Today we are going to make Matar Paneer (Peas and Cottage cheese curry), not the kind you eat out, but the kind your mum makes at home, when she is prepping 3 other dishes at the same time to go with the matar paneer.
This recipe is super wholesome, very easy and straight forward, so anyone can make it. I am frying my paneer because it is an export quality one, I got from Indian store, but if you have super fresh paneer or you make your own, you can skip frying it. Also, I’m using thawed frozen sweet peas, if you are using fresh peas, when you add the peas, cook them for 10-15 minutes before adding the paneer.
You can serve this dish with chapati/roti/fulka or some basmati rice. Enjoy!
Recipe
- Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Serves: 4-5 People
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 400g Paneer
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 Medium Onion
- 1 tbsp Ginger
- 1 tbsp Garlic
- 1 tbsp Green Chilli
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- To taste Salt
- 2 Medium Tomato
- 2 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1 1/2 Cup Peas
- A handful Fresh Coriander
Steps
- Start by dicing your paneer into small bite sized cubes.
- Heat up your choice of vegetable oil in a pot and fry the paneer until you get golden brown edges.
- Transfer the fried paneer in a bowl and pour some hot water over it. Let it soak on the side.
- Use the same oil and pot and add cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns to it. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the whole spices are fragrant.
- Finely dice the onion and add to the pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium to high flame.
- Make a ginger garlic paste and add to the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Then add turmeric and some salt. Cook for a minute.
- Finely dice your tomato and green chilli and add to the pan. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala and adjust salt to you taste.
- Reduce the heat to low to medium and cover the lid of the pot. Cook with closed lid for 5 minutes.
- Open the lid, give everything a mix. Close the lid again and cook for another 5 minutes. You will start seeing the oil separate and that's what you are after.
- Then add your peas. Drain the water from the soaked paneer and add paneer to the pot. Give everything a mix and cook for 2 minutes.
- You can serve it just like that or you can make gravy by adding some water (completely up to you how runny you want the gravy). I am adding roughly a cup of water to get a runny consistency, just how my Mum made it! 💖
- Cook for 5 minutes after adding water. Turn the heat off and add a handful of fresh coriander.
- Garnish with a little more coriander and serve with either roti or rice. Enjoy! :)
