Thursday, August 11, 2011

A cheat's version of matar paneer | a quick and low fat matar paneer recipe


A quick matar paneer recipe, a cheat's version.

Not only to save time but to make the dish low on fats too. I used butter and ghee to make this matar paneer and if that can be done in the lowest possible amount and the results are nice and aromatic, you would prefer this cheat's version whenever you want to cook matar paneer. Note that I usually don't cook low fat but if a curry is being served with paratha or other fatty sides, it makes sense to lower the fats in the curry.

quick matar paneer recipe

Before sharing the recipe I have to share an exciting thing with you all. I am counting down the last few days before my biking expedition. A group of 100 women is biking through the most grueling passes in the Himalayas to reach the highest motorable road to Khardung La. I am a part of this wonderful group and will be cycling with them, starting from Kullu, going up to Khardung La and then back to Leh. It is a 600km ride to be covered in 17 days. I just can't wait to be at the base camp at Kullu to start this ride of my life time.

Now you must understand the reason for a quick curry to be posted quickly too.

The usual fare of Banaras ka khana will be back after a break of about 3 weeks. This matar paneer was made in huge quantity and was frozen to last a few days in my absence. You understand that :-)


ingredients...
( 4-6 servings)
paneer 400 gm
green peas 250 gm ( i used frozen)
red ripe tomatoes 500 gm
onion 200 gm
garlic pods 4-5 nos.
ginger 1 inch piece chopped roughly
red chilly powder 2 tsp
cinnamon 2 pieces on an inch each
bay leaves 2-3 nos.
black cardamom 1 large
everyday curry powder 1 tbsp
turmeric powder 2 tsp
salt to taste
butter 2 tsp
ghee 2 tsp
freshly milled black pepper as per taste
fresh cream or malai to finish

quick matar paneer recipe


procedure...

In a pressure cooker boil the roughly chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic pods, roughly chopped ginger, red chilly powder, cinnamon and thrashed black cardamom. Boil these ingredients just till the whistle blows and then let the cooker cool down and release the pressure.

I do this step in microwave and cook all the ingredients covered for 8-10 minutes and proceed after cooling them a bit so they are safe to handle. They are going to be pureed.

Remove the bay leaves,whole cinnamon and black cardamom and bland everything fine, like a soup. The skin of tomatoes can be removed before blending.

Meanwhile cook the peas in microwave too for 3 minutes. If not doing this add the peas in the pan after powdered spices and cook them with a sprinkling of water before adding the puree.

Now heat the ghee and butter in a pan and tip in the powders of  turmeric and everyday curry powder. Just let it get roasted and get aromatic, taking utmost care not to burn the powders. It will be wise to remove the pan from heat after heating the ghee n butter and then add the powders.

Pour in the pureed mixture, tip in the paneer cubes, the cooked peas and give it a good boil.

Add a tbsp of fresh cream or malai to finish .

quick matar paneer recipe

It actually took more time to write the recipe than cooking it. The pictures are night time snapshots and I could not take any pictures of the leftovers too as the extra curry was promptly frozen.

This is one curry which you would love to cook for it's easy foolproof procedure and the ease of making a creamy looking curry without much cream and butter.

Which one would you like? A rich matar paneer or the cheat's version?

15 comments:

  1. looks fab ....loved it ...nice combo

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I like the cheat's version of mattar paneer. I make palak paneer like that. Cook onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic and green chilies with the spinach in a karahi. Add spices. Cool and puree. Boil, add paneer and it is ready.

    Best of luck with your bikathon. I am waiting to see pictures and hearing all about your adventure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for wishing me luck Jaya . We would need a lot of it ;-)

    My cheat's version of palak paneer is even simpler, will post some time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good luck on your biking expedition... take care and be safe...

    I like your cheats version of Matar Paneer.. Will try it soon..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sangeeta! Wish you all the best and success in the biking expedition!
    Hope I can do it during my next trip to India.
    This Mutter-paneer version sounds so easy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. wow! this version suits me just fine!

    and wishing you all the very best for the amazing trip ahead. :) bring back loads of memorable experiences :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. The cheats version is still better than what I do :)

    thank you

    Bikram's

    ReplyDelete
  8. All the best for your bike ride Sangeeta x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Enjoy your biking! Is it the MTB?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, Today I came through this site and is really wonderful as I am Gujju and my mother-in-law is from Banaras andexcellent cook and she mostly makes all these dishes like nimona, daal ki poori,matar ki poori but she never teaches me. and my husband likes dishes prepared by her very much and not ready to alter taste at all.I am very thankful that at least someone posted all these recipee. I would like to know what is everyday curry powder? and please post aloo ki poori and Gobhi paratha and gehu ke atte ke pakode. Also my mother -in -law makes brinjal kalonji in a different way,she roasts panchak on tawa, add red chilli,amchoor and so many other spices to it , grind it and store it in freeze and everytime use the same to make kalonji, if u have that recipee please please please post.Thank u very very much

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the feedback Anonymous.
      The everyday curry powder is posted in the same blog by the name of 'Curries and spices'. Search for the post entering this name on the top left search button and you'd get the spice powder recipes.
      The Baingan ki kalonji will be posted very soon too :-)
      Tell me more about he Atte ke pakode as this was not made at my place. Is it a sweet pakode recipe, if so that was called Gulgule at my place. Will post soon.

      Delete
    2. Thanks Sangeeta,You will make my life if u post baigan ki kalongi my mother-in-law's style. For atte ke pakode she takes whole wheat flour, add small chopped potato,salt,chilli(and god knows what) in it and make barter and deep fries them.it tastes really awesome. Thank you very much once again.... Surekha Singh.

      Delete
    3. Will try and post the baingan ki kalonji very soon Surekha. Thanks.

      Delete
    4. Hi Surekha, I have just posted the Baingan ki kalonjee for you. Hope you have subscribed to the comments thread here.

      Delete