Sunday Paper Dinner Table: Matar Paneer

The Sunday Paper Dinner Table: At The Sunday Paper, we believe in the power of meaningful conversations around the table as a foundation in building a more caring, kinder and compassionate world.  We want to inspire you and encourage you to gather virtually at your tables, open your hearts, and open your minds each and every week with the help of our Meaningful Conversation Starter and suggested recipe. Then report back to us and tell us about the experience. Cheers!Matar PaneerServes 4Matar paneer is the definition of a party dish. It's the sort of thing that you can serve to anyone…it looks really pretty and is always a crowd-pleaser (Cheese! Tomato sauce! Cumin-studded peas!). And it takes a *tiny* bit more effort than your standard Indian one-pan sabzi, which means you'll usually only pull it out when you want to impress a crowd. Typically, the paneer in matar paneer is deep-fried. But as my mom discovered, deep-frying at home sucks, and the dish ends up tasting a lot more balanced and not overly rich when the paneer is simply simmered in the pan with all the other ingredients. Ingredients:¼ cup + 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil, divided4 green cardamom pods, or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (freshly ground is best)2 tablespoons coriander seeds1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh ginger1 small Indian green chile or serrano chile, halved lengthwise and stem removed7 medium Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped1 teaspoon cumin seeds2 bay leaves½ teaspoon ground turmeric¼ teaspoon asafetida (optional, but really great)1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed8 ounces paneer, cut into ½-inch cubes (1 cup; see Tip)1 cup fresh or frozen shelled sweet peas½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (stems and leaves), for garnish*Tip: As soon as you cube the paneer, put it in warm water until you are ready to cook it…this will make sure it doesn't dry out. Just be sure to drain it before adding it to the pan. Directions:In a large skillet over medium heat, warm ¼ cup of the ghee. Add the cardamom and coriander and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until they have lightly browned. Stir in the onion, ginger, and chile and cook until the onion is translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are wilted, 5 to 6 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.Transfer the cooled tomato mixture to a blender and blend into a chunky sauce…it should resemble baby food. If the mixture isn't blending well, add a few drops of water to get it going. Set the sauce aside.In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they turn a medium shade of brown, about 1 minute max. Reduce the heat to low and add the bay leaves, turmeric, and asafetida (if using). Pour the sauce into the pan, add the salt, and mix well. Add the paneer, peas, and 1 cup water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the peas are warmed through and have nicely comingled with the paneer and Serve sauce. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Garnish with the cilantro.Excerpted with permission from Indian-Ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family by Priya Krishna. Copyright © 2019 by Priya Krishna. Published by Houghton Mifflin. 

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This recipe was featured in the October 18, 2020 edition of The Sunday Paper. The Sunday Paper publishes News and Views that Rise Above the Noise and Inspires Hearts and Minds. To get The Sunday Paper delivered to your inbox each Sunday morning for free, click here to subscribe.