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

Party Menu 4 | Menu Planning | Indian Party Menus | Dinner Party

After what seem to be the most dullest moment here, I finally manage to get some something done. Though days pass away as quickly the come in, I am shocked we are already into March! Where did February go and I never came over here so much as I might have wanted.

We had a small dinner party over the weekend. And I as I said we tend to repeat certain dishes as they get more likes and we also try couple of new dishes. Overall it's a case of making sure you don't end up with all new dishes and nothing anybody likes. There is of course, no question on not liking it. All of Amma's recipes are always a hit. 

The starters were sort of changed, we always make sure have a paneer side dish for the vegetarians. So this time it turned out to be our favorite low calorie Paneer Butter Masala. The recipe that we currently make is so much different from the original recipe that I have shared. Nevertheless, you can still make that if you want.

This simple Vegetable Salad with just salt and pepper, at times I sprinkle Chaat Masala, is always the most sought out in any party. 

Party Menu 4

Venue : Home
Number : 8

Our Dinner Party Menu was:

Drinks
Mango Fruit Juice (Store bought)

Salad

Spicy Channa Sundal, Iyar Style
Onion, Cucumber, Carrot Salad

Veg Starters:

Pepper Fried Masala Cashew
Masala Vada

Non Veg Starters:

Chicken Nuggets (Store bought)
Chicken Pepper Fry

Main Dishes

Chettinad Chicken Kulambu, Tamil Nadu Style
Paneer Butter Masala
Parotta
Pepper Cumin Rasam,
Plain Rice
Curd Rice

Dessert

Vanilla and Butterscotch Ice creams

Both the Chicken Dishes were new and will be sharing shortly.

Pepper Salted Cashews

Fried Cashews have to be part of all parties for Daddy. So for a change we made it with Pepper

Pepper Fried Masala Cashew

Cashews Whole - 1/2 Kg
Pepper powder - 1 - tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to deep Fry

Heat the Oil and when it hot enough fry the cashews till they start turning colour.

Drain them on to a kitchen towel. Sprinkle pepper powder and salt. Cover and shake them well to make sure all the cashews get coated with the masala well.

Allow to cool and then store in air tight container

Party Menu 3 | Menu Planning | Indian Party Menus | Dinner Party

It feels like ages since I have actually done anything. I just needed something to push me back to being regular here. And that was the party that parents hosted last night. They had their friends coming in over for dinner and Amma was preparing all the dishes. I planned in to pinch in early, however Amma said one of the aunties is coming over early to help her. She ended up making a new dish for us, rather for me as I was really pestering Amma to make something new. I have been so up against the wall in terms of cooking new dishes for this space!

I had told her ahead that I was expecting her to think of something new and she politely told me that a party is exactly not a time for her to experiment. Well I simply had to heed her words. I got lucky when Vasantha Aunty agreed to make the Chicken curry she makes. She is a wonderful cook and an expert when it comes to making Non Veg dishes. Daddy always keeps praising her dishes and though we have never tasted her food, from the content look that gets settled down, says enough.

Venue : Home
Number : 12

Our Dinner Party Menu was:

Drinks
Mixed Fruit Juice (Store bought)

Salad

Spicy Channa Sundal, Iyar Style
Onion, Cucumber, Carrot Salad

Veg Starters:

Fried Masala Cashew

Onion Pakoras

Non Veg Starters:

Chicken Pakodas
Chicken Nuggets (Store bought)
Mutton Roast

Main Dishes

Pepper Chicken Curry, Tamil Nadu Style
Peas Paneer Curry
Chapatis
Pepper Cumin Rasam,
Plain Rice
Curds

Dessert

Custard with Fruits
Butterscotch Ice cream

Preparations for the party

Soaking the Channa overnight and getting it cooked by early evening. 

Custard prepared the previous evening and refrigerated.

Masalas got ground by morning

Washing and cleaning the mutton, chicken and draining them over a colander by afternoon. Refrigerate until usage.

Marinate the Chicken for the Pakodas by 3 pm.

Mutton Roast got started by 5 pm along with Veg dishes.

Rasam can be cooked ahead by afternoon without tempering, which can be done just before the party.

Rice and rotis done by 7 pm.

Have all the onions chopped and ready for the pakodas.

 Mutton Roast

 Paneer Peas Masala

 Pepper Chicken Curry, Tamil Nadu Style (without Coconut)

Spicy Kadala Sundal, Iyar Style

Fried Masala Cashew

Cashews Whole - 1/2 Kg
Red Chili powder - 1 - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to deep Fry

Heat the Oil and when it hot enough fry the cashews till they start turning colour.

