Zero Oil Matar Paneer ( A Women's Day Special )

"Do I look fat in this dress ?"

"If my hips were smaller, I could easily slip into size 30 jeans !"

"This orange saree is so pretty. I wish I were fair enough to wear it ."

Doubts, doubts and more doubts. I wish we women had a genie who could appear by magic during moments like this and make us slim/tall/fair/whatever. But since that seems so far fetched a true friend will just about do. Someone who tells us stuff like  "Hey no problem . Just buy the next size" or "This looks so nice on you. The orange actually compliments your burnished skin tones.".

But since it is emotionally taxing for another person to continuously address our insecurities, every women needs to learn to love herself irrespective of shape, size or skin color. Because only then will you be allowing your inner beauty to shine through. Beauty that is sublime and yet radiates from within. The kind of beauty that transcends the passage of time and is able to reach the core of even the most hardened of souls. The kind of beauty that has the power to transform. To bring about a change in the way we perceive and act.

This women's day is yet another occasion when we can help it happen. By appreciating and helping ourselves. Not by merely sprouting mere rhetoric but actually reaching out and helping other women in every possible way that makes a difference. However small.

Dedicating this 'Zero oil Matar Paneer' recipe to all the women. Not because they need to lose weight in order to meet someone's approval. But because they need to stay fighting fit. For, whatever be our position in life or society, women never have it easy.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20-25 mins (plus 5-7 mins standby)

Ingredients -

• 200 gm Paneer / Cottage cheese
• 1 medium sized onion
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 mediun sized tomato
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 green cardamom
• a tiny bit of mace
• 6-7 peppercorns
• a pinch of fennel
• 2 pinch cumin seeds
• 1-2 dry red chili 
• 1 tsp kasuri methi
• 10 raisins ( else add 1 tsp honey just before taking off the flame )
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup milk (optional)

Preparation - Take all the ingredients except for the paneer, kasuri methi and milk in a pressure cooker. Add 1 cup water and a little salt.

Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame.

Remove and keep aside till steam escapes. Open lid and drain the excess liquid into a cup . Once cool, puree the solids.

Add a small cube of paneer ( 1 inch ) to the blender jar and give another quick buzz.

Heat a wok. Transfer the puree to the wok along with the green peas and let it cook till any raw smell goes off (takes about 5 mins).

Add the reserved liquid and the milk to the wok. Rub the kasuri methi between your palms before adding them to the wok. Let the gravy simmer for 4-5 mins .

Add the paneer cubes. Switch off the flame immediately and let it stand for 5 mins before serving.

Taste great with Indian breads or steamed rice.

Matar Paneer (Without onion and garlic)

Sometimes fine recipes are born purely out of need. This Ganesh Chaturthi my husband wanted something different from the puri-buta dali combo that is the staple dinner on festival days. With it being a no onion - no garlic day, I was hard pressed for choice. Then I zeroed in on this 'Matar-Paneer' recipe that I had jotted down in my notebook. It is a simple one with a combination of sweet, sour and spicy flavours without being too rich.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 200 gm Paneer cubes 
• 1 1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 big tomato 
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 Kashmiri chili
• 5-6 almonds
• 7-8 cashews
• 10-12 raisins
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 green cardamom (powdered)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Kasuri methi
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• a pinch garam masala
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp butter

Preparation - Chop the tomato and transfer into a cooker. Add the raisins, cashews, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, whole red chili and cumin seeds along with a little salt. Add 1/2 cup water. Cook for 2-3 whistles on medium flame.

Keep aside for steam to escape. Once the steam escapes, peel the almonds. Drain the water ( but do not throw it ) and transfer all the contents of the pressure cooker to a blender. Buzz till you get a smooth paste.

If using frozen peas, thaw them.

Add the panner cubes to a bowl of hot water.

Cooking - Heat the butter in a wok. Add the ground tomato-masala paste along with coriander powder, chili powder and garam masala. Rub the Kasuri methi between your palms to warm it a bit before adding to the wok.

Cook for 5-6 mins before adding the paneer cubes and green peas. Add about 1 cup hot water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins.

Add the honey and remove from flame.

Serve hot with puris/phulkas.

Matar Paneer ( with Maggie Bhuna Masala )

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees

Ingredients: Panner ( 200 gm ), green peas ( 2 cups ), Maggie bhuna masala ( 3 tbs ),
boiled potatao ( 1 no ), whole red chilli ( 2 nos ), cinnamon ( 1/2 inch ), bay leaf ( 1 no ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), red chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ),cloves ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp ), fennel seeds ( 1/3 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ),kasuri methi ( 1 tsp ), tomato sauce ( 1 tbs ), turmeric, salt, oil ( 3 tsp ).

Preparation: soak the kasuri methi in 4-5 tbs warm water.

Cooking: Boil salt and turmeric in a deep vessel. Cut the paneer into cubes and add to the boiling water. Boil for 5 mins , drain and keep aside.

Peel and cut the boiled potato into small cubes.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the potatoes and green peas. Stir fry for 2-3 mins and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in wok. Add the red chillis, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Fry for 1 minute and then add the maggie bhuna masala. Stir fry for 2 mins.

Add the fried peas and potato cubes along with chilli powder, cumin powder , coriander powder and salt.

Fry for 1 minute and then add 2 cups of boiling water.

Close the lid and boil for 10 mins. Add tomato sauce, kasuri methi and powdered garam
masala. Boil for 1-2 mins.

Add the boiled paneer and simmer for another 2 mins. Remove from fire. Allow to stand with lid covered for another 5 mins.

Serve with white rice and dal fry / rotis / puris.