a colander or strainer

Cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel

Method:

• Take a heavy bottom vessel and boil milk. Keep an eye on it because it can boil over very quickly.
• When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
•  Stir until milk separates completely separates into curds and whey, if it doesn't seem to be separating completely, add another tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Immediately add about 10-12 ice cubes and turn off flame. Leave aside for 3-4 mts
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined colander. When it's cool enough to handle, gather the corners of the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as you can.
• Leave aside for 30  minutes. Remove the Paneer (Chenna) into a bowl.
• Now knead it gently for 4 minutes till there is no trace of moisture and is absolutely soft on touch.

Palak Paneer

When I was a kid, my mom told me ,spinach was good for me. When is Mom ever wrong? Spinach offers twice as much fiber as other greens. So when you want a salad that's going to fill you up, go for the spinach variety. Spinach is a nutrition superstar, even a fairly good source of iron. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals, some of which are hard to find in other foods.

The A and C vitamins in spinach plus the fiber, folic acid, magnesium and other nutrients help control cancer, especially colon, lung and breast cancers. Foliate also lowers the blood levels of something called homocysteine, a protein that damages arteries. So spinach also helps protect against heart disease.  You want to know more details about Palak, please see the link :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinach

Palak Paneer (Hindi: पालक पनीर, Urdu: پالک پنیر) is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of spinach and Paneer cheese in a curry sauce. It is a popular vegetarian dish.  My version of Palak Paneer:

Ingredients:

Spinach                                     – 2 large bunches

Paneer                                    – 250gms, cubed

Green chillies                              – 4 no

Ginger Paste                              -   1 tbsp

Lemon Juice                                 - 1tbsp

Cumin seed                                  - ¼ tsp

Cream                                         – 1 tablespoon (optional)

Salt                                            – to taste

Oil                                              – 2 teaspoons

Sugar                                           – 1 tsp

 Chilled water                             A large bowl

Coarsely Powdered:
(Cinnamon, Cardamom,Cloves)          1 tsp

Method:

• Remove stems and wash the spinach thoroughly.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to a running boil. Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water for two minutes. Do not cover the pan.
• Strain the spinach and transfer it into bowl of chilled water and refresh it.
• Grind spinach into a fine paste along with green chillies and ginger paste. If you want the spinach puree thicker, blend a couple of seconds only.
• Slightly dry fry the masalas and powder it. Keep aside.
• Dice Paneer into one inch by one inch by half inch pieces. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change color, add masala powder and fry for few minutes. Add the spinach puree and stir. Add a dash of salt
• Remember that spinach has its own natural salt so the dish needs relatively little top-up.
• As soon as the gravy comes to a boil, add the Paneer, sugar and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Stir a couple of times – very gently, you don’t want the Paneer to crumble. Add water if required.
• Before switch off add  lemon juice and cream (optional)
• Serve piping hot with chapatis,Pulka

Paneer Bhurji

     Always Paneer is a family favorite. Paneer bhurji is a vegetarian version of egg bhurji. This bhurji is good for vegetable roll. This one is the easiest to make among all the other Paneer dishes.

Ingredients-

Paneer                                      2 cups crumbled

Ginger paste                              1 tbsp

Green chillies                             3 finely chopped

Tomato                                     1 no (chopped  finely)

Sweet peppers                           ½ cup (chopped finely)

Salt-                                          to taste

Coriander powder                        ½ tsp

Red chili powder                         ¼ tsp

Fresh Garam masala                    1 tsp

 Butter/Oil                                  2 tsp

Jeera-                                       1 tsp

Coriander leaves-                      Chopped fine to garnish

Method-

• Heat Butter in a frying pan. Add the Jeera followed by ginger, and green chillies.
• Then add the sweet peppers and sauté for few minutes.
• Add the, salt, coriander powder and garam masala and chili powder and tomatoes.
• Fry till they are soft and pulpy. Now add the crumbled Paneer and mix well.
• Fry for 5 minutes till the Paneer blends into the masala.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Paneer Bhurji

Peas and Paneer Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice                     -  2 cups
Water                               - 2 1/2 cup

Green Peas -                       1 cup
Carrot                                - 1/4 cup

