Deep fried paneer/cottage cheese and green peas in creamy onion-tomato gravy is a classic punjabi paneer dish. This dish is often prepared in big feasts and in winters. It is a perfect dish to serve your special guests. Matar paneer is a very simple yet very delicious gravy which leaves you craving for more.
This gravy is full of basic Indian masalas. I have specially prepared it in mustard oil because mustard oil gives it nice flavor and aroma. You can also prepare it in ghee or any vegetable oil but mustard oil works best. We Indians are fan of paneer and can have it in any form. Green peas are special winter vegetable but you can use frozen peas if fresh are not available.
Green peas are generally boiled before adding it to the gravy but i added it in the gravy and they get boiled in gravy itself. If your peas are hard and big than boiling before is better. Fresh peas are often very soft and sweet and they easily get boiled with the gravy. If you are using frozen peas, they need not be boiled.
Cashew nuts add creaminess and nutty flavor to the gravy. If cashews are not available you may use magaj (melon seeds), almonds or poppy seeds instead. I add malai (milk cream) at the end as it gives nice creaminess and sweetness to the gravy. If you add it in the beginning, it will leave butter which will make your gravy very greasy. You can also add sugar in the gravy if you like your gravy sweet.
Matar paneer is a luscious gravy which goes very well with roti, rice, naan, kulcha or lachcha parantha. You can also try palak paneer or chilli paneer.
Recipe type: Gravy
Cuisine: Punjabi
Time: 60 min
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- 3 big Tomatoes
- 2 Onions chopped
- 1 big Green Chili
- 1 tbs Ginger
- 10 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbs Curd (Dahi)
- 2 tbp Cream/malai
- 3/4cup Green peas (matar)
- 2 tbs Coriander leaves ( Hara dhaniya)
- 200gms Paneer (Homemade paneer can also be used )
- 10 Cashewnuts (Kaju)
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
- 1/4tsp Caraway seeds (Shah Zeera)
- 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds (Zeera)
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/4tsp Garam masala
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- 3/4 tsp Salt (or to taste)
- 2 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 1 Clove (Laung)
- 5 Peppercorns (Kali mirch)
- 1 Cardamom (Elaichi)
- 4 tbs Mustard Oil
- 1 tbs Clarified Butter (ghee)
Method ( Step By step Matar paneer gravy recipe )
- Prepare all the ingredients
2. Now take a mixer jar, put onions, green chili, ginger and garlic in it. Make a coarse paste with little water if required.
3. Similarly, make tomato paste and then make a paste of cashews and curd together.
4. Take a skillet (kadhai), put mustard oil it and let it heat till it smokes. Meanwhile cut paneer into cubes. Add paneer to hot oil and fry it till golden from both sides. (Be very careful when you add paneer too oil, because of water content in paneer, oil tends to come up)
5. When paneer gets done, take it out and put into warm water. This way paneer will not become hard.
6. Now take the same skillet, and add ghee, bay leaves, caraway seeds and asafoetida to it.
7. When shah zeera starts moving, add onion paste to it and mix well. Meanwhile, take clove, peppercorns, cumin seeds, cardamom and crush in a mortar pestle (Emamdasta). Add this crushed spice in the onion paste. Cook it till onion changes color to brown.
8. Add tomato paste,green peas, red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric and coriander powder to the onion paste and cook it covered till it leaves oil. (Approx. 5-7 minutes)
9. Now add cashew-curd paste and salt and mix it well. Give it a boil.
10. Put paneer pieces and 1 cup water to it and boil it till gravy gets to the right consistency.
11. Switch off the flame, add coriander leaves and cream. Cover it for 10 minutes and then give it a quick mix.
12. Take it out in a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve matar paneer with naan, kulcha, roti or rice.
Notes :
- For an healthier version, add low fat cream, low fat curd, reduce oil to 2 tbs, add non-fried paneer.
- You can use frozen peas also for this recipe.
- You can substitute cashews with almonds, poppy seeds or melon seeds.
- Add 1/2 tsp sugar for a little sweeter version.
- If you are dairy allergic, use soya curd, soy milk instead of water and avoid cream, tofu instead of paneer.
- If you are gluten allergic, don’t add asafoetida.
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Do try this recipe and comment below.
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