Paneer Cheese and Vegetables in a Creamy Gravy

I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs a few days ago and came across a recipe for paneer cheese and vegetables in a creamy gravy over at As Dear as Salt. Richa's version looked delicious, and as I'm a huge fan of paneer, I just had to try it. I've adapted the recipe somewhat to suit my tastes. Feel free to use any combination of vegetables - about 2-3 cups worth. Adjust the amount of yogurt to obtain the desired consistency of the gravy.

Paneer and Mixed Vegetables in a Creamy Gravy

2 tablespoons of oil, or a combination of butter and oil

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of asafoetida
1 bay leaf
1 2 inch long cinnamon stick

2 - 3 green onions, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, shredded or finely chopped
3 - 4 chilies or jalapenos, finely diced
2 tablespoons of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 medium tomato, finely diced

1 large carrot, sliced into thin rounds
generous handful of green beans, cut into one inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup of frozen or fresh peas
1 teaspoon of sea salt

400 grams of paneer cheese, cut into cubes
2/3 - 1 cup of yogurt
5 - 6 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley or coriander, chopped

In a mortar and pestle, make a paste with the ginger, chilies, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne and chili powder. Set aside.

In a wok, or large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Stir and fry for about a minute and then add the onion. Fry for a few more minutes. Next add the chili spice paste, along with a teaspoon or so of water. Stir and fry for about 30 seconds and add the tomato. Cook for another minute or so.

Next add the carrots, red pepper, green beans, and fresh peas if you are using them, along with the salt. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook until the vegetables are just tender.

Add the paneer, mushrooms, frozen peas if you are using them, yogurt and garam masala. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Add the parsley or coriander near the end of the cooking time, reserving a bit for garnishing.