Matar Paneer Recipe : Delicious Paneer with Peas!

Prev Article Next Article

The perfect food is when paneer has been paired with it. If you can instantly complete this sentence with the name of peas, then this dish is for you! Pair your favourite ingredient Paneer with the Green Peas. Enjoy its delicious taste and spicy flavours. The restaurant style Matar Paneer Recipe is very simple and easy to try at home. You just need some basic Indian condiments along with the fresh paneer.

Matar Paneer Recipe

Author: Chandni Agrawal
Recipe Category: Punjabi Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6

Description: Matar Paneer is one of the most liked and prepared dishes of north India. A nice blend of matar (peas) and paneer in a very tasteful gravy. Check Now!

Matar Paneer Recipe - Paneer Matar Masala

Ingredients for Matar Paneer Recipe:

Onions – 3 units
Tomatoes – 2 units
Green Chilli – 1 piece
Cashew Nuts – 8 to 10 piece
Butter – ½ tbsp.
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp.
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp.
Green Cardamom – 2 pieces
Green Peas – ½ cup
Paneer – 100 grams
Bay Leaf (Kadi Patta) – ¼ cup
Cloves (Lavang) – 3 pieces
Cinnamon Powder (Dalchini) – ½ tsp.
Red Chilli Powder (Lal Mirch)- 1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)- 1 tsp.
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp.
Garam Masala – ½ tsp.
Fenugreek (Kasuri Methi) – ½ tsp.
Coriander Leaves (Dhania) – ½ cup
Cream (Malai) – ¼ cup
Water – 1 to 1 ½ cup
Sugar – as per taste
Salt – as per taste

Note: Instead of butter oil can also be used or half oil and half butter can also be used. The cream is an optional ingredient. You can either use fresh or frozen peas. The paneer can be homemade as well you buy from the market. We are using for coriander leaves for garnishing. If you are using oil, use saffola oil but if you are using ghee, use patanjali’s cow ghee.

Method of Making Matar Paneer Recipe:

It is very simple and easy to prepare the Restaurant style Matar Paneer Masala at home.

Pre-Preparation for Matar Paneer:

Soak, Drain and Cut Cashews:

Take a bowl of warm water.
Soak the cashews for 1 hour.
Wait till they become chewy.
The soaked cashew must be soft.
After a while, take the cashews.
Drain off the water and strain them.
Now, finely chop the cashews.
Cut them into small and tiny pieces.

Boil Peas:

If you have fresh peas, then blanch them.
Take a bowl of water and keep it on the stove.
Add peas in the boiling water.
Sprinkle the peas with a pinch of salt.
Boil the fresh peas for 10 minutes.
If you are using the frozen peas, then thaw them first.

Note: You can also use the microwave to boil. (buy microwave at discounted price)

Ginger-Garlic Paste:

Take ½ inch ginger and few garlic cloves.
Grate the ginger and crush the cloves.
Add them to the mortar pestle.
Make a smooth paste from them.
It is easy to make the ginger-garlic paste at home.

Wash and Chop Veggies:

Take all the veggies you are using.
Wash the medium sized onions and tomatoes.
Finely chop the onions and cube chop the tomatoes.
Clean the green chilies with water.
Deseed the green chillies.
Finley chop or slit chop them.
Rinse, wash and chop coriander leaves.

Tomato Puree:

Now, prepare to make tomato puree.
Take the roughly chopped tomatoes.
Also, add the tomato juice in the mixer.
Transfer the chopped tomatoes to the mixer blender.
Pour some water into the mixer.
Blend the mixture to form a smooth puree.

Note: It is better to chop the tomatoes over the mixer.

Fry Paneer:

Take the block of fresh homemade panner.
Cut the whole paneer into small tiny cubes.
Now, begin to shallow fry the Paneer.
Heat oil or ghee in the nonstick pan.
Switch on the stove and keep on flame low.
Wait till the oil becomes hot and starts to crackle.
Add the paneer cubes gently in the heated oil.
Shallow fry them until edges turn brown.
Flip the side of the paneer cubes and fry.
Wait until they change the color.

Note: Frying the paneer cubes is optional. You can sauté the paneer pieces until golden brown it’s optional. While you do that, be cautious to not overcook otherwise they will become stiff and will not remain soft.

Onion Paste:

Take the finely chopped onions in the blender.
Add the chopped green chillies with onions.
You can use blender or the small chutney jar.
Also, add some grated ginger and chopped garlic.
Grind the mixture to form a coarse textured onion paste.
Transfer the onion paste to the bowl. Keep it aside.

Note: Adding ginger and garlic in the onion paste is optional. Do not add water in the onion paste.

Cashew Paste:

Now, take the soft and tender cashews nuts.
Add them in the mortar pestle.
Pour in some water along with cashews.
Grind the mixture to make the smooth cashew paste.
The final paste has to be creamy with a thick consistency.

