Paneer Peas Masala | Mutter Paneer ~ Side Dish for Chapati

When you hit on a combination that works out wonders, I am sure we end up using that combination in as many variations as we can come up with! That's true with Peas and Paneer. You can never go wrong with combining these two together for a gourmet gravy and be sure to win over your guests. 

Couple of decades back, when one wanted to host a party, they made sure there planned a proper vegetarian and a non vegetarian dishes, keeping in mind the crowd pleasers. If I remember right, it used to be Channa Masala with Pooris. Be it lunch or dinner, these two found it's way. However ever since Paneer took the crowd by storm, there is nothing but paneer in any party you attend or host yourself. One can't go wrong in selecting Paneer. 

At one point, I almost wondered if all the dishes ended up being made with paneer. So much so that I decided I had to plan a menu with this star. Anyway coming back to our recent parties, that I have ended up clicking pictures and sharing the menus, I noticed we were back to the spot of making sure we had the Paneer for the vegetarians. And let me confess all of them were hit. 

So even though I have three or is it four, versions of Paneer with Peas or other ingredients, it was so well received.

The other versions be it Mutter Paneer Masala, Matter Paneer or Mater Paneer Masala, each has been a different yet appealing in it's own standards!

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer - 250 gms
Peas - 1 cup
Onions - 2 medium
Tomato puree - 2 cups
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cashew paste from 10 whole ones
Malai - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Curds/Yogurt - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp

How to make the gravy

Have Homemade Paneer ready. Since this is homemade you don't need to saute in butter. If store bought, cube and saute in butter.

Soak cashews in hot water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Blanch the fresh peas and keep it ready.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute the onions till they turn colour, then add ginger garlic paste.

Next add the tomato puree, fresh peas, cook for few mins in sim. then add cashew paste, blended malai, and all the spices. Simmer till the gravy gets well cooked. This takes about 10 mins.

Then add the beaten curds and mix well. Add a cup of water and bring to boil. Add the paneer at this time and simmer for 5 - 7 mins.

Finally add the butter and remove, you can garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with Naans or chapatis.

This was one of the main dish served for the vegetarians in a party and surely disappeared before I could take a proper picture!

Other Paneer Recipes

Chicken Gravy Andhra Style ~ Yet another one!

I know I have so many variations of chicken gravy, that I almost gave up trying to check if I had already made that particular way. The fact being each one varies in some form and when that method is liked by all, I immediately think I must share with all and also it will surely help me again when I would want to make something different. 

So you are subjected to yet another method the chicken gravy is prepared at home. Athamma makes this way and I can never actually get her to tell me the recipe in the way she makes. Like she always forgets to tell me and then she remembers. It's all sort of very cute because I am sure she would have forgotten something. This time I even made sure I was around the time she made. And captured pictures as well. She is somebody who never really cares about following a recipe and adds in something based on what's available. Anyway we have been always happy that her dishes turn out great.

Ingredients needed:

Chicken - 500 gms
Onions - 200 gms
Tomato - 100 gms
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves chopped - half cup
Curds - 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Coconut and Poppy Seeds paste - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1 cup
Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup


Method to prepare:

Chop chicken to desired size.

Chop Onions, Tomatoes, coriander finely,

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add bay leaf. Then add onion and sauté well. Fry till its light brown in colour, then add ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell is gone.

Then add chicken piece along with salt and turmeric pw. Fry on high flame for 5 mins. Ensure it doesn't get burnt. Simmer and add the curds, saute well.

Then add chilli powder, coriander powder, fry well so that the chicken pieces gets a coating. Then add tomatoes pieces, simmer it for 5 mins. Add half of the coriander leaves. Keep rest for garnishing.

Add water and coconut paste and milk. cover it with lid and bring to 1 whistle.

Once the pressure is out, remove the lid and put on high flame. Sprinkle garam masala and then garnish with coriander leaves before removing from flame.

I made this along with the Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Other Chicken Recipes

Mutton Curry with Small Onions ~ Step by Step | Weekend Cooking

When I was discussing about making mutton curry with my colleagues, one of them happen to mention that they always make mutton curry both gravy and fried with Pearl Onions or Sambar Onions as we call them. She is from down south and said at her place, they mostly use sambar onions for all non veg dishes. I wanted to try that right away.

I chose to make Mutton Semi gravy dish and used sambar onions for sauteing. It surely gave a very different taste to the entire dish.

 

Mutton Curry with Pearl Onions

 

Ingredients Needed:

Mutton - 1/2 kg
Small Onions - 1 cup
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Curry leaves few
Tumeric powder a pinch
Chili powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Coconut, Poppy Seeds paste - 2 tbsp
Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamon powder -1 tsp
Mint leaves handful
Coriander leaves handful


How to make the gravy

Wash and cut into small pieces. Drain on a colander

Soak and peel the pearl onions.

Heat a pressure cooker with oil. Add curry leaves, pearl onions. Saute well till they turn brown.

Add the mutton pieces, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder, salt. Cook on high till the mutton is well coated.

Simmer and cover with lid. Let all the moisture all evaporate.

Add the coconut paste and continue sauting. Now add the mint and coriander leaves. And once it is combined well, add tomatoes.

Add a cup of water. Cover with lid and pressure cook for four whistles.

Once the pressure falls down, cook for couple of mins and serve with Masala Annam.
 

Other Mutton Recipes

Other Rice Recipes 

Mattar Paneer Recipe 3 | Peas Paneer Masala

When it comes to making quick gravies for Rotis as side dish, there is nothing more simpler than making with Mattar and Paneer. Both these are surely a hit combination and can be served with almost any Indian Bread. Sometimes I remember making a sandwich with this filling as well. 

