Matar Paneer Recipe
A classic North Indian curry made with soft paneer and green peas in a flavorful tomato-onion gravy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 200 gram paneer Cut into cubes; soak in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- 1 cup Green peas Fresh or frozen
- 2-3 large Onion Finely chopped
- 2-3 medium Tomatoes Pureed or finely chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
- 1-2 tbsp Ghee
- 1/2 tbsp Garam masala Add near the end
- 2 tbsp Fresh coriander Chopped
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds For tempering
- 1/2 tsp Kasuri methi Crushed
Instructions
- How to keep paneer soft - Cut the paneer into cubes and soak them in warm water for 10–15 minutes. This keeps the paneer soft and prevents it from turning chewy.
- Heat oil or ghee in a kadai and add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chopped onions and cook until light golden. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder. Cook until the masala thickness and the oil separates.
- Add water and mix well to loosen the gravy. Bring it to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Add green peas and mix gently with the gravy. Cook for 3–5 minutes until the peas are just tender.
- Add the soaked paneer and gently mix it into the gravy. Simmer for 5–7 minutes without boiling.
- Add garam masala, kasuri methi, and fresh coriander. Mix gently and serve the matar paneer hot.
Notes
- Taste the gravy before the paneer goes in — that's your last real chance to fix salt, chilli, or tang with a squeeze of lemon if the tomatoes weren't sour enough on their own.
- Once the paneer's in, leave it alone. A gentle swirl of the pan coats the cubes fine. Vigorous stirring just breaks them up.