Muli Dal Paneer

One day when I opened my fridge found some leftover cottage cheese and a horse raddish, and was really confused how to utilize them. Then it suddenly struck in my mind to combine them with daland made this Muli Dal Paneer for dinner. The key ingredient of this recipe is Motor dal or Yellow split peas that is known to be a rich source of fibre and protien as well as minerals like phosphrus and potassium. This is tasty as well as health friendly.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• Yellow split peas( matar dal), 1 cup or 200 gm
• Cottage cheese or paneer, 150 gm
• Horse raddish, 1
• Coriander leaves, 1 handfull, chopped
• Onion, 1, sliced
• Garlic cloves, 4
• Ginger, 1"
• Coriander powder, 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
• Mango powder(Amchoor powder), 1 tsp
• Green chillies, 4-5
• Bay leaf, 1
• Whole dry red chilli, 1
• Green cardamom, 2
• Cinnamon, 1"
• Mustard oil, 4 tbsp ( you may use Soybean oil)
• Salt to taste 
• Sugar, 2 tsp

Methods:

In a cooker add 1 and 1/2 cup water and dal and pressure cook peas with 3 whistles.  Wait for the pressure inside to release.Then open the lid and mash dal a little using a manual hand blender or a spatula.

Slice raddish and shallow fry in oil till they turn soft. Seasone with a pinch of salt. Keep them aside.

Blend together garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, mango popwder and keep them aside. In a pan hat oil and temper the oil with bay leaf, red chilli, cinnamon and cardamoms. Let them release flavour and then add sliced onion. Saute them for a minute and seasone them with a pinch of salt.  Now as they start turning light brown add blended spices and then again saute for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and salt according to your taste. 

Add 4 tbsp water and let the spices release oil. Slice paneer and add. Toss them in spices. Now add precooked dal and green chillies and combine with spoces. cook untill it turns thick . Now discard bay leaf and remove from flame and combine chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Roti or steamed rice.