Paneer Mattar (Cottage Cheese with peas)

INGREDIENTS:

250 gms fresh paneer chopped in cubes and lightly fried in butter or ghee .
1 cup fresh peas boiled in a double boiler for 10 minutes or till soft in slightly salted water  or pressure cooked for 5 minutes
2 onions ground to paste
1/4 cup oil
4 green chillies
2 bay leaves
2 tsps garlic paste
2 tomatoes ground to paste or tomato puree from the store
1/4 tsp Everest garam masala
1/4 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp zeera powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or according to ur taste
1/2 tsp pepper powder or according to ur taste
1/2 tsp kasuri methi (dried Fenugreek leaves)
1/2 tsp salt  - or according to ur taste
2 tbsps curd
1 tbsp  Tomato sauce
A pinch of color - optional
1 tbsp cashew paste
1 cup fresh cream
One handful fresh coriander leaves
1 cube salted butter

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add onion paste ,bay leaves and sliced green chillies and fry well till golden.

2)  Add garlic paste, fry well and then add all the spices along with tomato paste / puree and salt and chilli / pepper powder. Let this mixture cook fry well for about 5 minutes .

3) Add curd and cook well till the oil stands out in the gravy. Add the boiled peas and cook for  2 minutes .

4)  Add salted butter , kasuri methi , check for salt and chilli favour, add if necessary. 

5) Then add cashew paste and cream , tomato sauce, pinch of color and cook for another 2 minutes . Add the  lightly  fried paneer cubes , fresh coriander leaves and cook for 1 minute or till oil comes up.

6)  Serve hot with Bread/ Roti/Naan/ Rice.

RATING NOTES:

              DIFFICULTY LEVEL    :   EASY

              RATING  POINTS         :    9/10**

**  For a healthier dish, instead of frying the Paneer cubes, you can boil  2 cups of water and immerse the paneer in it for 10 minutes before adding into the gravy.

** Sliced Capsicum strips can also be added in step 3 along with the peas to enhance the taste.