Swaran Jawa's Mattar Paneer (OUTDATED)

This is AN OUTDATED VERSION Of this recipe. It was the latest version of this recipe as of 6/23/13.

Ingredients

Spices

Equipment

Instructions

  1. Combine 2.5 cups of water with 1 unit of masala base (see below) in large pot
  2. Add 20 oz frozen peas
  3. Put on high
  4. Add 3 teaspoons of salt
  5. Add 1/4 teaspoons of red pepper
  6. Cover, leave on medium
  7. At some point when peas are close to done, add 1 heaping TBSP of gharam masala (see below)
  8. When peas are wrinkled/shriveled, the gravy is done - put on low until paneer is ready (see below)
  9. You can add a half cup of water if you want more watery
  10. When the paneer is done (lightly fried) dump it in the gravy, stir it up a little & you're done!

Masala Base (gravy base)

NOTE: This makes 2 units of the masala gravy base. Save off half in refrigerator or freezer for later use.

  1. Chop up onions really small in food processor (small diced)
  2. Put onions into large pot and add 6 tablespoons oil & turn up to medium heat stirring occasionally
  3. Chop up garlic cloves & ginger small in processor
  4. Turn down onions to low, keep stirring - note slowly browning
  5. When dark brown put in ginger/garlic mix
  6. Put in 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric
  7. When almost burnt, slowly start adding tomato sauce - keep stirring, waiting for oil to seperate? (spoon off?)
  8. Put a little water in tomato can & slowly pour it in
  9. NOTE you can always put on low & leave for a while at any stage
  10. When deep reddish brown, it is done
  11. USE HALF, REMOVE OTHER HALF & KEEP IN FREEZER FOR SOME OTHER TIME

Gharam Masala (spice mix)

NOTE: This makes 2 heaping TBSP of the spice mix. Save off half with your spices for later use.

  1. Roast 1/2 tablespoon of cumin seed in a pan on the burner for a few minutes
  2. Place the following ingredients in spice blender & grind until fine powder
  3. Use half of mix (1 heaping tablespoon) for 1 unit of masala base

Paneer (cheese):

  1. Pour 3/4 gallon milk in large bowl (or all if you want more paneer! Yum!)
  2. Microwave for 27-30 to BOIL (there will be a large bubble of air)
  3. Stir in 4 tablespoons of white vinegar
  4. Keep stirring
  5. When cheese separates fully and gets clumpy (& liquid gets yellowish and clear) pour into collander with cheescloth
  6. Squeeze out as much water as possible. The more water you get out, the better your paneer will be.
  7. When cheese is firm & cohesive it is done - it should not be crumbly! should be like almost like tofu in terms of consistency
  8. Put on a plate and slice into cubes - if it is crumbly, you did not press it enough
  9. Put a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan at high & then put down to medium low
  10. Drop cheese cubes one by one in at side of pan to lightly fry them
  11. Dry cheese in cloth towel to remove oil
  12. Rinse cheesecloth after use