Delicious Matar Paneer Recipe – How to Make the Perfect Indian Cottage Cheese and Peas Curry

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Matar Paneer Recipe

Matar Paneer is a classic North Indian dish made with paneer (cottage cheese) and green peas in a tomato-based gravy. It is a delicious vegetarian dish that is easy to make and goes well with naan bread or rice. Here is a simple recipe to make Matar Paneer at home:

Plate of Matar paneer - Indian curry made with green peas and paneer in tomato-based gravy
Matar paneer – Indian curry

Ingredients:

  • 250g paneer, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup green peas
  • 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
  • 2 medium-sized tomatoes, pureed
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Water as required
  • Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
  2. Add choped onions and sauté until golden brown.
  3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
  4. Add tomato puree and cook until oil separates from the mixture.
  5. Add coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add green peas and paneer cubes. Mix well.
  7. Add salt to taste and water as required to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
  8. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until the peas are cooked and the paneer is soft.
  9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with naan bread or rice.

Tips💡:

  • For a creamier gravy, you can add some heavy cream or cashew cream towards the end of cooking.
  • To make the dish more aromatic, you can add some whole spices like bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, or cardamom pods to the pan while cooking the onions.
  • Don’t overcook the paneer as it can become tough and rubbery. Add it towards the end of cooking and gently stir to combine.
  • Serve the Matar-Paneer hot with some fresh coriander leaves and a side of naan bread with rice. Enjoy!
  • For a healthier version, you can use low-fat paneer or tofu instead of regular paneer. You can also reduce the amount of oil used in the recipe.

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