Matar paneer step-by-step recipe with photos.
About this recipe
Matar paneer (also known as muttar paneer or mattar paneer) is a very famous Punjabi dish. I believe this is one of the most sought-after Indian curry in Indian restaurants outside India. Cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas cooked in a rich creamy onion-tomato gravy. This dish tastes great both with jeera rice as well as roti/flatbread or naan. As this is a very popular dish, there are many different ways of making this. I have experimented with a lot of techniques and developed this recipe. We love this dish and hope you like my version of this delicious curry.
The two main components of this dish are paneer and green peas. Paneer is fresh cottage cheese that is made by curdling milk. You can use either make fresh paneer at home or use store-bought ones.
This dish is a great source of proteins, vitamins, and calcium as well as the goodness of aromatic spices and herbs - perfect for a well-balanced vegetarian meal. For a vegan option, replace paneer with tofu, and replace butter/ghee with olive oil or any cooking oil of your choice.
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Step by step instructions
1. Saute onion, ginger, garlic until golden brown
2. Add ground spice mix in the kadhai and cook
3. Cook until done and oil separates
4. Add peas and cook
5. Add paneer and simmer
6. Add garam masala, kasuri methi and mix well
Rich, creamy matar paneer
Recipe card
Matar paneer
Ingredients
- 250 grams paneer
- ½ cup green peas
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoon ghee (can be replaced with oil)
- 1 large onion chopped
- ½ inch ginger grated
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 10 cashew
- 3 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaf (kasuri methi)
- A few coriander leaves for garnish
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak cashew in water for 30 minutes
- Grind the poppy seeds into a fine powder in a coffee grinder. (Alternatively, if you have an Indian mixer, soak the poppy seeds for an hour and grind along with other ingredients in step 4)
- In a frying pan or kadhai, heat 1 tablespoon ghee. Lightly fry paneer cubes. Set aside
- In the same pan saute onion on medium heat until golden brown. Add ginger, garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Let it cool completely
- Grind the cooled onion, ginger, garlic mix along with cashew, poppy seeds, tomato puree, and yogurt into a smooth paste
- In the same frying pan, add 2 tablespoon ghee. Add the ground mixture and bring it to boil
- Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well. Add some water if the mixture is too dry
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer until completely cooked and the oil separates
- Add green peas, mix well. Add 1 cup hot water and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer until peas are cooked
- Add paneer, mix well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes till you reach the required consistency
- Rub kasuri methi between your palm and add it in. Also, add garam masala. Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves
- Serve hot with rice / roti / naan
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