Matar Paneer/Tofu Masala with a twist

Aah ! the paneer.. !! Whatever you make with it, you can never go wrong. Its delicious.. (ofcourse its delicious.. it has significant fat content..and you know anything with fat in it.. is gotto be tasty :)) and goes well with anything.. Paneer is made from milk so, the calcium content is high too. Which makes a great food for kids. I like to substitute Paneer with Tofu whenever I can. I usually make this curry with a mostly tomato base since its easy with fewer ingredients, but this time, I was in short supply of those and decided to try something different.. Turned out very yummy...


Ingredients:
1 Cup Paneer (cubed) (OR Tofu for a healthier alternative)
1 Tomato (Large chopped finely)
1 Onion (Large chopped finely)
3 Tbsp Dry roasted peanut(skinless) powder
1 Tbsp Dry coconut powder
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp Ginger+garlic paste
1/2 cup green peas (fresh/frozen)
4 cloves
2 tsp Dry Coriander powder
1 Tbsp Lime juice (optional)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala (optional)
salt as per taste
chilli powder as per taste
Oil as needed (2-3Tbsp)

Process:
Heat some oil in a wide pan. Pan fry the paneer/tofu, add some salt and chilli powder to it. Set aside. In the same pan, add the cloves, ginger garlic paste and stir. Then add the chopped onions. Saute until golden brown. Add the chopped tomato, saute and cover with a lid. Make sure you stir it frequently until the juices ooze out and the tomatoes are all mushy. About 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, the peanut powder and the coconut powder and mix well. Add this into the pan.Add some water (about 1/2 cup). You may add the coriander powder and garam masala (if you are using it) at this point. Add salt and chilli powder and adjust as per your liking. You may also add some lime juice for a tangy flavor. Stir this mixture. Add the green peas. Let the curry cook for 5 minutes. When the liquid is hot and seems to be bubbling, add the fried paneer/tofu.

Let it simmer on low heat for about 5 more minutes or until the oil starts to separate in the pan. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice/chapathi. Very delicious.