Mutter Paneer - green peas and indian cheese

This is one of mine and my husbands favourite curry's!! It really is a quite a master piece, even if i do say so!! ;-)

It is originally a Punjabi dish so it is ment to be really rich, creamy and buttery, but i have made it slightly healthier so that it can be eaten as an everyday meal.

Mutter paneer tastes absolutely delicious with naan, chapatti's, pickle and pappad.

Ingredients:-

1 block of paneer - cubed (indian cheese) Gently and lightly fried (optional)
1 1/2 cup of frozen green peas

To be blended together:-

3 tbs cashew nuts - soaked in boiling water 1/2 hour
1 small onion
1 inch fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves

Other:-
2 tbs oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
3 bay leaves
3 tbs fenugreek leaves (methi)
3 tbs fresh coriander (hari dhania)
220g tin of tomatoes
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2- 1 tsp Punjabi garam masala or normal.
1 tsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup fresh yogurt, or 1/4 cup cream
fresh coriander to garnish.

Directions:-

1)Heat the oil in a pan on a medium to high heat.

2)Add the cumin seeds and the hing and stir fry for a for second before adding the bay leaves. Fry for just a moment.

3)Add the onion paste and fry for about 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture has turned a few shades darker.

4)Add the tomatoes and the leaves and cook until all of the tomatoes have mixed into a paste and the oil separates.

5)Add a splash of water and also all of the powdered spices. Cook for a minute or so.

6)Add the sugar and salt, mix well. Then add the green peas and cook for a couple of minutes with out a lid, making sure that you give it a little stir to prevent it from sticking.

7)Add the paneer and cook for about 10-15 minutes to ensure that all of the spices and flavors have developed and intermingled.

6)Add the butter and the cream, but cook for no more that a minute, otherwise the butter will split and become grainy.

7)Garnish with coriander and spot small drops of the cream onto the curry as decoration.

Serve with naan or chapattis or garlic, chilli and coriander naan. Very nice sprinkled with spring onion... Enjoy

Please feel free to leave comments for my learning journey.