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

Microwave Khoya Aloo Matar Recipe | Potato Peas curry with Khova | Step by Step Recipe

When Monika decided to showcase Potatoes for this month's Microwave Easy Cooking Event, I planned that I should make atleast couple of them for the event. Though I made a very quick Potato Roast, which I had sent for Konda's lunch, I couldn't make anything. When I suddenly realized that it was almost the end of the event deadline, I quickly wanted to make something.

I took out the cookbook that came along with the microwave and flipped through it. I saw that there weren't that many Potato recipes that I could make. Then I saw this Khova Peas Curry. I had the left over Khova that I used to make the Kesar Kulfi, so it was good that I get to use it in another new dish. Since the recipe ought to be more of a potato, I thought I should make a kofta and use the base. But seeing that I didn't have that many fresh peas, this dish can be called Potato as it had more Potato in it.

Step by Step Recipe with pictures to make Khoya Aloo Matar at home:

Ingredients Needed:

Potatoes - 2 large
Peas - Handful
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Salt to taste
Khoya - 100 gms
Cashew nuts - 10

For the paste
Onions - 2 medium
Red chilis - 2
Ginger - 2"

Spice powders

Red Chili powder -1  tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch

How to make Khoya Aloo Matar:

Before starting with the paste, make sharp marks with knife on the potatoes and microwave the Potatoes for 6 mins. Once done, soak in water, peel the outer skin.

Meanwhile, make a paste of onions, Red chilies and ginger. Keep it aside.

Microwave cashews, cubed potatoes, peas for 2 mins.

Then in a microwave safe bowl, add 2 tsp oil and the onion paste. Microwave for 6 mins.

Next add the tomato puree, spice powders, micro for 2 mins. Once done, add 1 cup water and microwave for 6 mins.

Then add the khova, mix well. Micro for 2 mins. Finally Add the cashew, potatoes and peas. Micro for 3 mins.

Serve hot with rotis.

Sending this to Monika who is guest hosting the MEC themed on Potatoes this month.

Will be back tomorrow with a quick Roast.

Peas Pulao | Peas Pulav Recipe

It was one of those mornings, getting up to cook for the day, I almost felt tired of the same old schedule! How much can one do just sambar, dal, sambar dal every other day. No matter that Sambar was relished and Dal was wiped out clean. One finally gets tired of this routine, but when I think about the routine, it gets more tiresome. Anyway these days are not those that calls for exciting new ventures into creating new dishes, yes not even for the blog!

It was one of those days, and on getting up, I was bugging Hubby dear for giving some ideas. He suggested I could make Jeera Pulao and Aloo Tamatar! That sounded so amazing. I may sound funny but it is true. So I set out to prepare and half way through I knew I wasn't going prepare Jeera Rice or plain Alu Tamatar. My poor blog that was suffering with acute want of new breeze to came to mind and I was all set for some change. Fresh Peas in the fridge and a new packed masala to try!

Well you get to read about the Peas Pulao that was the talk of the day at office. To go along with it, I made Alu Tamatar with Kitchen King Masala. This was a new addition to my pantry.  During my recent visit to Nilgiris, I happen to see this and remembered reading about it. Well there was no better time than this! 

The day was quite eventful. We took Peddu and Chinnu for Aksharabhyasam in their new school. It was a wonderful experience for us. Went in early and saw that the school had arranged a huge puja on  this account. Some 200 and odd students along with their parents, well what you expect. They garlanded the kids and made them pose for pictures. Expecting my boys to be what they are, they refused to be garlanded or pose. we did manage to click few pictures to show them later! 

Then I had time to meet couple of blogger friends in a Mexican Restaurant. Yes, my diet went for a toss. I am sure you will get to read all about it soon! I feel so full to even write about it!

Peas Pulao Recipe

Ingredients Needed:

Fresh Peas  1 cup
Basmati Rice 1 cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin 1 tsp
Cloves  2-3
Cinnamon  2"
Cardamon  2
Bay leaf  2
Salt to taste
Ghee 1 tsp
Water 1 cup
Roasted cashew for garnish
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak rice for 15 mins

Heat a non Stick pan with ghee, add the whole spices, saute well. Then add ginger garlic paste. Let it get cooked well.

Then add shelled peas and simmer with a lid covered. Allow the fresh peas to get sauted well. Slight mash with the back of the spatula, just to ensure some of the peas are mashed.

Next add the drained rice and saute well. Add water and salt. Bring it to boil. Then simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 10 mins. Switch off.

The rice will be cooked well and gets a good taste of the slightly mashed fresh peas.

Notes :

• If you are using regular rice, adjust water accordingly.
• Can add onions while cooking ginger garlic paste. Or fried onions over top tastes great.

Will be back with the Aloo Tamatar another way!

Before you leave, do check out other Pulaos:

Potato Pulao 1
Vegetable Pulao
Channa Pulao

Potato Pulao 2

Peas Stuffed Indian Flatbread ~ Mattar Paratha Recipe two ways, Step by Step Recipe!

Sometimes you follow traditions because you have always followed them. It's got to do more with the fact that you feel nice knowing everything is same and nice. Though change is the only constant thing in life, you feel good assuming things are the same. How I wish it was so!

Though I decide I should never remember this day or make a big thing of it, Konda has been reminding me since the month beginning. Infact she is paining something for me, which is partial showed to me too. But Hubby dear has given me strict orders to act surprised and happy on receiving it. I tell him that I can hardly know how to act surprised, happy that I am.

