Methi Malai Matar Paneer

1. Pour vegetable oil into a large kadai and heat it on medium flame. Add 1/2 tsp. sugar and allow it to caramelize. Add the cumin seeds and sauté until they begin to crackle.
2. Add the bay leaf and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the chopped garlic and cook until the raw smell goes away.Add the chopped onions and ginger andsauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onion turnstranslucent.
3. Add yogurt, tomato puree, and salt, as needed. Mix the ingredients together and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas and mix well. Cook for about 1 minute and gradually add little water to the mixture. Stir well; set aside.
4. Place the red chili powder, ground cumin and coriander powder in a bowl. Mix everything together while adding little water to create a smooth paste.
5. Pour the paste into the gravy and add fenugreek leaves. Give the mixture a good stir. Cook for 5 minutes then add the coconut cream. Stir the mixture well and then add paneer, garam masala, kasoorimethi, and ghee. Once again, stir everything together well.
6. Once the gravy is well cooked and it is of the right consistency, remove the kadai from heat.
7. Your delicious methi malai matar paneer dish is finally ready. You can serve with paratha, rice or any chapatti of your choice.

Trivia

1. The word paneer originated from Persia. The word ‘panir’ in Persian, the word ‘peynir’ in Turkish, the word ‘panir’ in Armenian, and the Azerbaijani word ‘panir’ all are derivatives of the word paneer, which refers to any kind of cheese.