Drain them on to a kitchen towel. Sprinkle red chili powder and salt. Cover and shake them well to make sure all the cashews get coated with the masala well.

Allow to cool and then store in air tight container.

If you have noticed, we make sure we always have some dishes that we keep repeating and include some new dishes. Having all dishes as new may not always work out as expected. So always include some dishes that are your favorite and also your guests favorite.

In this menu, we repeated Chicken Pakodas and Mutton Roast as it was requested so many times. We thought our guests would love it and as expected they really enjoyed these.

The Onion Pakodas that I made were different from the one that's already on the blog. Since I didn't exactly click pictures of them, I am linking to the other recipe I have on the blog.


Party Menu 1
Party Menu 2 

Vegetable Fried Rice | How to make Vegetable Fried Rice ~ Step by Step

There are times when you make something, you are reminded of the many times you had events related to that dish. This Vegetable Fried Rice that I made for the recent party we hosted, was something similar. It has lot of memories that are nostalgic and makes me wistful for those bygone days. I never look back with regret for the days that so quickly pass. Only I make sure I live the present, to ensure these days are remembered with the same merry as those many days in your past.

How can a simple dish like this kindle so much thoughts! Really do we create associated things to remember the time, or things happen on a predestined fashion that you remember both. I will never know. For me, it's always been that I associate most events with food and the food we make, share and of course discuss. Food is such an integral part of our whole day affair. The entire process starts at night, when I ask my kids what they want for breakfast and for lunch. Then I go and discuss with Athamma on what we can make, then a call to Amma, to find out what she is planning. Finally discuss with hubby dear on what I am planning to make. All these might take just about 10 to 15 mins. Still these are the highlights most evenings.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Come morning, I again see if there is a change in the menu. The weeks when I plan out the menu, it's all together a different story. Well those weeks are not that often these days. I end up cooking on the fly, depending on so many factors. Most times it also depends on what I plan for Blogging Marathon. Anyway when Amma said I got to cook the vegetarian food for the party, I knew right away that I had to plan for a rice dish. And this is what came to mind.

Vegetable fried rice that we used to order in our club, is always something that comes to mind. I don't think we have ever ordered this dish elsewhere. And you must know it's not the Indo Chinese version as this Chinese Fried Rice. This is the Indian version, with so much of Indian influence. Having eaten this dish so many times, each time trying to understand the component that's gone in to make dish, I have come to my own conclusion of how it's made. Of course it wouldn't have been a tough task asking the chef how he made it. But I wanted to recreate it on my own, with my own understanding. Amma has a wonderful ability to decipher a dish. I wanted to see if I have the same trait. I know that's expecting too much, still here's my experiment with my senses.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Makes for 6 -7 people

Ingredients Needed

Basmati Rice - 3 & 1/2 cups
Water - times the rice quantity,
Salt to taste

For making the Fried Rice

Assorted Vegetables
Carrots - 1/2 cup
Beans - 1/2 cup
Capsicum - 1/2 medium
Fresh Peas - handful

Onions, julienne - 1 big
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green Chilies - 2 medium
Green chili paste -1 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Whole Spices

Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 2

Preparation:

Wash and chop the vegetables into very fine pieces.

For the Rice:

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 mins. Once you are done, bring a pot having twice the amount of water as the rice, boil. When the water starts rolling boil stage, drain the rice and add to the water along with little salt. Cook on high for 10 mins and simmer for couple of minutes.

Cover with a lid and drain the water. Let it stand with the lid on for couple of mins. Then spread on a plate for the rice to be separated and not sticky.

For sautéing the vegetables.

Heat a wide mouth wok or Kadai with 1 tbsp butter and oil. Add the whole spices and saute for couple of minutes. Then add the onions, saute till it starts turning colour.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute well. Add the slit green chilies along with green chili sauce. Saute well. Now add the vegetables and cook on high. Add salt, pepper powder, cumin powder. Combine everything well and check spice.

Now add the cooked rice and mix well.

Finally add 1 tbsp butter, simmer for 5 mins.

Serve with Peas Paneer Curry

Party Menu 2 | Menu Planning | Indian Party Menus | Dinner Party

Last weekend, we had another house party totaling about 10 people. So for those of you who host parties at home, this menu would surely help. All the dishes were prepared at home, except for one chicken starter that was store bought and the ice cream.

