Matar Paneer, Peas with Cheese

(serves 4 as a main course)

This is another one of my favourite dishes. There's an Indian restaurant near where I live and their version of this is very good, which prompted me to try out my own. Mine turned out a bit different probably because of the combination of spices I chose, but in the end I liked mine even better. :)

I decided to make the paneer as it's really quite simple to do and ends up costing less than purchasing the ready made stuff (if you can even find it), and I wanted to use hormone and antibiotic free milk.

paneer (makes about 1/2 lb)
1/2 gallon of milk, (I used 1%)
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp white vinegar
cheesecloth

Bring the milk and salt to a boil in a large saucepan, being careful not to let it burn. Remove from heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and stir for about a minute until the milk curdles. If the curds don't separate enough from the whey, then keep adding 1 tsp of vinegar at a time until they do.

Place the cheesecloth in a colander over a large bowl (so you can reserve the whey)* and strain the curds. Pull up the edges of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze to remove any excess whey.

Place the cheesecloth and curds onto a large plate and weigh down the top with something like a heavy frying pan or cutting board. Leave this for about 2 hours, then either use the paneer or wrap it and refrigerate.

*I came across uses for whey at Chowhound . I added some to the Matar Paneer, and I'll use some for the rice which will accompany this.

Matar Paneer (can be made a day ahead and reheated)*
2 tbsp ghee, or clarified butter (or just plain unsalted butter)
1/2 lb paneer, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 large sweet onion, cut into quarters
2 large cloves garlic
2" piece of fresh ginger, skin removed
2-3 jalapeno peppers, seeded
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch or more of cayenne, to taste
1/2 6oz can tomato paste, (freeze the other half for another use)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup water or whey
3 1/2 cups shelled peas, (1 lb bag frozen)
1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
salt to taste
small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon of  ghee (half) in a large non-stick skillet and add the paneer cubes. Fry them until they are a light golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Place the onions, garlic, ginger and jalapeno peppers into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee to the skillet, set the temperature to medium-low and add the pureed onion mixture. Cook, stirring from time to time until it thickens; about 15 minutes.

Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Cook for another minute or two.

Add the tomato paste, yogurt and water or whey. Stir well then cover and simmer gently over low heat for about 25 minutes.

Stir in the peas and the paneer, and simmer for another 8-10 minutes.

Stir in the heavy cream (or more water or whey if the mixtures seems too thick) and the chopped cilantro. Bring back to a simmer. Add salt if needed.

Serve with rice and/or naan.

*This dish seems even better reheated the next day.

Skillet Naan

(8-10 pieces)

I just had to make fresh naan to go with the butter chicken. This became an Indian themed weekend.

2/3 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp dry yeast
3 1/2 - 4 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup greek style plain yogurt, (I used some leftover herbed yogurt)
1 egg

ghee or olive oil for the skillet

Combine the water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Add 3 1/2 cups of flour (to start) and baking powder to the bowl of a *food processor fitted with a dough blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the water and yeast mixture as well as the yogurt and egg. Pulse a few times.

If the dough remains in clumps, then add tiny amounts of water until you get a ball. If on the other hand the dough is very gooey and sticky, add small amounts of flour until you get a ball. I like my dough to be very soft and slightly sticky to the feel, yet still have the ability to pull away from the bowl of the food processor.

Process the ball for about 2-3 minutes. Place into a greased bowl, cover loosely and set aside for about 1-1 1/2 hours or until it has doubled in volume.

Punch down and divide into 8-10 pieces. Roll each one into an oval about 1/4" thick.

Heat up a non-stick skillet over medium to medium low heat and coat it with a small amount of ghee or olive oil.

Place one circle of dough at a time and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until both sides are lightly browned.

*If your food processor is on the smallish side, then half the recipe. Use the entire egg and add a bit extra flour to make up for that.

Murgh Makhani, Butter Chicken

(4-6 servings)

This wonderful Indian dish features marinated chicken braised in a a spiced tomato cream sauce. It's one of those dishes which seems to taste even better reheated the next day.

Last week, a fellow at work mentioned there was a new Whole Foods near his office. As soon as I was done for the day I raced over there to check it out. It's a bit further than the one I've been going to, but the route is more direct, making it easier to get to.

I went all out in the bulk spice section. Everything was fresh (the store had only been open for one week). Among the 15 or so spices I ended up getting, was ground cardamon. That wonderful odour filled my entire kitchen within an hour or two.

Chicken Marinade
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
2 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
8 chicken thighs,  skinless and boneless (about 1 1/2 lbs) cut into bite-size pieces
(you could use breasts instead, I just happen to love thighs)

Sauce
2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter (or regular butter, if you wish)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp garam masala*
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground fenugreek
1 tsp chili powder
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
a pinch or two of cayenne if you prefer more heat
salt to taste

Combine all of the chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl and let sit for an hour or two.

Heat the ghee or butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper and fry until the onion  becomes transparent; about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, honey, garam masala, turmeric, fenugreek and chili powder. Stir to combine well. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 35-45 minutes, or until the mixture is very soft.

Remove the cover and raise the heat a touch, and add the chicken and all it's marinade. When everything starts to simmer, lower the heat again, cover  and cook for about an hour.

Remove the cover and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring a bit from time to time; about 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and heavy cream. Check for seasoning. Cook for another minute or two, remove from heat. Nice with rice or naan.

*Garam Masala - in recent years I have noticed this more and more in the spice section of regular grocery stores. The brands can vary somewhat, but typically this is any combination of cinnamon, coriander, fennel, cumin, black pepper, cardamon, nutmeg, star anise, bay leaves and cloves.

Gajar Ka Halwa, Carrot Halwa

(about 20-24 pieces)

I used to live near Coxwell and Gerrard in Toronto (home to one of the largest East Indian communities in North America). Walking towards the end of my street in the summer, I would often encounter heavenly scents from the spice shops and restaurants on Gerrard.

Carrot Halwa was available at several shops and restaurants where it often had a thin layer of edible silver on it. I don't bother looking for the silver when I make these, way too much driving I imagine.

2 tbsp ghee, or clarified butter (or regular butter )
2 lb carrots, grated
3 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/3 cup cashew nuts, chopped and toasted

extra cashew nuts, chopped and toasted for garnishing

Heat the ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and saute until they soften. Add the milk, sugar and cardamon and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and continue to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the cashew nuts and continue to cook, stirring until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pot and resembles a soft dough.

Pack into an oiled (ghee) 8" or 9" baking pan, sprinkle the top with cashew nuts. Cool and cut into squares.