Peas curry recipes for weeknight dinners

Matar PANEER

INGREDIENTS

200 g paneer | 1 cup peas | 2–3 tablespoons fresh cream |1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste |¼ teaspoon turmeric powder |1 teaspoon red chilli powder |½ teaspoon coriander powder |½ teaspoon garam masala powder | 1 tablespoon coriander leaves | Salt to taste

TO TEMPER:

1 tablespoon oil | 1 teaspoon ghee | 1 teaspoon shahi jeera (you can use cumin seeds too)

TO GRIND

2 medium-sized onions |4 medium-sized tomatoes | 1 clove | 10 cashews | 1 cardamom | 1-inch cinnamon stick | 10 peppercorns

HOW TO MAKE

To a mixer jar, add onion, tomato, cashews, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and peppercorns.

Grind to a fine paste without adding water. The paste should be smooth. Set aside.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Add shahi jeera and let it splutter. Then add ginger-garlic paste.

Sauté for a minute.

Add the onion-tomato paste.

Rinse the mixer jar with ½ cup water and add it to the cooker.

Give a quick mix and boil well until the raw smell leaves. This may take around 10–12 minutes.

Once the oil separates and the raw smell is gone, it’s ready.

Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and required salt.

Mix quickly and let it boil for 2 minutes. The curry will start to thicken.

Add green peas along with ¼ cup water.

Mix well. Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. Switch off.

Open the cooker and switch on the flame again. Give it a quick mix.

Add cubed paneer.

Mix well and boil for a minute.

Add fresh cream, garam masala, crushed kasoori methi, and coriander leaves.

The curry will now turn creamy. Give a final mix and switch off.