Peas & Cottage Cheese in Spicy Gravy

A simple Peas and cottage cheese or Mutter paneer as is called in Hindi with wholewheat Indian flat breads is one such delightful meals I crave for during the weekends. There are many ways to make this recipe, you could make it more exotic with cashew nut paste or deep fry the cottage cheese cubes for the crunchy taste. But my favorite is this simple yet scrumptious recipe which is easy to cook and is a delight to savor.

Ingredients;
(serve 2)

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese cubes
• 1/2 cup fresh peas 
• 4 tsp. of oil
• Salt as desired
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds
• 1 cup water
  

Spices

• 1 tsp. red chilly powder
• 1 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp, turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala

To grind

• 2 onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 4 garlic pearls
• A small piece of ginger

Method; Peel and dice onion into small cubes. Wash and cut tomatoes into small pieces. Grind onion, tomato, garlic and ginger into fine paste.
Take a small bowl and add all the spices in it, mix with a teaspoon of water.
Cut cottage cheese into small cubes.
Heat oil in a wok and crackle mustard seeds. Add the ground paste, asafoetida, salt and the spice mix in the oil and fry it for about 10 minutes on low heat till the oil separates from the mixture.
Add water in the wok and let it boil. Add cottage cheese cubes and fresh peas in the wok. Cover it and let it simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve this delightful Cottage cheese and fresh peas hot with Indian flat breads, plain rice or buns.