Delicious Indian Mattar Paneer
My delicious mattar paneer is an amazingly fragrant recipe cooked to perfection with aromatic spices and herbs. Replace the paneer with tofu for a vegan version.
Mattar paneer is one of our favorite Indian curries. I like to make mine with a thick gravy so that we can enjoy it with fresh naan or paratha. The combination of soft Indian cheese and sweet green peas makes this dish an absolute treasure. My kids have grown up on it and if I make Indian food, they often ask that I make this, no matter what else I am making that day. They absolutely love this Indian recipe.
The Ingredients for Indian Mattar Paneer
This curry is made with quite a few Indian spices – but that’s what makes it so delicious.
Ingredients list for this Indian Recipe:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 red onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (or paprika for a milder version)
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 – 400 gram package of paneer
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
Other Paneer Recipes you will Like:
The Masala for this Vegetarian Recipe:
Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds to the pan and let them pop. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add them to the pan along with the grated garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes – or until the onions start to brown a little.
The Spice Mix for Peas and Paneer:
Mix the garam masala, coriander, cumin turmeric, and red chili powder in a small bowl. Add some water to the spice mix and add it to the pan with the onions. I mix the spices in water to avoid them from burning when added to the pan. Cook for about 1 min just to mix the spices into the onion.
Mix the tomato paste with half a cup of water to thin it out a little. Add that to the pan with the onions and spices. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until you see the oil kind of separate a little. Now you have a masala ready for mattar paneer.
Adding the Peas and Paneer
Now we can add the paneer to the masala we have made. Chop the paneer into bite-size cubes and add it to the pan. Mix well and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally so that the masala doesn’t burn. Be gentle when you stir because the paneer tends to get soft when it gets hot, so if you stir the pan too much, the paneer will tend to break.
Now you can add the thawed green peas to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. If the mattar paneer is too dry, add a little bit of water to thin out the gravy. The amount of liquid you add depends on how “runny” you like the gravy.
Serving Suggestions:
Sprinkle with some fresh cut coriander and enjoy with:
- Rice – basmati long grain rice – plain or cumin rice.
- Roti (Indian flat bread) – made with a blend of whole wheat and white flour.
- Naan – garlic or plain naan.
- Paratha – pan fried flatbread. Plain or stuffed.
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Delicious Indian Mattar Paneer
Course: Entree, VegetarianCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes25
minutes149
kcal30
minutesMy delicious mattar paneer is an amazingly fragrant recipe cooked to perfection with aromatic spices and herbs. Replace the paneer with tofu for a vegan version.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder (or paprika for a milder version)
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 – 400 gram package of paneer
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
Directions
- Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them pop.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add them to the pan along with the grated ginger. Mix and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and starts to brown a little bit.
- Mix the garam masala, coriander, cumin turmeric, and red chili powder in a small bowl. Add some water to the spice mix and add it to the pan with the onions. I mix the spices in water to avoid them from burning when added to the pan. Cook for about 1 min just to mix the spices into the onion.
- Mix the tomato paste with half a cup of water to thin it out a little. Add that to the pan with the onions and spices. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until you see the oil kind of separate a little.
- Chop the paneer into bite-size cubes and add it to the pan. Mix well and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally.
- Add the thawed green peas to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. If the mattar paneer is too dry, add a little bit of water to thin it out.
- Sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley and enjoy with a side of naan or another flatbread.
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Yummy matar paneer recipe. It’s a winner.
Hello Anuradha,
Thank you! It sure is always a winner in our house 🙂
Deepti