Mutter Paneer - Paneer with green peas

This dish is extremely expensive when served in Indian restaurants. Often you  get lots of sauce and hardly any paneer pieces. Yet, it is an easy to make dish:

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 block of paneer (for homemade paneer check out: http://www.givemesomespice.com/2010/09/paneer-easy-to-make-recipe.html)
I cup green peas (fresh or frozen
1 small onion chopped finely (OPTIONAL)
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
half teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons a mixture of coriander and cumin powder often called chana jeeru.
1 smallcinammon stick
1-2 cloves
1 cardammom
1 tablespoon cashewnuts, powdered
2 fresh tomatoes, pureed or half a can of tinned tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon whipped cream or malai
2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon sunflower oil or similar
Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Cut the paneer into cubes, prick them with a sharp knife and deep fry them. Put them to soak in hot water.(pricking them stops the paneer from spluttering).

2. Heat the oil and add the cinammon, cardamom and cloves.

3. After 10-20 secs, add the onions (optonal) and ginger/garlic paste.

4. When the onions turn light brown, add all the powdered spices and cashewnut powder.

5. Fry for about 1/2 a minute.

6. Add the tomato puree and salt to taste.

7. Fry on high heat till the mixture thickens.

8. Now add the peas and one cup of water and bring to a boil.

9. Strain the paneer cubes and add them to the mixture.

10. Add the malai and mix well.

11. Stir in the chopped coriander leaves.

12. Allow to simmer on a medium to low heat for 20 minutes.

This curry can be served hot with paratha or naan.