I have already posted two versions of mattar paneer, one with nuts and one without tomato. Today's version is the most common and the simplest. I wonder how I have not shared this under quick 30 mins cooking. Making about six to eight chapatis doesn't take that much time. So this is one of those quick side dishes that you can make when you come back home in the evenings.

Mattar Paneer

I normally make this for chapatis, but this tastes so much better with ghee rice or vegetable fried rice. I made this with vegetable fried rice

Mattar Paneer

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer - 1 cup
Fresh Peas - 1 cup
Onions - 1 medium
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Roasted cumin powder -1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves handful.

How to make Mattar Paneer

Wash and keep the peas aside.

If you are using store bought paneer, stir in a tsp of ghee and soak in hot water.

If you are using homemade paneer, you can simply cut into cubes and saute them in ghee.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute finely chopped onions. When they start turning colour, add ginger garlic paste. Cook till the raw smell leaves.

Now add the tomato puree, cook till the tomato is done. Add the spice powders and saute well. Add the fresh peas and saute well.

Add a cup of water and bring to boil. Then add the roasted paneer and simmer for 5 - 7 mins.

Finally just before switching off, add garam masala and coriander leaves.

Serve it with Chapatis

Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry | Alasandalu Kura ~ Andhra Special

After announcing Cookie Mela, I was planning to bake some cookies naturally. But you know how it is right, you plan something and it never gets executed. Especially when everything seem to go against those planned items. Now it's to be seen if those planned cookies ever make an appearance!

Our minds are so fixed at most times. Even with one person on vacation, we feel we don't know what to cook. With Athamma on tour, I am out of ideas on what to make, she was the last person to give importance to her liking. It was always either kids or hubby's choice. Still I find myself so confused on what to make. 

Which is why this recipe comes handy. Not only is it a one shot cooking gravy, where you need not worry about sautéing and looking over it, it's rather very simple in it's method. Amma's sister, who takes care of a home, suggested this recipe after getting us a bag full of fresh alasandalu or black eyed pea. These fresh ones are available in abundance during the season and it's another one of those classics that you shouldn't miss cooking.

Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry

After making this kura, Amma realized that this is the way my granny used to make in our village. Imagine eating something and remembering your childhood, like in ratatouille! She was hit with nostalgia and was so excited to share this piece of info with me. Since then, we have ended up cooking the peas in this method. Yes such simple recipe and you have a cart load of memories associated with it!

Then when I was talking to my Aunt, she asked me if I tasted the alasandalu kura. I said yes and that I was cooking it again for clicking pictures. She was so excited that I wanted to share that simple, yet classic Andhra delicacy. She was specifically mentioning the method of cooking in this dish. In villages, when they have huge families, they do need lot of gravy as they serve this with rice. So to make more gravy, the onions and tomatoes are always ground into paste. Imagine I always thought that it was the modern tread and I heard that for ages it's been cooked this way.

Coming to the recipe, it's such a simple and uncomplicated recipe that I am sure when you try this, you will love making it again and again!

Alasandalu Kura

Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry | Alasandalu Kura

Ingredients Needed:

Fresh Black Eyed Peas, shelled - 2 cups

For the ground masala:

Onion - 1/2 of a big
Roasted Groundnuts / Peanut - 2 -3 tbsp
Tomato - 1 big
Garlic - 3 -4 cloves
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch

For tempering

Onion - 1/2 of a big
Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make the kura

Shell the peas and wash. Take the peas with twice it's amount of water and bring to boil. When the water starts boiling, simmer.

Meanwhile make a paste of all the ingredients listed under masala to a smooth paste. Add this paste to the boiling peas, and continue cooking till the froth comes out on the top.

When the gravy reaches it's consistency, simmer completely.

Heat a pan with oil, temper with mustard, saute the onions and curry leaves. Then pour this over the simmering peas.

Serve with rice or roti.

Pakoda Curry | Side Dish for Biryani / Pulao ~ Step by Step

Being a Sunday, it was the usual pattern at home. Made Poori Channa, then planned for some vegetarian biryani. I wanted to make the most of the day, as I have to prepare myself for tomorrow. Konda starts her school tomorrow. And she made sure she enjoyed the last day to the best. Spent the whole day watching movies.

Today's recipe is something I ended up making on whim. When I made the Vegetable Biryani last weekend, I knew I had to make some gravy as it was not that spicy. Amma suggested I make some Pakoda curry as it will pair well with biryani.

Pakoda Curry

Step by Step Pictures

 

Pakoda Curry

 

Ingredients Needed:

For the Gravy

Onions, coarsly pulsed - 1 & 1/2 medium
Tomato puree - 1 & 1/2 medium
Garlic - 2 finely chopped.
Bay leaf - 2
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

How to make the gravy

Wash and peel the onions. Pulse the onions coarsly. Puree the tomatoes.

Heat a pan, add the onions. Saute well. Then add the chopped garlic, bayleaf. Saute for couple of mins.

Then add the tomato puree, salt, chili powder, coriander powder. Simmer for 10 mins with lid covered.

Add enough water to make a gravy. Simmer until the gravy is cooked well.

For the Pakoda

Onion - 1 medium
Gram flour / Besan - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying.
Chili powder
Coriander leaves

How to make the pakoda

Chop the onions, add the besan, salt, chili powder, coriander leaves, curry leaves. Mix well. Sprinkl water and make a stiff dough.

Heat a kadai with oil. When it is hot, drop in spoonful of batter. Cook on all sides.

How to assemble the pakodas in gravy.

When the gravy is done, just before serving add the pakodas and serve with biryani

Serve this along with Vegetable Biryani