Mattar Paneer Masala

Ingredients

Paneer – 1 cup
Green peas – 1 cup
Cardamom pods – 2
Cloves - 3
Cumin seeds – 1 ½ tsp
Black peppercorns – 8
Onion (medium sized, finely sliced) – 2
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Ginger – ½ ’’ piece (finely chopped & crushed)
Garlic cloves – 3 (finely chopped & crushed)
Green chillies (halved) – 3
Tomatoes – 2 (finely chopped)
Yogurt – ½ cup
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – ½ tsp
A pinch of sugar
Ghee
Vegetable oil
Cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Boil the green peas with a pinch of sugar in a cupful of water.
2. Cook till it is tender and keep aside.
3. Heat a pan and add a little ghee and oil. Deep fry the paneer pieces in it until it turns golden brown. Remove the paneer pieces from the pan and keep aside.
4. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds and onion into that pan. Sauté until the onion turns golden brown.
5. Add coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute. Remove the mixture from flame, allow it to cool and grind it into a smooth thick paste.
6. Heat little oil and ghee in the pan, add ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute for two minutes.
7. Add the ground onion paste, tomatoes and sauté until the oil separates from it.
8. Add the yoghurt, cooked peas, paneer pieces and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add garam masala and garnish with lemon juice and cilantro leaves.