Matar Paneer - without onion and garlic

This dish is a common unfailing tried and tested in every Paneer loving family. Kids, husband want something special when nothing much is available make “Matar Paneer”, guests coming – make “Matar Paneer”, got bored of usual dal roti - make “Matar Paneer”. Mommy teaching daughter cooking, among the first’s - make “Matar Paneer”. So your see the list of “let’s make Matar Paneer” is un-exhaustible. Every household has different version consisting of these two humble ingredients- Matar / Peas and Paneer/ Cottage cheese. Mine is the version that does not contain Onion or Garlic.

Preparation time- 5 min

Cooking time- 15 min

Ingredients-

Paneer / Cottage Cheese – 250 gm

Peas / matar- 250 gm / 1 cup

Ginger- ½ inch

Tomatoes- 2

Green chili- 2

Vegetable oil- ½ tsp

Ghee (clarified butter) / butter- 1 tbsp

Bay leaf-1

Sugar- pinch

Green cardamom- 1 pod

Turmeric powder- ½ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Kashmiri  lal mirch / kashmiri or deggi mirch powder – ½ tsp

Cream (optional)

Method-

Grind ginger, tomato and green chili to a smooth paste. Keep aside. If using fresh green peas then wash them and soften them slightly by boiling them in a pan of hot water with salt for 3-4 minutes. If using frozen peas defrost them and add them to a pan of salted hot water. Cover and keep aside. Meanwhile in a pan add oil, and then add butter or ghee. When hot enough add bay leaf, cardamom pod and sugar. Stir and then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, stir so as to avoid burning of the spices. Add the pureed mixture of ginger and tomato slowly as you are adding liquid directly to hot oil/ butter. Sauté for 2-3 minutes till the oil separates, and then add drained green peas.  Add salt ,cover the pan with lid and cook for 5- 10 minutes. Cut paneer into small cubes ( at this stage if you prefer fired paneer then deep fry it ghee/ oil for 1 minutes, this makes them crispier) and add to the cooked matar gravy. Cook it uncovered for 2-3 minutes, remove from flame and add cream if desired. Garnish with coriander and serve with chapatti, Parantha, poori , Pulav as per your wish.