Home Style Matar Paneer
A North Indian curry made with Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese), onion, tomatoes, and a handful of spices. It is a flavorful home-style recipe so it is mildly spicy and has minimal ingredients.
Ingredients
For the gravy
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 6 nos garlic cloves
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 nos green chilies
- 3/4 cup onion roughly chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes roughly chopped
- 6 nos whole cashew nuts
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 cup water
For cooking
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 no bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3/4 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh green peas
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/4 cup water
- salt as needed
- 200 grams paneer diced
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi roasted and crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
To prepare paste
- Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Sauté until the raw aroma disappears. Add roughly chopped onions and cook until golden brown.1 tablespoon oil, 6 nos garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, 2 nos green chilies, 3/4 cup onion
- Next, add the roughly chopped tomatoes, whole cashew nuts, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Cook until they become soft and the oil starts to separate.1 cup tomatoes, 6 nos whole cashew nuts, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- Add water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook till the mixture is soft. Let it cool down.1 cup water
- Transfer the mixture into a grinding jar. Grind it into a fine paste. Add water if required.
For cooking
- In the same pan, add the oil. Add bay leaf and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Add the finely chopped onions to the pan and cook until golden brown.2 tablespoon oil, 1 no bay leaf, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 3/4 cup onion
- Next, add the fresh green peas and sauté for a few seconds. Cook for 8-10 minutes or till green peas are soft.1 cup fresh green peas
- When the green peas are cooked, add the prepared onion-tomato paste. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/4 cup water
- Gently add the paneer cubes and salt to the gravy. Mix well, ensuring they are coated with the masala.200 grams paneer, salt
- Add garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Mix well. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.1/4 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve the aromatic Matar Paneer with naan, roti, or steamed rice.1/4 cup coriander leaves