← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 250 g Paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 200 g frozen peas
• 2 tbsp oil, divided
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 2 Onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 cm piece Ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 Green chilli
• 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 8 whole cashews (optional)
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaves (optional)
• ¼ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1½ tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 300 ml hot water
• 1 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• ½ tsp Garam masala
• 2 tbsp Double (heavy) cream (optional)
• 2 tbsp Coriander (cilantro), chopped

Method

1. Soak the paneer in a bowl of hot, lightly salted water for 10 min while you make the gravy; it keeps the cubes soft.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a pan and cook the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli over medium heat for 6–8 min until soft and lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and cashews and cook for 5 min until pulpy. Cool a little and blend to a smooth paste.
3. Heat the rest of the oil and the ghee in the same pan. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the blended paste with the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and salt.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 6–8 min, until the masala thickens and the fat glistens on top.
5. Pour in the hot water, add the peas and simmer for 5 min, until the peas are tender.
6. Drain the paneer and add it with the kasuri methi and garam masala. Simmer gently for 2–3 min, stir in the cream if using and scatter with coriander.

Tips

• The cashews make the gravy creamier but are optional; leave them out for a nut-free dish.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Cook With Manali BBC Good Food Tea for Turmeric Hebbar's Kitchen