Coming back to traditions, I have unwittingly created one by deciding that stuffed parathas will be made around this time. Infact true to the thought I searched through my Index, which by the way still needs to be updated, for one that I have not talked about. Going up and down, struck me something pretty in green is missing. I remembered Peas Paratha from all those years ago.

I remembered that period after I completed my under graduation and before I started working, Best are some time never spoken about, but still those memories come back and you have no control on the thoughts that flash across. I remember that time quite well, as I remember every single other day as well. During that time, our neighbours had two girls. The elder one was a medico and was away, while the younger was still in school. The younger one R, was with whom I spent most times. And Peas Paratha reminds me of her Aunty, her mom.

R was mostly into North Indian food, wouldn't like anything else. During the peas season when Aunty was wondering what to do with that, we decided we will make a paratha out of it. So it was. And it was such a hit that we only had Peas paratha for a long long time to come.

But the fact is, its been long time since I made this. And wondering which one to make, Peas paratha came to mind. How nice! Since I had fresh peas on hand, it was very easy to plan to make this. But instead of dinner, I made it for breakfast on the day that was going to be last one of the year.

I make it two ways. One blended with the dough, the other stuffed. You can add the same masala for both ways. Though I changed a bit to differentiate them.

Peas Stuffed Indian Flatbread ~ Mattar Paratha Recipe

Preparation Time : 15 mins
Cooking Time : 15 mins
Cuisine : North Indian

Peas Stuffed Paratha

For the dough

Wheat flour 1 cup
Salt to taste
Water to knead

For the Peas Stuffing.

Cooked Peas -1 cup, pureed
Green Chili paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Amchor - 1/4 tsp

Method to prepare:

Knead the flour to a soft pliable dough and keep aside.

If you are using fresh peas, puree it to smooth paste. 

Fry in a pan along with salt and all the other ingredients till you get a dry paste. Allow it to cool and make into small balls.

Pinch a lemon size balls, press the sides of the ball to thinner and place the peas stuffing in the middle, bring the outer layer towards the center and enclose the stuffing.

Dust the balls with flour and roll out into disc equal on all sides. 

 

Heat a pan and cook on both sides by applying oil.

Peas Paratha Recipe

For the dough

Wheat flour 1 cup
Salt to taste
Water to knead

For the Peas Masala

Cooked Peas -1 cup, pureed
Onions -1 small
Green Chili paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method to prepare

In a wide mouthed bowl, take the flour, pureed peas, onions, all the spice masala along with salt. Knead to a soft dough. Let it rest for 10 mins

Pinch out equal balls of dough, roll out by dusting in flour into disc of 6 diameter. Once the tawa is hot, grease with oil, cook these parathas on high flame, making sure you don't burn it.

 Cook on both sides with a tsp of oil. When you see golden spots on top, the parathas are done.

Serve with curds/yogurt and pickles!

Have a great weekend!

Aloo Matar Masala yet again!

I still have couple of more to do on the Diwali snacks, but I thought I will give a break here! The weekend went off too soon to realize. Hubby dear was not in town on Sunday, so Athamma said she and FIL, who has come down for the weekend, would take the kids to the temple nearby. The temple has some ducks and fish for which the boys were crazy few months ago. They used to want to visit those ducks and fish everyday and hubby dear used to take the three for a ride round the campus.

I remember my first visit with the kids to see those ducks and fish. The boys were so excited showing me the three ducklings, with the mummy duck and daddy duck. Why is that they always want to see the M & D with 3 kids! Konda even asked why all my stories always has 3 kids now. Well!

Anyway they came back home with tales on how big the fish were and what the ducks did. Since I told Amma that I will make breakfast for them, I thought it would be good to make something different from the Tomato Kurma or Veg Stew. Also Dad doesn't like Tomato Kurma, I really don't know why! But this was good enough reason to try again the recipe that my office cook did. I changed a bit from my last time, so can believe that change brought in much more taste than before!
Essentially it is the same dish, with few modification!

The renovation at home robbed me of my make shift studio, until I find a better place, this is going to be it! I wasn't really happy with the set up, but I can't complain.

Aloo Peas Masala ~ Potato with Fresh Peas in Gravy

Preparation Time : 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Serves - 4

Ingredients Needed:

Potatoes - 250 gms
Fresh Peas - 100 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Tomatoes - 3 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 2
Bay Leaf - 1
Chilly powder -1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnish


Method to prepare

Pressure potatoes till tender, if you want you can add the fresh peas and cook for another whistle. If you like the taste other wise, use it as such, it normally gets cooked fast.

Chop Onions and tomatoes roughly. Heat a pan with a tsp of oil. Roast both seperately till well done. Cool, grind to fine paste.

Heat a kadia with oil. Add whole spices. You can also use the same cooker after removing the boiled peas and potatoes.

Fry the onion paste along with ginger garlic paste. Sauté well to ensure it doesn't burn.

Then add tomatoes puree. Add chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Check spice and add more if you need.

Cook in sim for 5 mins, till its cooked well. Then add the cooked potatoes and peas. Mix well and add coriander.

Let it cook for 10 mins or till gravy thickens.

Serve with Rotis or Pooris. If you want to try differently try with Appam or even Dosa, it tasted great!

If you love those really soft spongy like appams, then please do hop to make them!

Will be back with another Diwali delicacy! I am making you have enough for the next year!..:)

Sending the Appam with the Aloo Matar Masala to Meeta for her Monthly Mingle which is themed on Brunch! I know I know some might think Aloo Matar Masala for Brunch??..Well since I served this for Sunday Brunch, I think one doesn't mind dipping into one!