Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer Masala – a popular  North Indian dish of cottage cheese and peas cooked in a creamy gravy.

Matar Paneer Masala is an awesome combination of cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas cooked in onion tomato gravy. This is commonly made during winters when fresh green peas are available in abundance.   Its an all time favourite dish of most vegetarians and you will find this in most Indian restaurant menu. This rich, creamy gravy with soft paneer cubes and peas pairs well with rotis, naan, parathas, lachcha parathas, plain rice and jeera rice.

Matar Paneer Masala recipe  requires onion and tomato to cook well before grinding them to a fine paste. The masala paste is then cooked with spices to which boiled peas and paneer cubes are added. I have used cashew nuts and fresh cream in this recipe which gives a creamy texture to the gravy. The recipe may seem elaborate, but is actually very easy. So, here is the recipe for restaurant style matar paneer.

Step-wise recipe with pictures

Heat oil in a pan.

Add chopped onions, salt and saute.

Add chopped garlic and ginger. Saute till the onions start changing colour.

Add cashew nuts and saute till the onions turn golden brown.

Add chopped tomatoes and green chilly. 

Saute and cook covered till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

Allow this mixture to cool down. Once cooled, transfer to a mixer jar.

Blend to  a fine paste.

Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds.

Add masala paste, Kashmiri red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and cook covered for few minutes.

Add boiled peas and mix.

Add paneer cubes.

Add in kasuri methi.

Stir in the fresh cream and mix.

Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve Matar Paneer Masala with roti, rice or paratha .

Matar Paneer

Recipe :

Ingredients

250 grams paneer (cubed)
3/4 cup green peas
3 tbsp oil
2 large onions (chopped)
2 large tomatoes (chopped)
5 to 6  cloves garlic (chopped)
1  inch ginger (chopped)

8 to 10 cashew nuts
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 cloves

1 inch cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 green chilly, slit lengthwise
2 tsp kashmiri  red chilly powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp cumin coriander powder

1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Salt as per taste

Method

  • Boil the green peas alongwith 2 cups of water in a pan.
  • Drain the water and keep the boiled peas aside.
  • In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil .
  • Add chopped onions and saute. Add salt as per taste. Adding salt to onions fastens the cooking process.
  • Add chopped garlic and ginger.  Saute and cook till the onions  start changing colour.
  • Now, add cashew nuts.
  • Saute till the onions turn golden brown and soft.
  • Now, add chopped tomatoes and green chilly.
  • Mix well and saute for few seconds.
  • Cover and cook  on a slow flame till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Turn off the heat.  Let this onion-tomato mixture cool completely.
  • Once it cools, blend to a fine paste. Keep aside.
  • Now, heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan.
  • Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. When they start crackling, Add the onion tomato paste.
  • Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.  
  • Rinse the mixer jar in which the masala was made and add that water to the gravy.
  • Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Now, add  boiled peas and mix.
  • Next add the paneer cubes.
  • Add water as required to adjust the consistency.
  • Add salt if required.
  • Add kasuri methi and mix.
  • Stir in the fresh cream and give a quick mix.
  • Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
  • Serve  Matar Paneer Masala with naan/roti/ chapati/ lachcha paratha/ steamed rice or jeera riceWATCH RECIPE VIDEO

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