Paneer with Burst Grape Tomatoes and Green Peas
My daughter loves paneer. I make it a few times when she visits. This recipe is a variation of her favorite matar paneer, this recipe features very gently seasoned burst grape tomatoes, garlic, homemade garam masala and of course paneer and peas. Hence it is my Paneer with Burst Grape Tomatoes.
With just a few ingredients, the sauce is delicate, sweet and fragrant. A perfect foil for the fresh soft paneer that I used in this recipe.
My Story about Paneer with Burst Grape Tomatoes and Green Peas
There is nothing heavy about this recipe. Perfect served steaming hot, but with room temperature potential. It is very much my kind of cooking. I know this sounds strange but even with spices less is more. A gentle touch sometimes accentuates key flavors. Like in this case the sweetness of the tomatoes. The house always feels empty without the energy Deepta brings. I am a little sorry that I am travelling the next weekend when she visits.
My new activity this year is the garden. Tackling some woefully overgrown garden and weed infested garden beds to boot. I do not want to give up a whole year. So, I am weeding the best I can. I have cleared enough to do some planting this weekend. Maybe for this year, I will stick to the one bed and tackle the second one next year. I have to confess I am impressed at how easy people make gardening seem. And for me it is a new and challenging frontier.
I am a complete newbie to the gardening side of things. It is an interesting feeling. A strange sense of connect with nature. And a strange sense of awe at the power of nature. Just the weeds with their persistence, their need to claim the land as their own is a testimony to the resilience of nature. Other variations of this combination are, Matar Paneer without Onion and Garlic and Instant Pot Matar Paneer.
If you are a paneer lover, try this simple recipe and vibrant recipe. Perfect for a festive weekend or easy weeknight meal.
How to Enjoy this Dish
It can certainly be enjoyed as a light curry paired with a rice dish or a bread. It can be served at room temperature as a hearty salad.
A light and gentle dish meshing grape tomatoes with paneer and green peas.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 medium sized red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 and 1/2 cups of grape tomatoes (about 1 pint)
- 1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 8 oz pack Gopi Paneer, cubed
- 1 and 1/2 cups of frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon fresh garam masala
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro to finish
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add in the whole cumin seeds and wait until they sizzle.
- Add in the onion and sauté until the onions are soft and wilted. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes
- Add in the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add in the grape tomatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric and the salt. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 6 minutes.
- Remove the cover, and at this point most of your tomatoes should have split releasing their juices. You still want them to retain some shape.
- Stir in the paneer and mix well.
- Stir in the frozen peas and the garam masala and simmer for 3 minutes, until the peas are cooked through.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with cilantro and serve.