We wanted to stick to just chicken kurma and chicken Roast, so got 2 kgs of Chicken. The main course was the Vegetable Fried Rice and the Peas Paneer Masala for the Vegetarians.

The welcome drinks and the starters ended up being very filling. So this main course being simple was all fine. I had tough time clicking away the pictures as I ended up making couple of the dishes on the go, and couldn't manage with all the dishes at one time. Our guests knew about the blogs and were amused that I was more keen on clicking away the food pictures than them. Infact I remembered to click pictures of the party only on afterthoughts!

Venue : Home
Number : 10

Our Dinner Party Menu was:

Drinks
Mango Juice

Salad

Peanut Chaat
Onion, Cucumber, Carrot Salad

Starters:

Fried Cashew Masala
Paneer Pakoras
Chicken Nuggets (Store bought)

Side Dish - Semi Gravy
Chicken Roast

Main Dishes

Vegetable Fried Rice
Chicken Kurma
Peas Paneer Curry
Rasam
Plain Rice
Curds

Dessert

Fruits
Vanilla Icecream

 Chicken Roast

Paneer Pakoras

Peas Paneer Curry

Groundnut / Peanut Chaat:

Boiled Peanuts - 2 cups
Onions, finely chopped - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves, finely chopped - 2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Lemon juice for seasoning
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Shell peanuts and boil for 10 mins. The peanuts should be crunchy and not over boiled.

In a bowl, take the boiled peanuts, add the salt, pepper powder, chat masala, onions, coriander leaves. Toss well. Squeeze in lemon juice and serve as starter.

Rest of the recipes will follow.

Menu Planning | Indian Party Menus | Party Menu 1 | Dinner Party

I frequently keep getting emails from readers, asking for suggestions on menu planning and selection. I have spent many hours working on menus for each of them, end of the exercise I always think I should either record it or at least ask them to click pictures for me to see. However I keep forgetting to do so.

For quite sometime I have been thinking I should share my menu planning and Party Menu suggestions. The theme tends to change and of course you ought to consider so many factors. Most of the requests have been for get togethers, some for birthday parties and some festival occasions like Christmas party or Diwali party. Birthday parties have been most challenging as I have to come up with interesting dishes for kids, including ways to keep them engaged and interested. 

Other parties like Christmas or Diwali, will feature some of the traditional dishes one might prepare for these festivals. The number again varies from 10 - 50, one office party was for 80 and of course my own office party was for 100 people. Planning and drafting out takes real efforts as we have to scale up each dish and requirement for 100 people.

Growing up in a colony ensured that we had frequent dinners. Plus the fact that parents used to host parties very often, ensured that I was always keen and interested in planning for huge crowd. I have always been the person in charge for setting up the house and playing the second hostess. When I was old enough to help, I was given more responsibilities apart from the setups.

Just the other day when I was talking to Amma, I was telling her that it's been a while since we hosted a party. And it so happened that we had to give a farewell dinner for our neighbors. We were excited that we are doing it after a long time, and the fact that I remembered ahead to click pictures. It was non vegetarian party, so the preparations started from morning. Some needed marination, some had to be cleaned ahead. 

So deciding on the dishes that you are planning to make, is very important in the onset. 

Venue : Home

Number : 8

Our Dinner Party Menu was this:

Starters:

Chicken Pakoda

Side Dish - Semi Gravy

Mutton Roast

Main Dishes

Mutton Dum Biryani

Mutton Kura

Rasam

Plain Rice

Homemade Curds

Dessert

Custard with Fruits

Since we were getting on the dinner straight, there was no soft drinks served. Else you can plan to arrange some welcome drink if your party is going to extend over few hours.

Chicken Pakoda and Mutton Dum Biryani recipes will be published soon.

It is advisable to do the prepping ahead with the basics that is needed. Fresh Ginger Garlic paste is very important for the right taste.

So get this done in the morning and store it.

Wash and clean the meat and have it ready. If something requires marination, it's better to plan when you ought to do, so that you can avoid last minute tensions.

Like for us, the guests were expected at 8 pm, so we knew we had to have all the dishes done by 7.15 or so. Last minute preparations will be the table set up and fruits for the custard. Of course the chicken was left to marinate as it was to be made after they arrived.

 Dinnar Party Menu

 Mutton Gravy, Chicken Pakoda

 Mutton Dum Biryani

 Mutton Roast 

Custard with Fruits

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing about it.

Will be very interesting to know how you plan your menus and parties. Do share them!