Mattar Paneer Masala/Green Peas-Cottage Cheese Masala

Mattar Paneer is one of my family favorite dish, my kids love the paneer-green peas combo a lot. Paneer is one thing for which my kids never say 'no' and so I'm always happy to make this Mattar Paneer for dinner with Roti/Rice and my hubby also love it. I prefer to puree the tomatoes and add them since it gives a vibrant color to the gravy and kids will not go picky on tomatoes and put them away. If you wish you can add the chopped tomatoes instead, it still taste great. So Enjoy making Mattar Paneer this ezee way :)

Ingredients:-

1. Green Peas/Mattar - 1 cup
2. Paneer/Cottage cheese cut into small bite size squares - 1 cup
3. Onion - 1(very finely chopped)
4. Ginger-garlic finely chopped or crushed well - 1 tbsp
5. Fresh Tomato pureed - from 2 tomatoes
6. Green chilly finely chopped - 1 or 2
7. Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 3/4 tsp
9. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
10. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
11. Coriander leaves finely chopped - 2tbsp + 1 tsp(for shallow frying paneer)
12. Dry Fenugreek leaves/Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp
13. Oil - 1 tbsp
14. Salt to taste
15. Cream/half n half cream - 1/4 cup(optional, you can use milk if you don't have cream)

Preparation Method:-

• In a non-stick pan drizzle a tsp of oil and fry the paneer pieces on both sides for few minutes till both sides turn light brown color(you can use the paneer without frying as well, if fried a bit paneer pieces becomes little stiff and will not break easily while cooking). Set aside.
• Heat up a deep kadai or pan, pour oil and crackle the Jeera/Cumin
• Add crushed ginger-garlic and give it a stir for few seconds. Add in chopped onion, salt and stir till onion turn light brown.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and 1 tbsp coriander leaves and saute for a minute.
• Pour the tomato puree and add green peas. Stir to mix, cover and cook for around five minutes till green peas become soft and is half cooked.
• Add the paneer pieces, stir, cover it and cook for another three-five minutes.
• Add the garam masala and stir gently. Rub the kasuri methi/fenugreek leaves under your palms to powder it and add it to the paneer-mattar masala and mix gently
• Pour the cream and switch off the flame. Stir gently to mix(don't boil it again). Add more chopped coriander leaves if desired. 
• Move to a serving dish and Serve warm preferably with Roti/Naan or boiled rice.

Note:- 

1. You can use 2 tbsp thick yogurt if you want matar panner little bit sour, since I used tomato puree I felt my gravy was sour enough.

2. You can add 1 tbsp lime juice as well at the end if desired but I prefer it this way.

Kerala Style Sambhar without Cococnut

Sambhar is a South Indain dish/curry that can be served served with Rice/Idli/Dosas. It is made with Yellow Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal(Lentil) and a combination of veggies like Onion, Tomatoes, Fresh Drumsticks, Okra, Potatoes and more. You really don't have to use all the Veggies I mentioned, you can use any veggies you have in your Pantry :-)

Everyone have their own way of making Sambhar, I grew up seeing my Grandma making the Authentic Kerala sambhar by roasting the grated coconut, coriander powder and certain other ingredients which is Known as Varutharacha Sambhar. I used to make Sambhar regularly my Grandma's way or the Authentic way till the time I was in Kerala and maybe no other way of making sambhar can beat that taste. I started making sambhar without coconut after coming to US since coconut is not that readily available here as in Kerala and many time I ran out of it.  I really started admiring the taste of this 'no coconut sambhar' from then and so do my sister to whom I passed on this recipe(not just my sis, my friends to whomever I shared this recipe and family loves it). I used the homemade Sambhar Masala powder made by my MIL, you can use store bought one's as well. I am sure the easiness of making this and the great taste will surely make it a hit among your friend-family as well. So guys, here I'm sharing my way of making the all famous 'Sambhar' without coconut with all of you with the promise that I will surely share the recipe of authentic Kerala sambhar sometime soon. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Toor dal- 3/4 cup
2. Bottleguard/Loki - 2 cups
3. Tindoora - 4
4. Carrot - 1 big
5. Potato - 1 big
6. Onion - 1 small
7. Green chillies -3(optional)
8. Drumstick - 2  
9. Okra/Ladysfinger - 4
10. Tomato - 1
11. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
12. Tamarind - small lemon size
13. Salt to taste
14. Coconut Oil/Oil - 2 tbsp
15. Mustard - 1 tbsp
16. Fenugreek - 1 tsp
17. Curry leaves few
18. Dry whole red chilly - 2
19. Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tsp
20. Homemade sambhar powder - 3 tbsp
21. Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• In a pressure cooker wash and drain the Toor dal. Clean the vegetables  from 2 to 7 and cut them lengthwise. Add them to the dal.
• Add 3 cups(add more/less) of water to the pressure cooker, add turmeric powder and salt.
• Pressure cook this for one-two whistles and switch off the flame.
• Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
• Cut drumstick, okra and tomato lengthwise and set aside
• When pressure in the cooker settles or cool down, open it and add the drumstick, okra and Tomato.
• Squeeze well the soaked tamarind and add the tamarind water to the dal and veggies. Stir well with a ladle till bottom of the cooker to mix.
• Heat up the flame and cook this on med flame for 10-15 mins or till drumstick is cooked.
• Heat a pan and pour coconut oil, sputter mustard seeds. Add fenugreek, curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and switch off the flame. Add the sambhar masala to this and stir well and mix(Take care not to burn the sambhar powder,that is why I mentioned to switch off the flame and add the powder -  but oil should be still hot)
• Add this to the sambhar and stir well to mix everything. Let this boil for 2-3 mins and switch off the flame
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and few more curry leaves. Sambhar is ready to serve. Enjoy!!!!

Note:-

• You can add the veggies of your choice or whatever you have in your kitchen. Veggies commonly used are Drumsticks/Muringakka, Okra/Lady's Finger/Vendakka, Brinjal/Vazhuthanangha, Beans, Carrots, Yam/Chena, Potatoes/UrulaKizhanghu, Yellow Pumpkin/Mathanga, Winter Melon/Kumbalangha, Plantain banana/Pachakkaaya.
• I personally don't like the frozen drumstick, they spoil the taste of entire sambhar. So if you didn't find the fresh one's opt out the drumstick(again it is all your personally choice)
• Sambhar masala is according to you taste, you can add/reduce the quantity according to the amount of veggies and dal used.
• I used Home Made Sambhar Powder which already is spicy and have Coriander powder. If you are using store bought masalas you can add/adjust chilli powder and coriander powder according.(Add chilli powder when you pressure cook and coriander powder when you do the seasoning)