North Indian-Style Matar Paneer with Cumin Basmati

Practice your knife grip fundamentals for the next 5 minutes of prep: pinch the blade of your chef's knife between your thumb and forefinger just above the heel, wrap your remaining fingers naturally around the handle, and keep your wrist straight. Using this relaxed grip, cut 250g paneer into 2 cm cubes, finely dice 1 large yellow onion, mince 3 garlic cloves, finely grate 15g fresh ginger, and chop 15g fresh cilantro.

Rinse 150g uncooked basmati rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain thoroughly.

In a medium saucepan (Pot 1), heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 0.5 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained 150g basmati rice and toast, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to coat the grains.

Pour 300ml water and 0.5 tsp salt into the saucepan with the rice. Bring to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet (Pot 2), heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the 250g paneer cubes in a single layer and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown on at least two sides. Transfer the seared paneer immediately to a bowl filled with warm water and 0.5 tsp salt to keep it soft.

In the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add another 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the remaining 0.5 tsp cumin seeds and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the finely diced yellow onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the skillet, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in 0.5 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder. Toast the spices for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Pour in 400ml canned crushed tomatoes and add 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to separate at the edges.

Drain the paneer cubes from the warm water and add them to the skillet along with 150g frozen green peas, 1.5 tsp garam masala, and 100ml water. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the peas are tender and the paneer is hot.

Stir in 60ml heavy cream and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Serve the Matar Paneer hot over the Cumin Basmati Rice, garnished with 15g chopped fresh cilantro. Offer extra Kashmiri chili powder at the table for custom heat levels.