I am all for elaborate gourmet meals. But, lets face it. You cannot do that every single day!! I have realized one thing though, when it comes to home cooking…women all over the world and particularly in India are adept at doling out delicacies at hats drop! As far as Indian vegetarian cooking goes, I think Mutter Paneer is like the Holy Grail go to dish for many restaurants. fresh Cottage cheese,along with vibrant green peas. Merged, become one- in a delicious lip smacking tomato based gravy-the tanginess of tomatoes, the tickle of spices…and the amazing textural contrast on cottage cheese and peas!! No wonder it is a favorite of many 🙂
There are truckloads…and then some more versions of how to make this dish. I am sharing with you the version which to me, is the easiest and the quickest. When you come back home from office,or even genrally are too tired…and some one requests you…you can whip this bad boy up in a jiffy 😉
Ingredients :
1 Large Onion roughly chopped
1 inch of ginger chopped
2 green chillies chopped
3-4 Medium sized tomatoes roughly chopped
200 gm peas shelled or frozen, whatever is handy
200 gm fresh cottage cheese , cubed
Black peppercorns 4-5
Cloves 2-3
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili powder 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Method of Making Mutter Paneer :
In a pressure cooker , add oil and while the oil is heating up, blend together onion ginger and green chillies.Add the cloves and peppercorn to the hot oil. Just the next minute add this onion ginger paste. Let this fry on high for one minute and simmer down to low flame.
While the onions are cooking, blend the tomatoes into a fine puree. Add the tomatoes to the onion and turn the flame on high. add all the spices and salt. Let the gravy come to a boil. Now add the peas and 1/2 cup water. Let two-3 whistles come on high flame.
The gravy is more or less cooked. Turn the flame off.Set the table and serve rice/ roti as you desire 🙂 One that is done, by this time the steam of the cooker would have been exhausted.At this point add the paneer/cottage cheese and turn the flame high for one last boil.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. I like to have chilled jeera and mint buttermilk with this dish to tone down the heaviness factor. Really, the entire process takes no more than 15 minutes. No fuss, but utterly yummy and satisfying 🙂 What are your cooking shortcuts, girl ? 😉
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