Rich and Creamy Bengali Matar Paneer / Bengali Paneer and Peas curry

It was an average day with an already unusual weather I was standing in the kitchen with an urge to make something regular but with a spin. I had paneer in the fridge and decided to to make matar paneer with them. But matar paneer has a thin curry and a delicate flavour, which does not go with the heavy naan, whereas I already made dough for naan the last night. So...here it is my rich and creamy marar paneer.

Step by step process:

Fry the potatoes until light;y golden.

Heat ghee and add cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaves and saute for half a minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until mushy.

Add the ginger paste and stir to mix.

Add the whisked yogurt.

Add the fried potatoes.

Add water, salt and simmer on medium flame until the potatoes become tender.

Add cream and cubed paneer.

Add garam masala powder and simmer for 3-4 minutes more or until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.

Creamy Bengali Paneer Curry

Serves 6

Ingredients:

500 gm paneer / Indian cottage cheese – cut into medium cubes

3 plump red tomatoes – chopped

1 inch ginger – paste

¼ cup yogurt – whisked

½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 large potato – peeled and cut into cubes

A handful of green peas

A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

2 tbsp ghee + 1 tbsp oil

Salt

1 tsp sugar

1 large cinnamon stick

3 green cardamoms

3 cloves

2 bay leaves

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan/ kadai and shallow fry the potatoes until they become lightly brown. Take them out of the oil and keep aside.

Remove the oil from the pan and add ghee. Let it melt and throw in the cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and bay leaves.

Sauté for half a minute or until the ghee becomes aromatic and then add the chopped tomatoes.

Sprinkle some salt over the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes totally disintegrate and the oil starts to separate.

Add the ginger paste and stir to mix.

Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.

Stir and cook the spices for a minute.

Take the whisked curd and pour it over the curried tomatoes.

Stir and cook until the yogurt mixes well with everything.

Add the fried potatoes, salt and pour 1 cup of water.

Cover and cook until the potatoes become soft and tender.

Add the cream, green peas, cubed paneer and garam masala powder.

Stir and mix them gently without crumbling the paneer pieces.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes more or until you have your desired consistency of the curry.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Sprinkle some coriander leaves at the end.

Serve hot with pulao or naan or kulcha.