Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Matar Paneer
A comforting, everyday North Indian curry made with sweet green peas and soft cottage cheese cubes in a simple tomato-onion gravy.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- paneer
- green peas (matar)
- onions
- tomatoes
- ginger-garlic paste
- cumin seeds
- coriander powder
- turmeric
- garam masala
- kashmiri red chili powder
- cream (optional)
Equipment
- Frying pan or Pot
- Blender (optional for smooth gravy)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Paneer
Cut paneer into bite-sized cubes. You can leave them raw (for a softer texture) or lightly shallow fry them in ghee until golden.
- 2
Prepare Gravy Base
Finely chop onions and puree the tomatoes. Alternatively, boil chopped onions and tomatoes, cool, and blend into a smooth paste for a restaurant-style finish.
- 3
Temper Oil
Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- 4
Sauté Onions
Add the finely chopped onions (or onion paste) and sauté until they turn light brown and translucent.
- 5
Add Aromatics
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
- 6
Cook Tomatoes
Pour in the tomato puree. Cook on medium heat until the tomatoes reduce and release oil at the edges.
- 7
Spice the Masala
Add turmeric, coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt. Sauté the spices for 2 minutes.
- 8
Add Peas
Add fresh or thawed frozen green peas. Stir them into the masala.
- 9
Simmer
Add 1 to 1.5 cups of hot water to create the gravy. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until the peas are tender.
- 10
Add Paneer
Gently fold the paneer cubes into the simmering gravy. Let it cook for just 2-3 minutes so the paneer absorbs the flavors without becoming rubbery.
- 11
Final Flavoring
Sprinkle garam masala and crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek). Stir gently.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. (Optional: Swirl in a spoonful of cream). Serve hot with Phulkas, Parathas, or Jeera Rice.
Cooking Tips
- If using fresh peas, you may need to boil them slightly before adding to the gravy. Frozen peas cook very quickly in the sauce.
- If you shallow fry the paneer, immediately soak the fried pieces in warm water for 10 minutes. This keeps them incredibly soft.
Variations
- Aloo Matar: A vegan variation replacing paneer with boiled potato cubes.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The most common paneer dish cooked in North Indian households for everyday dinners.
Nutrition Estimate
320 calories · 14g protein · 16g carbs · 22g fat · 5g fiber per serving
