KRI Kitchen - Matar Paneer
994 views · Published 2 January 2014 · 5:45 · Indexed 20 October 2026
Channel: The Kundalini Research Institute · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism
Matar Paneer: Pea and Cheese Curry Taken from A Taste of India, 2nd Edition by Bibi Inderjit Kaur Khalsa, PhD The very tasty sweet-and--spicy sauce of this dish sets it in a class by itself. This dish is a good source of protein for vegetarians. ½ pound paneer or tofu 2 cups vegetable oil or ghee for deep frying ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds 6 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon poppy seeds ½ cup vegetable oil or ghee for frying 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons tomato paste (or 2 tomatoes, chopped fine) 3 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled chopped fine ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 bay leaves ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds ½ teaspoon salt or to taste ½ teaspoon crushed dry red chilies 1 pint water ½ pound green peas, fresh or frozen (about 1 ½ cups) 2 large onions (1) Cut the paneer or tofu into small cubes. In a thick-bottomed saucepan or wok, heat the 2 cups of oil or ghee for deep-frying. Deep-fry the paneer or tofu cubes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, letting the excess oil drip back into the pan. Set aside. (2) In a blender, grind together the onion, turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and poppy seeds, making a fine paste without using any water. (3) In a thick-bottomed frying pan, heat the vegetable oil or ghee and fry this paste, stirring continuously, until brown. Then add the tomato paste (or tomatoes) and 2 tablespoons of water. Keep stirring and cooking until the oil starts to separate out. (4) Add the ginger, green cardamom seeds, red chilies, nutmeg, bay leaves and salt. Stir thoroughly and add the deep-fried panir or tofu cubes. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. (5) Add the water and peas and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the peas are tender. Yield: 3 cups
