🌼Creative Sunday Special: My Favorite Matar Paneer

Hello hive learner friends ,
I hope you are doing well. Today, for Creative Sunday, I'm excited to share one of my absolute favorite recipes—Matar Paneer. This dish is much more than just a meal; it's a connection to home, family, and the comforting warmth of homemade food. What makes this version truly special is that I’ll be making the paneer fresh at home, ensuring that every bite is filled with love and freshness. By making paneer at home, we add a special touch that makes this dish even tastier and more heartwarming.I would love to make this recipe with you.
Ingredients
For Paneer:
1 liter full-fat milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For the Curry:
1 cup green peas (matar), fresh or frozen
2 large onions
4-5 garlic cloves
1-inch piece of ginger
2 tomatoes, pureed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon , bay leaf
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped for garnish

Step by Step Method
Making the Paneer:
Start by boiling the milk in a large pot. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and add lemon juice gradually,Add crush black peper,chilly flakes and stirring continuously. You'll notice the milk curdling, and the whey will separate. Once fully curdled, turn off the heat. Strain the curds through a cheesecloth or a sieve, and rinse them under cold water to remove the sour taste. And squeeze out excess water. Place it under a heavy weight for about 20 minutes to form a solid block of paneer. Once set, cut the paneer into cubescubes

preparing the paste
Heat the pan and sauté the onions, ginger, and garlic until the onions turn pink.
In a mixer, combine the onions, garlic , ginger,turmeric, red chilli and coriander powder. Blend them into a smooth paste. This will serve as the flavorful base for our curry.

Making the carry

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds,black pepper, cinnamon and bay leaf. Let them splutter, then add the prepared paste. Sauté this mixture .
Next, add the tomato puree and salt.Stir well and cook until the oil starts to separate from the masala.

Add the green peas to the pan and mix well. If you’re using fresh peas, you may need to add a little water and cover the pan, allowing the peas to cook until they’re tender.

Once the peas are cooked, gently add the homemade paneer cubes to the curry. Mix carefully to ensure the paneer doesn't break.Let the curry simmer on low heat for a few minutes, allowing all the flavors to come together. Adjust the consistency by adding water if needed.

Finally, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti, naan, or steamed rice.

Making paneer at home adds a personal touch to this dish, making it even more special. The combination of tender green peas and soft, creamy paneer in a spiced gravy is pure comfort food, perfect for any occasion. I hope you enjoy preparing and savoring this Matar Paneer as much as I do.
Thank you for reading my post . 🙏🏻🇮🇳