Steps for Matar Paneer Masala:

Keep the pan or non-stick Kadai over stove.
Heat it on the medium flame.
Add butter or oil in the pan. (You may even mix both of them using half of each).
Let the butter or the oil melt.
Once it’s heated, add the cumin seeds.
Wait till they crackle and make noise.
When they start to sizzle, lower the flame.
Transfer the thick onion paste to this pan.
Sauté it for some time on the low flame.
Stir the onion paste and add pinch of salt.
Wait till the onion paste becomes translucent.
Keep stirring it at intervals over the low flame.
Let the oil start to release from the paste.
When you see oil releasing, add the tomato puree.
Cook this mixture for more than 5 minutes.
Wait till the oil begins to separate from the paste.
Scrape from the sides of the pan as well.
Cook till the moisture evaporates completely.
Meanwhile, take another small pan.
Keep on the stove and heat 1 tsp. oil.
Make the tempering of whole spices.
Add 1 tsp. cardamom powder.
Add ½ tsp. cinnamon powder.
Also, add 1.4 cup bay leaves.
Sauté these whole spices for 1 minute.
Then add this mixture to the pan.
Drizzle tempering over the onion-tomato puree.
Now, stir and add the spice powders.
Add the 1 tsp. red chilli powder.
Add the 1 tsp. coriander powder.
Add the 1 tsp. turmeric powder.
Then season the curry with salt.
Mix in the ginger-garlic paste.
Sauté it with the mixture for 2 minutes.
Stir and cook until the raw smell leaves.
When you feel is completely mixed, then add the cashew paste.
Now add green boiled peas in the pan.
Pour some water in the required proportion.
Simmer the gravy for 5 minutes.
Let the ingredients mix properly.
Simmer until you find that the gravy has reached its desired consistency.
Then when gravy gets thick, add cream and stir continuously.
If you want minor sweetness, sprinkle a little bit of sugar.
After 2 minutes add the paneer cubes and cook.
Sprinkle some Kasuri Methi and Garam masala.
Simmer everything for 2 minutes on medium flame.
Let the peas and paneer absorb the taste and flavors of other ingredients.
After sometime, turn off the flame when the gravy is cooked.
Switch off the stove and let the Paneer Butter Masala curry settle.
Transfer the Matar paneer gravy from the pan to the serving bowl.

And the rich, creamy, tasty Matar Paneer is ready!

Note: Do not keep the flame on for a long time after adding paneer as they will become hard.

Additional Information:

Calories: 600 calories
Total Time: PT35M
Date Published: 2016-07-12

Get Daily Dose of Delicious Recipes… Subscribe Now!

It is the popular sabzi of the North Indian menu and is made frequently at home by people. It is so much liked and appreciated that it holds the top position in the menu of restaurants and hotels. This Punjabi gravy dish is also known “Paneer Matar Masala” and also “Matar Paneer Masala”. This healthy, tasty, and yummy curry is light on health when compared to other Punjabi Gravy Dishes.

There is a nice blend of green Matar (peas) and soft paneer in this colourful, tasty and creamy mixture of tomato gravy. The Matar Paneer Recipe is the simple yet the delightful treat for the taste buds which can be cooked in minutes at home. The dish is mildly spicy and has a bit of tanginess with minor sweetness.

You can use paneer in any dish with any ingredient and it will mould accordingly. The same goes with green coloured peas, who retains only their green original color and not the taste when mixed with other veggies. The addition of various spices adds heat, warmth and flavor to this paneer dish. You make this vegetable paneer curry spicy or less spicy as per taste preferable to your taste palates.

Remarks

It takes 25 minutes to prepare the restaurant style paneer Matar masala at home.
The measured of the proportion of ingredients serves 4 people. You can always change the proportion based on the number of serving.
You can also be flexible with using more paneer and fewer peas or using more peas and less paneer.
If the tomatoes are sour, then add the sugar to balance the tanginess.
If you want, you can substitute magaz with cashew but it will change the taste of the dish.
You can use fresh parsley leaves or chopped cilantro leaves as well.
If you are calorie conscious, then do not fry the paneer.
You can increase the proportion of water if you want thin and liquid curry.
If you are a vegan, you can use Tofu in place of paneer.
If you don’t have cream you can use milk ½ cup. But remember to stir continuously to avoid curdling.

Garnishing

The strong aroma of the Matar Paneer is itself very tempting. But you can make your Matar paneer look more appealing to eyes with proper plating. Mentioned below are the few ideas:

Ladle the Matar Paneer in a nice and fancy serving bowl.
Serve the Matar Paneer in the brass serving bowl.
You can also transfer Matar paneer in the fancy oval plate.

