Name: Paneer Curry with Peas
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons all purpose flour; 1 pound paneer or firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes; 5 tablespoons usli ghee, divided; 1 large onion, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 serrano chile, minced with seeds; 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree; 1/2 cup water; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 1 1/2 pounds peas in pods) or 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro; Steamed basmati rice

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Paneer Curry with PeasJosé Picayo

Paneer, a fresh, mild Indian cheese, stands in for the meat in this delicious vegetarian main course. When you're shopping for the peas, look for fresh shelling peas (sometimes called English peas) that have vibrant green pods full of small round peas. Larger peas are sometimes starchy instead of sweet and crisp. For detailed information on the specialty ingredients that are used in this dish, see "Ingredient Tips" at the end of the recipe.

Ingredient Tips:

Paneer, a fresh cow's milk or buffalo's-milk cheese, and usli ghee (clarified butter; also called ghee) are sold at some natural foods stores and at Indian markets. If you can't find paneer, then tofu, chicken, shrimp, or scallops would also work well in this recipe. Clarified butter or vegetable oil can be used in place of the ghee. Garam masala is a curry spice blend that's available in the spice section of many supermarkets, at Indian markets, and from thespicehouse.com.

Recipe notes