Matar Paneer (Green Peas and Cottage Cheese Curry) is a popular dish made during winter. At this time you can find fresh green peas in abundance in the markets. During the winter season, peas are very sweet and tender. I can just eat them raw while de-seeding.
Matar Paneer (Green Peas and Cottage Cheese Curry) is a simple everyday main course dish. This Dhaba style gravy dish made of Paneer and Matar is delicious and easy to make. To make this in restaurant style all you have to do is add in a little cream in the paste and milk instead of water. But I like it simple – the home style or Dhaba style which is a little more spicy but non creamy. This dish is light on stomach as there is no cashew paste or cream in the gravy.
All you need to make this paneer dish is onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, few simple spices, cottage cheese or paneer and fresh green peas. You can also make this curry with frozen peas. You can pair this lip smacking gravy dish with Meethi Paratha, Butter Naan, Missi Roti or even Jeera Rice.
You may like to try our other paneer recipes like Paneer Lababdar, Paneer Angara (Smoked cottage Cheese curry) and Paneer Hyderabadi (Cottage Cheese In Spinach and Cilantro Gravy).
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients for Matar Paneer
250 grams paneer cubed (cottage cheese)
250 grams green peas (blanched)
1 tablespoon coriander chopped
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin (jeera)
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 cloves
2 green cardamoms
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon oil
Salt to taste
For the paste
2 medium onions sliced
2 inch piece ginger chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon oil
Directions for Matar Paneer
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan, add garlic, ginger and saute for a minute,
- Add onions and saute till translucent.
- Add tomatoes and sauted till the tomatoes are soft. Switch off the heat and set aside to cool.
- Make a paste in a blender.
- In a pan add oil and shallow fry the paneer pieces till pink. Soak in water and set saide.
- Heat 2 teaspoon oil and add jeera, cloves, cardamoms, bay leaf, chilli, coriander, turmeric powder and mix.
- Now add in the paste and saute on low to medium heat till it starts to leave the sides.
- Add the peas and paneer along with water. Stir add salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add garam masala amd chopped coriander.
- Serve with roti of your choice.
