Matar Paneer Recipe

Preparation time 15 mins

Cooking time 15 mins

Total time 30 mins

Matar Paneer Recipe - spiced and creamy curry with peas and cottage cheese. a family recipe.

Cuisine: North Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

Main ingredients for matar paneer recipe:

• 250 to 300 gms paneer/cottage cheese
• 1 cup peas or matar - fresh or frozen
• 1 cup to 1.25 cups water, 250 to 275 ml water or add as required
• ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• ¼ to ½ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
• ¼ to ½ tsp punjabi garam masala powder or regular garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp malai or cream (optional)
• ½ tsp sugar or add as required and optional (check notes)
• 2 to 2.5 tbsp oil or ghee
• a few coriander/dhania leaves for garnishing
• salt as required

Ingredients for matar paneer masala paste:

• 3 medium sized ripe red tomatoes, roughly chopped, ¾ cup roughly chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium to large onion, roughly chopped, ½ cup roughly chopped onions
• 1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
• ½ inch ginger/adrak, chopped
• 2-3 garlic/lahsun, chopped
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped coriander, chopped
• 10 to 12 whole cashews/kaju, chopped
• 4 to 5 black peppercorns/sabut kali mirch
• 2 to 3 cloves/lavang
• ½ inch cinnamon/dal chini
• 1 tsp coriander seeds/sabut dhania

How to make the recipe:

1. blend all the ingredients mentioned under "masala paste" in a grinder or blender to a smooth paste. no need to add water while grinding. keep aside.
2. heat oil or ghee. add ½ tsp cumin seeds. saute the cumin till they splutter.
3. then add the ground masala paste. stir. take care while sauteing as the paste splutters. if there is too much spluttering, then cover partly with a lid till the spluttering stops.
4. saute for 10-12 minutes or more on a low to medium flame till the oil separates from the paste.
5. add all the dry spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder. stir well.
6. if adding cream or malai, you can add now. stir and saute for a minute.
7. then add the peas or matar. stir again.
8. add water and season with salt.
9. cover the cooker tightly and pressure cook till the matar/peas are cooked. cook for about 2 to 3 whistles or 9 to 10 minutes. (check notes below on how to cook in a pan.)
10. when the pressure drops on its own, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
11. if the curry appears thin, then simmer till it reaches the desired consistency. the consistency is medium and neither thick nor thin.
12. if the gravy appears thick, then add some water and simmer.
13. add the paneer cubes. simmer for 1 to 2 minutes on a low flame or till the paneer cubes get cooked. for a slight sweet taste, you can also add sugar just before you add the paneer cubes.
14. don't overcook as the paneer becomes dense and hard then.
15. garnish matar paneer with coriander leaves.
16. serve matar paneer with rotis, parathas, naan or rice.

Notes:

1. If making matar paneer recipe in a pan, then first fry the cumin seeds in a pan. then add the masala paste and saute till oil releases from the sides. add the dry spice powders and stir. add the matar, salt and about 1.5 to 2 cups water. close the pan and cook the peas till they become soft. if the curry dries up whilst cooking, add more water.
2. if the tomatoes are sour, then sweeten the gravy by adding some sugar.

Lets start step by step matar paneer recipe:

1. Take ingredients for making the masala paste in a wet grinder,

½ cup chopped onions,
¾ cup chopped tomatoes,
½ inch ginger,
(2-3) garlic,
(1-2) green chilies,
(10-12) chopped cashews,
2 tbsp coriander leaves,
(4-5) black pepper,
½ inch cinnamon,
1 tsp coriander seeds & (2-3) cloves

2. Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste. no need to add water while grinding. there should be no small bits and pieces of cashews in the paste. keep the ground paste aside.

3. Heat 2 to 2.5 tbsp oil or ghee. add ½ tsp cumin seeds.
4. Add the ground masala paste. stir. take care while sauteing as the paste splutters. if there is too much spluttering, then cover partly with a lid till the spluttering stops.

5. Saute for 10 to 12 minutes on a low to medium flame till the oil separates from the paste. 
6. Add all the dry spice powders – ¼ tsp turmeric powder, (¼ to ½) tsp red chili powder and (¼ to ½) tsp garam masala powder. stir very well. if adding cream or malai, you can add now. stir and saute for a minute. 
7. Add 1 cup rinsed peas or matar.
8. Stir well.
9. Then add (1 cup to 1.25 cups) water and salt. stir again.



10. Pressure cook till the matar/peas are cooked. cook for about 2 to 3 whistles or 9 to 10 minutes. (check notes in recipe section on how to cook in a pan.)
11. When the pressure drops on its own, open the lid of the pressure cooker. if the curry appears thin, then simmer till it reaches the desired consistency. the consistency is medium and neither thick nor thin. if the gravy appears thick, then add some water and simmer. for a slight sweet taste, you can also add up to ½ tsp of sugar. add the paneer cubes (250 to 300 gms). simmer on a low flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the paneer cubes are cooked. avoid over cooking as then the paneer would become dense and rubbery.
12. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves & serve matar paneer with parathas, naan or with steamed rice.