Matar Paneer

This is one of my very favorite side dish as it has the two main ingredients that I love the most and which never fail to impress my kids. No matter wherever I go out for dinner out I used to end up ordering this side dish till learned to make it on my own. And oh boy I was only too glad when I started making this on my own.

I like using the fresh ones instead of the frozen ones and I don’t like replacing the fresh ones with dried ones either. So whenever the peas are in season this dish is repeated recurrence in the dining table.

I used my old Microwave oven only for reheating purposes as I did not have any idea how to use it effectively. I bought a new one with the convection mode after giving the old one to a bachelor friend of my Husband. I vowed that I would start cooking many dishes and ended up converting many dishes of day to day cooking in the stove to be cooked in micro wave. This is one such dish.

Matar Paneer

Ingredients:

Fresh green peas (cooked) – 1 cup
Paneer – 200 gms
Onion – 2
Tomatoes – 3
Broken cashew nuts – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp (optional)
Red Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Kasuri methi – ½ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cream – 2 tsp (optional)

Preparation:

Cube the paneer and spread them over a Microwave safe plate. Apply 2 tsp of ghee evenly so that all the cubes are coated uniformly. Microwave high for 2 min or till they turn a golden color. Put the fried cubes in some warm water so that they remain soft. Cut the onions and tomatoes into chunks.



Method:

In a Microwave safe dish mix together onions, tomatoes, cashews with 2 tsp of oil and Microwave @ 100% for 3 min with the dish half closed with a Microwave safe plate or lid. Let it cool and grind it in a mixer with little water along with the turmeric powder to a fine paste.

In the same dish heat the remaining oil and ghee. Now add the chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and Microwave @ 100% for 1 minute (open). Add the peas, salt and ground paste to it and some water if needed as per the consistency that you prefer. Mix well and Microwave high for 4 mins (half closed).

Now add the paneer cubes, kasuri methi, coriander leaves. Mix well and Microwave at high for 1 to 2 mins. Let it stand for a couple of minutes before serving it with a swirl of cream on top. This goes well with chapattis, puris or Naan.

This is off to Microwave cooking event, brain child of Srivalli, this month featuring Protein rich diet hosted by Ramya.

Aloo Pepper Fry

Potatoes are something that everybody loves to eat. A handy vegetable that stores for a longer period than when compared to its other friends is a must have in your kitchen to make a sumptuous side dish whenever you are out of any other vegetable for chappati or puris.

All you have to do is reach over to the potato basket and let your imagination run riot and voila you can almost feed an army. Today’s recipe is something that could be used as a two in one that could be served with rice and also with rotis. Have a blast.

You’ve got try this combi. It really is yummy.

Aloo Pepper Fry

Ingredients:

Aloo / potatoes – 3, medium size

Onions – 1, chopped fine

Coriander – 5 tbsp finely chopped

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Freshly ground black pepper corn – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Lemon wedge (optional)

For tempering:

Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 5 to 6

Method:

Scrap the skin of the potatoes and chop them into cubes. Pressure cook them till they are soft and firm. In a kadai heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped onions and keep sautéing till the onions turn pink and soft. Now add the turmeric powder, potato cubes, salt, pepper powder and mix well. Cook for 5 mins and serve garnished with chopped coriander and a dash of lemon squeezed over it.

This goes well with sambar rice. You can serve this with chappatis. Since this is a dry preparation wrap this in chappatis like making rolls, which would make a nice lunch box treat.