Cardamon                              3nos

Cinnamon -                            1 " piece

Cloves                                 - 4 nos

Black Peppercorns                 - 8 nos

Ghee                                   - 1/4 cup

Dry fruits                             - 1/4 cup

 Fried Paneer                         1/2 cup

Cilantro                            -  for decoration

Saffron                               -  a pinch

Mint                                   - few leaves

Salt                                      to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak the rice for  35 minutes . Drain it
• Saute the green peas . Keep aside
• Heat the ghee in wok add the whole spices  When it splutters, add the rice and fry well.
• Put it in the rice cooker vessel, add hot water , saffron and salt . Cook it.
• When rice gets almost cooked add the sauted green peas in it and cook it.
• When rice is cooked add the fried paneer . Mix with fork, so that the rice retains its shape and does not get smashed.
• Transfer the rice to the plate and decorate with nuts ,  and cilantro and mint.
• Serve hot with Raita

Kashmiri Pulao

The Kashmiri Pulao is a very tempting recipe from the Kashmiri cuisine. Although it is a deep cold region high in the Himalayas, Kashmir lies along the ancient overland trade routes between Persia and India, and the cuisine is famous for using a huge assortment of nuts and dried fruits from all over Central and Western Asia.

Paddy took me to a fancy restaurant called “Subhikha” in Cochin. First time in my life I enjoyed this pulao. It was so yummy. That day onwards I am very crazy about this fancy pulao.  Whenever I am tired to make same food, I always prefer to make  this pulao and Dum Aloo for a change. This pulao is all time favorites for me and Paddy.  This recipe is long time due. Here you go…

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice                              – 2 cups

Milk -                                        1 1/2 cups

Water                                       – ¼ cup

Fruit water _                                 ¼ cups (drained from mixed fruit can)

Cream                                       – ¼ cup

Paneer cubes                            – 4 no (optinal)

Ghee                                        – 4 tbsp

Saffron-                                        3-4 strands (soaked in ½ tbsp of milk)

Ginger paste                               – 1tsp

Rose water                                – 2 drops (2 - 3 Edible Rose Petals)

Sugar                                        - 1/2 tsp

Fruits& vegetables:

Apple                                       – ½ (Peeled and cut small pieces)

Mixed Fruit can                          – 1 ( drain )

Chopped carrot                          – ¼ cup

Green chillies                             – 2 no (split lengthwise)

Green Peas                                – ½ cup

Nuts:

Raisins                                       –3 tbsp

Cashew nuts                              – 2 tbsp

Pistachio nuts                             – 2 tbsp

Almonds, blanched and diced          2 tbsp

Masalas:

Cloves                                       – 5 no

Green cardamom                       - 4 pods

Cinnamon                                 – 1’’

Bay leaves                                 -2 no

Cumin seed                              – ½ tsp 

Method:

• Wash rice and soak it for 30 minutes.  Drain rice and keep it aside. 
• Soak the strands of saffron in milk, mixing until the milk turns orange.  Keep aside.
• In the meanwhile take a bowl and mix milk, cream, sugar and salt in it.  Keep aside.
• Now, take a pan and heat ghee in it. Put ginger paste,  green chilies,cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamoms and cloves in it and fry for few minutes. 
• When the seeds start to crackle, add rice and fry in ghee for 2 minutes.
• Add milk, saffron and cream mixture to it along with ¼cup water, fruit juice (drained from fruit tin) and mix well. Shift to Rice cooker. Let it cook. Make sure that the rice is not overcooked and it can be separated too.
• In meanwhile take a pan heat the ghee add vegetables and fry for few minutes. Keep aside.
• Fry all the nuts in the ghee and keep aside.
• Peel and cut apple very small pieces. Keep aside.
• Pour the cooked rice into the pan and add vegetables, fried Paneer (optional), fried nuts, and apple pieces. Stir very carefully so as not to break or mash up the rice grains.
• Now, gently mix it in drained fruit and sprinkle Rose Water or finely broken rose petals over it. 
• Serve hot with Aloo Dum, Fruit Raita.

Note: Add more ghee according to your preference.

Kashmiri Pulao