Matar paneer- rich, creamy version

We end up having a lot of osneer at home, so when I saw a recipe for a "quick" version of paneer masala which can be whipped up in a jiffy when visitors drop in unexpectedly, I was obviously interested. Unfortunately, the lady has very different standards when it comes to cooking- this turned out to be at least as involved (if not more so) than my regular version. But the dish was more than worth the effort. Definitely a recipe I'm going to use much more. 

200 gm paneer

1/2 cup peas

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp dhania powder

1/2 tsp amchur powder

1 tsp kasoori methi

Salt and sugar to taste

A pinch of nutmeg 

1/2 cup milk

For gravy:

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 onions chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 inch piece cinnamon

2 green cardamom

10 cashew nuts

1/2 cup water

Method:

Pressure cook the ingredients listed under gravy for 20 minutes on sim after the first whistle

Cool. Discard cinnamon and cardamom and grind to a fine paste

Heat oil, add bay leaves, and sauté for a minute or two

Add paste, and dry spices, and sauté on a low flame till the oil starts leaving the sides

Add peas, milk, kasoori methi, salt and sugar, and cook for 5 minutes

Add paneer, bring to a boil, and turn off the flame

Serve with parathas or roti. 

Karela fry

Karela. The name itself strikes terror in our household, and I've virtually stopped making it. But when the hubby bought two plump karelas and some tiny onions, I had no choice but to dust out my mother in law's recipe. I must have done something right, because it got polished off.

2 karelas

6 small onions (regular onions, but smaller in size than normal)

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 1/2 tsp dhania powder

1 1/2 tsp amchur powder

1 1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt

Method:

Wash the karelas, and scrape off the green skin. Make a vertical slit, and hollow out the seeds. 

Rub with salt inside and out, and let it stand for an hour. 

Mix the dry masalas together (do not add the salt). 

Rub out the salt covering the karelas, squeeze slightly, and stuff with the masala. 

Peel the onions, and cut them in a cross. Add salt to the masala mix, and stuff the onions

Heat oil in a kadhai, slide in he vegetables and fry till browned.