Mattar Paneer( My Version)

Ingredients:

• 300 gms Paneer (Cottage cheese)
• 1 bowl Green Peas
• 2 Onions
• 2 Tomato
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
• 1 tsp Ginger-garlic Paste
• 2 Green Chilli
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1 cooking spoon Vegetable oil
• 3/4 Salt to taste
• Green Coriander Leaves (chopped)

Recipe

• Heat vegetable oil in a pan.

• Cut the paneer into small sized cubes.

• Fry them on medium flame until they turn light brown. Occasionally turn the cubes while frying. Take them out. (optional)

• One can boil paneer in a cup of water if one doesn't want fried paneer. Retain the water for future use. Boiling of paneer takes about 2 minutes and it boils just a minute after water gets boiled. Check to see it.

• Boil peas in a closed pan with a bowl of water for 30 minutes for it to soften. Otherwise one can also boil it in cooker for 2-3 whistles. Alternatively one can boil peas with masala by adding water by closing pan and cooking for same time period.

• Chop the tomato, onions, and green chilli.

• Make a paste by grinding it in a grinder.

• Heat Oil and saute cumin seeds in it and then add the prepared mixture to it.

• Add Ginger garlic paste, cloves, bay leaf, poppy seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, black pepper powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix them well. And then cook masala for 8-10 minutes till oil separates from the mixture and its done.

• Now add green peas and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add sufficient water to make thick gravy. Heat the gravy till it boils. Check the salt and add more if less doing this time.

• Add paneer cubes. Stir the mixture properly and cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes.

• Garnish the dish with chopped coriander leaves.

• Close the lid till serving.

Mattar paneer is ready.

How to make Paneer at home

Ingredients (For 150 gms of paneer)

1 liter whole milk
1/2 lemon or lime- juiced, or 1-3 tsp vinegar
muslin cloth (or anything that's a bit thin)

If you are using 1 Gallon of milk, use juice from one whole lemon

Method

Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning or sticking.

When it comes to a boil, stir in the acid and cook another 2-3 minutes; in a few minutes, you see small curds floating on top. Wait till they get bigger to form small stone-like granules, about five minutes. The solids will clump together (known as channa or curd) and the remaining liquid will become a thin watery white (known as whey).

Now turn off heat and allow to sit for a few minutes to cool.

Strain through the muslin cloth or one can even strain with a strainer . If one wants to make paneer bhurjia one can let paneer rest in strainer for about 30 minutes and use it. For paneer cubes proceed.

Then fold it in a muslin cloth and let it strain for whole day. When the liquid is mostly drained out, lift the cloth by the corners and twist to squeeze out remaining liquid. You can put the cloth with the paneer in it to sit on a colander over the sink for an hour or so till all excess water drips away. What you get at this stage is cottage cheese.

To make paneer, press the cloth-covered cheese under a 5kg (or anything heavy enough) weight for up to two hours or mash it with heavy pestle to make it thick and shape it and then put it away overnight with this object over it.

This makes the paneer firm and hard. Now you can store it in an airtight box and refrigerate till ready to use. You can even cut it into cubes and store them.

Note: This isn't my mom's recipe but a recipe I got from the internet with alterations by me. I would post mom's recipe of paneer a while later.