You can also garnish Matar Paneer with:

Coriander leaves
Grated Paneer
White Cream
Onion Rings
Grated Beetroot

Serving Suggestion:

There are many possible combinations of eating Matar paneer. Check below for the few serving ideas:

Generally, the Matar paneer is eaten with paratha or roti. (Any kind of paratha will go with it)
If you are heavy on the stomach, then you may eat the sabzi by mixing it with paneer pulao.
The side complement to your dish would be any one of the chilled Raita.
This north Indian dish can only be complete if you serve it with the glass Lassi.
It can be eaten with any type of rice, biryani or pulao of your choice.
To make a complete meal, you can pair it some sweet dish.
You can also roast or fry the Papad.
Even you can place a plate of salad for the crunch
If you are making it for the party, then Roasted Tomato Sou p would be great appetizer or starter option for this dish

All the different subzi made with paneer as core ingredient can be eaten with any kind of Paratha and chutney or pickle as a side accompaniment.

Quick Tip:

Shallow frying the paneer will improve the taste and texture of the paneer cubes.
If you deep fry them in hot oil, then it would improve their flavour and fragrance.
The addition of cream infuses the creaminess in the texture and makes the gravy smooth.
If you don’t have cream, then add a dash of milk.
You can prepare the gravy of Matar paneer a day in advance.
You may also leave the soaked cashews overnight in the fridge.
If you do not want to buy the store bought Garam masala then make it at home. (Check here to make Garam masala powder at home.)

Time	Serving	Calories
35 minutes	5 to 6 people	600 calories

This paneer sabzi has the marvelous combination of mild flavoured paneer and peas. Both of them are tasty, healthy and can blend easily with each other. The taste of both paneer and peas is neutral and take flavours of the spices and condiments they are amalgamated with. Paneer becomes the favourite ingredient to cook due to its soft and moist texture. Whereas it is preferable to use peas because they are handy to use and health quotient. There are many ways to prepare Matar paneer at home, you can cook it pan, pressure cooker or even the microwave.

The use of fragrant agent coriander leaves spreads the strong aroma when they are sprinkled. The cashews along with the fresh cream give the smooth, creamy and thick texture to the gravy. If you like thin consistency then you can skip their addition. The soft and subtle paneer becomes crispy and crunchy with a golden texture when you shallow fry. There is an alluring fragrance from the dish of the flavorful spices and condiments. You can squeeze in little lime juice for the citrus zest. You can season the sabzi with the chopped nuts to give it the slight bit of crunch.

It can be prepared at home with ease if you have paneer and peas in your pantry. Both these core ingredients are such that they can be stored and frozen, yet they would not be spoiled. So you can use the frozen paneer as well frozen peas for making Matar paneer. The feasibility of preparation and availability of ingredients makes its cooking often. It is quick and fusses free recipe if you are looking to make gravy of paneer. It can be made without any hustle and does not require much of advance preparation. You can try this simple recipe even when you are on the level one of cooking. Follow the steps and make with ease.

As we know that Matar Paneer is one of the most liked and prepared dishes of north India, so it is also the match made in heaven for the North Indian Paratha. This paneer gravy dish is so versatile that it can be combined with fulka roti, tandoori roti, Nan, Poori and also rice. So get ready to eat this delicious restaurant recipe, comfortably at home with the combo of your choice. Make this yummy Punjabi recipe of paneer and peas for your lunch or dinner and enjoy its deliciousness.

Health Benefits of Peas:

Peas are good for health, body, and bones. They aid in weight management, prevents aging and wrinkles regulate blood and reduce bad cholesterol. The recipes by which you can include peas in your diet are Aloo Matar Gajar or the healthy pea’s paratha.

Baked Matar Paneer:

There is another version of this recipe known as Baked Paneer Matar. It is for the lovers of cheese and paneer, where you can grate the cheese and keep the dish for baking. The recipe is almost similar to normal Mater Paneer but there is an extra step of seasoning it with shredded cheese and then keeping the subzi in the microwave for baking. The paneer Matar masala would be covered underneath the layer of baked cheese. So try it to today and get your fingers licking over this delicious cheesy Matar paneer.

Jain Paneer Matar Masala:

For all the Jain folks, here is the Jain Paneer Matar Masala Recipe. Its preparation is similar to the normal paneer Matar masala. The only difference is that we have not used onions and the ginger-garlic paste. All the other ingredients remain same. Make the super delicious Jain Paneer Matar Masala.

You must try out this another version of Matar Paneer. It is extremely easy and simple to prepare with same taste. This mater paneer is called as Jain Version because it is prepared without onion, ginger or garlic in it. Some people think it is impossible to make Matar paneer without onion and garlic. But it is not true, you can prepare onion and garlic free paneer Matar masala and still it would taste equally yummy.

For the no onion-no garlic recipe of Matar Paneer, you would need ingredients like: