Helen RandellMatar Panir
November 30th 2009 10:58
So, now that you have your panir, you'll be looking for a curry to showcase your hard work.
This punjabi-style curry is a great one to try. There are hundreds of varieties of this dish from all over India, but the main ingredients are always the same - peas, panir, mint and tomatoes. You can make this dish ahead of time, and if you want the moisture level, it is great to leave gently simmering for a few hours to enhance the flavour. Because of the robust nature of the cheese, you'll hardly even notice you have gone vegetarian for the evening!
Matar Panir (Punjabi-style tomatoes, peas and home-made cheese curd)
Adapted from Kurma Dasa's Sticky Rice lesson
Serves 5-6
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
5 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1-2 hot green chillies, minced
8 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely diced (or tinned - sometimes it's just easier!)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh coriander
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
panir, cut into small cubes
oil for frying
2 cups cooked, or frozen peas
2 cups whey or water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large put until hot. Saute the mustard seeds until they crackle. Add the cumin seeds and stir until they darken a little. Add the ginger and chilli, the tomatoes, powdered spices, sugar and half the herbs. Partially cover, and stirring occasionally, simmer for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes break down.
Heat the oil in a pan for frying. When hot, fry the panir cubes until golden brown. Set aside on paper towel to drain.
Add the peas and water or whey to the tomato and spice mixture. Boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and salt and mix well, then add the panir cubes and simmer for 5 minutes more.
Serve with remaining herbs on top.
I know it looks like a great big list of ingredients, but if you have ever made an Indian curry, you'll be familiar with most of these ingredients. If you don't feel like making your own panir, you can purchase it from the supermarket these days, but it can be expensive.
And just one more thing, if you are going to put together an Indian feast, make sure you whip up a halava to finish. One of the best desserts ever!!
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