Review: Ashoka Matar Paneer & Saag Paneer

In the past when I've tried packaged mutter paneer or other Indian dishes, I've been severely dissapointed. Just some of the problems are that the paneer is hard and rubbery, the peas are brittle and feel totally old, and the overall consistency is nothing like the dish should be. So you can't blame me for being a little skeptical going in. It turns out that both the mutter paneer and saag paneer are excellent! Its literally just like it came fresh off of the stove, so I gotta hand it to whoever preserves this shit. Plus, its nothing like how these things usually are - it doesn't feel like a plastic meal at all! Its like some old Indian aunty labored over a hot stove cooking this especially for me. Well, knowing India, thats probably not far from the truth (either an old lady or a kid made this). I found that they weren't cheap with the paneer (known in English as cottage cheese), and the sauce was creamy and consistent in taste. The peas seemed really fresh and soft, just like how it should be. And a tear almost came to my eye when I saw the oil collecting at the sides - homemade Indian dishes have a way of doing that. Really, its basically the same as you'd find at the Dixie Guruduara! Pricing is reasonable if a bit on the pricey side at about CAD$1.50, but its worth it for the amount of paneer you get as well as the freshness (or at least the illusion of it). One serious mistake on the box is that they tell you the package is microwaveable. I found out, with blue thunder and lightning in my microwave, that its not. The package looks like metal, and apparently, it is. I really doubted that it could go into my 'wave but the packet illustrates and reads that all you have to do is cut a hole and pop that shit in. A mistake of this scale, and grandeur (cuz the packaging is nice) is unforgivable. Imagine the lawsuits if this company was based in North America. Other than that, all you ABCDs and CBCDs go grab this shit NOW, and fight with your semi-present Asian identity.