| Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here. Sorta matar paneer Spring is on my mind, which makes me think of peas. Tonight, let's make this riff on matar paneer. The Punjabi dish traditionally combines paneer, a fresh cheese, and matar, or peas, in a tomato-based sauce. Here, we'll go heavier on the peas, and spice the dish with garam masala. Coconut milk, while not a traditional addition, contributes creaminess and a touch of sweetness that helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. You could serve it over rice or with rotis or other flatbreads, but here, it's served atop a simple sweet potato hash. Paneer is fairly easy to find at well-stocked supermarkets; it's also an easy cheese to make at home. I like it simmered into sauces, because it absorbs their flavor without falling apart or melting. Try it in this dish, marinated and skewered into kebabs, in butter paneer, or even simmered in a batch of kale pesto, with a mustard and cumin tadka drizzled on the top, for a riff on saag paneer.  | Today's recipe | Photos by Rey Lopez for The Washington Post; food styling by Marie Ostrosky for The Washington Post | Paneer and Pea Curry With Sweet Potato Hash - You could skip the onion or the garlic >> but I wouldn't skip both.
- No sweet potatoes? >> Try this over rice or with warm flatbreads instead.
- Out of canned tomatoes? >> Use chopped fresh, or try replacing them with coconut milk.
Where to Buy: Paneer can be found in the dairy aisle and garam masala in the spice aisle of well-stocked supermarkets or at Indian markets. For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe in our Recipe Finder. Servings: 4 Total time: 30 mins Ingredients - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped and divided
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped and divided
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
- Fine salt
- 8 ounces paneer, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (may substitute extra-firm tofu, drained)
- One (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 cups fresh or frozen/defrosted peas (about 9 ounces)
- 1 cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes, with their juices
- 1/4 cup low-fat coconut milk
Steps1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add half of the onion and half of the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, stir in the sweet potatoes and lightly season with salt. Cook the sweet potatoes, stirring and scraping them from the pan occasionally, until browned in spots and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. 2. Sprinkle the paneer pieces with salt. In a separate large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Add the paneer and cook until deeply browned on one side, a few minutes, then turn the cubes over and repeat the browning. 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, then stir in the ginger, garam masala and the remaining onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and the garam masala has bubbled and bloomed. Stir in the peas, the tomatoes and their juices and the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Taste, and season with more salt, if desired. Cook until the peas are tender and the flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. 4. Divide the sweet potato hash among individual plates. Spoon the paneer-pea curry on top and serve hot. From Food editor Joe Yonan, author of "Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook" (Ten Speed Press, August 2013). Tested by Joe Yonan. Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 430; Total Fat: 25 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Cholesterol: 50 mg; Sodium: 115 mg; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Sugars: 12 g; Protein: 18 g.  | Dessert | 🎧 "Goodnight Gotham" by Rihanna. 📺 "Station Eleven." 🥔 "Making Ukrainian pierogi roots me to my family tree" by Jim Webster in The Post. 👀 Attn: book lovers. 🗣 If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend! |