Healthy Mutter Paneer

Paneer is everyone's favorite and it works magic on any dish taking it to a whole new level. I started using paneer only a few years ago and I remember how I was running around excited when I made paneer for the first time. Fast forward few years and I make paneer dishes more frequently and paneer has become everyone's favorite at home too. This recipe has been sitting in the drafts for more than 2 months .. not sure why .. perhaps it was the inner voice in me saying that it is a common dish and so on. Thanks to blogging events this post is finally going to see the light of the day. Geez .. these days my cooking revolves around blogging events as I want to participate in all of them .. and there are so many of them :)

I call it healthy because I am not loading it with cream, butter and cashews. I have used few peanuts and low fat milk. The dish was tasty and my friends at the party liked it. I have also made this few times with just 1 tsp of oil and without frying the paneer pieces. Off to the recipe.

Ingredients
15 pieces paneer
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
6-7 raw peanuts skin removed
1 medium onion
1 inch ginger
3 cloves garlic
2 medium tomatoes
2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
2 tsp kasuri methi
2 cups peas
1/2 cup milk

Method

Fry the paneer pieces in little oil. You can cut it into small pieces and fry or fry the whole slab and then cut. Whatever works.

For the gravy first fry the raw peanuts in very little oil after removing the skin. Remove when done.

Next to the same vessel add onions, ginger and garlic.

Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes.

Tomatoes are mushy and onions are also cooked.

Allow to cool and take in a blender.

Blend to a fine consistency.

Heat the butter and oil and season with cloves and cinnamon. Can skip the butter and use only oil.

Add the ground mixture.

Add the spice powders (turmeric, red chilly powder, cumin powder, coriander powder) and salt.

Crush the kasuri methi and add.

Add the peas.

Bring mixture to boil and allow to boil for 5-10 minutes.(Frozen peas cook faster, if using fresh peas cook few extra minutes)

Add the paneer pieces.

Add the milk.

Mix well and turn the stove off after a couple of minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

That is it. Do not be overwhelmed with the ingredient list or the steps. They are basic ingredients and the steps go by in a breeze. We had it with rotis and it was a hit at the party.

Enjoy!

Tips

1. As mentioned earlier, use cream, cashews and more butter to make it even richer.

Sending this to HLI - Paneer hosted by Jayashree and started by Mom Chef.