Matar Paneer(Peas and Indian Cottage Cheese in Onion Tomato Gravy)

Simple yet so full of flavors, Matar Paneer is one of the most popular paneer dishes from North India. Matar/Peas and Paneer cooked in onion tomato gravy with or without cream.

Matar is Peas and Paneer is Indian Cottage Cheese. Presenting here one of the various versions of this rich and creamy curry.

The curry is very popular in North India and every household has there own way of making it. With Cream, without cream , with gravy or on the semi-dry side or this no-onion no-garlic Matar Paneer when many people abstain eating food that has onion and garlic.

This is my mom's recipe that I follow till date the only change I did from my side is adding of roasted besan(chickpea flour). Besan gives a different flavor to the side apart from adding richness to the gravy, and the dish tastes just like the one that we get in parties made by the halwais (traditional sweet makers in India who cooked food during parties and marriage functions). Those of you are from North India will know what I am talking about. Food cooked by halwais like this Makhane Matar Kaju Ki Subzi, has altogether unique flavor that we crave many times.

In Matar Paneer, paneer is pan-fried lightly and then added with peas to gravy, I usually skip frying it and add non-fried Paneer when I make for weekday lunch/dinner. Occasionally, I add fried Paneer when I make for guests.

Let's see how I make this delicious Matar Paneer

This version of Matar Paneer is with rich onion tomato gravy where I use chickpea flour for adding richness to the gravy.

I have another way of making Matar Paneer, in less gravy the drier version, where I use cream/nuts(cashew nuts)/seeds like melon seeds for no onion no garlic version to make it or use.

Ingredients for Matar Paneer

For making the gravy we need 1 onion, 3 tomatoes, 1-inch ginger stick, 3-4 garlic cloves.

Fresh or frozen peas and fresh Paneer(Indian Cottage Cheese). Paneer used can be store bought or homemade. Here I have used store bought paneer and frozen peas for the dish.

Spices used in dish are.. Coriander powder(Dhania powder), Red Chilli powder(Lal Mirch powder), Garam Masala, 1 Bay leaf(Tej patta) and a small Cinnamon stick(Dal Chini), 1 Black Cardamon(Moti Eliachi), 1/4 tsp of Dried Fenugreek leaves(Kasuri Methi).

All the spices use for the dish are available at Indian grocery stores in US, Europe and other countries.

Method

Cut Paneer in cubes and pressure cook/boil peas before adding to the gravy as fresh peas can take time to cook.

A pressure cook matar/peas with little salt till one-two whistle. Many people make this dish in pressure cooker.

Make gravy masala, add peas and paneer and cook till 2-3 whistles. I feel the texture of Paneer doesn't remain the same when cooked in pressure cooker. So I use make it in kadhai/pan. You can make either way whatever is convenient for you.

Take 2 Tbsp of Besan(Chickpea Flour), dry roast it in a pan till it gives its aroma. Keep aside for later use.

I use mustard oil(Sarson ka tel) for making the masala for gravies or sookhi subzis(dry veggies), you can use any of oil of your choice. Mustard oil is one of the healthiest oil for cooking food. Many people avoid it because of it's strong pungent smell, but that can be avoided by heating the oil till it's smoking point, cooling it a bit then add the ingredients to it.

Roughly chop onions, tomatoes and crush ginger, garlic and green chilli in a motor pestle.

In a kadhai/heavy bottomed pan, take 2 tbsp of mustard oil, heat oil till it's smoking point. Take off from the flame. Let it cool a bit then again take one tsp of oil from it and keep aside in a small bowl for later use.

Put kadhai/pan back put on medium flame, add bay leaf and cinnamon stick, ginger-garlic-chili paste. Cook for a minute, add onions and fry onions till these are translucent.

Add tomatoes mix well, cover the lid and cook tomatoes till these are soft and mushy and start leaving oil. Keep stirring in between so that the masala doesn't burn.

Once tomatoes are done. Take it off the flame. Take out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cool a bit, then grind the masala to a fine paste.

In the same pan that we made onion-tomato masala, add 1 tsp of oil that we kept aside, once it is hot enough add jeera(Cumin) seeds to it.

When the seeds crackle add the grinded onion-tomato paste and mix nicely.Add 1/4 tsp of sugar. Cook it for a minute, mix all the dry spices together in a bowl and add to the onion-tomato paste, mix well. Take care that besan doesn't form any lumps.

Cook masala really well for 2-3 minutes. Add a half cup of water to adjust the consistency of gravy. Add salt as required and mix.

Add boiled peas and paneer cubes mix well. Cover the pan let the peas cook for 4-5 mins on low flame.

Roast kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves in a pan on medium flame, crush it and add to Matar Paneer gravy.

Serve hot with any Indian flatbread. This Matar Paneer gravy also goes well with Steamed Rice/Jeera Rice. My younger one loves to have it with rice. This time I made Chapatis to go with it.

Some Flatbread recipe that can be paired with Matar Paneer from my blog...Whole Wheat Tawa Naan(yeast free, egg-free), Bread Kulchas, Bedmi Poori, Meethi Parantha

Make my version of Matar Paneer and I am sure you and your loved ones will love it too. This is simple and easy to make and yet rich in texture and so yummy in taste.

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