Matar Paneer
Peas and Cottage Cheese in Tomato Gravy
Posted By Savita
Matar (Peas) Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) in Tomato Gravy is a delicious, vegetarian main course dish from Northern part of India. This curry is often served for vegetarian main course in many Indian homes everywhere around the world. In my home, it's one of the popular curry when I'm not serving Chicken Curry or want some thing simple, vegetarian, and delicious for Indian Dinner!
This curry is very different from curries available in most Indian Restaurants. Since it needs no cream or cashew gravies, and made with easy to find, everyday common ingredients....... it is "the most" popular vegetarian main course choice in many Indian homes! Other than paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) there is nothing in this curry which I will consider "rich" ingredient. And the good part! You can even replace paneer with lighter substitutes too! Like soy paneer or tofu, even soy nuggets. Whenever I'm out of paneer, I even make this curry without it! I mean, just tomato curry masala and peas.
For an Indian dinner at home, you can serve Matar Paneer with Indian style Naan, or Whole Wheat Roti or even steamed rice. Even though, this curry is not very spicy, a bowl of cooling cucumber raita will be great accompaniment.
Have Leftovers? If you prepare Mata Paneer for dinner and have lucky to have some leftovers! Fry leftover Matar Paneer with boiled rice, for Matar Paneer Fried Rice for lunch next day. How good does that sound?
Have a great day!
Savita
Like Indian Paneer? Here are my favorite Indian Paneer Recipes:
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Green Peas
- 1/2 lbs Paneer (Cut into long 2 inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (green coriander leaves, chopped)
- 1 tsp Salt (adjust per taste)
- 2 Tomatoes (fine grated medium size tomatoes)
- 1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Powder (or paprika )
- 2 tbsp Canola Oil
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Curry Leaf
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion
- 1 Hot Green Pepper (small) (or 1/2 jalapeneo)
- 4 Garlic (small garlic cloves, adjust per liking)
Directions
-
1. Grind onion, garlic and green chili pepper in a grinder to a coarse paste. Also, if using fresh peas, add them into boiling water and cook until slightly tender. If using frozen peas, directly add to gravy in step 4. -
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan and fry paneer (till slightly brown from all sides) and drain on a paper towel. This step is optional. I often skip frying if I'm in hurry. Some of the pictures above show matar paneer with no fried paneer. -
3. Make Gravy Masala - Heat 1 tbsp oil in wide pan, add cumin seeds, curry leaf and fry for one minute. (If you fried paneer in step-2, you can just add more oil to same pan to make masala.) Add grated onion mixture to oil and fry till mixture is light brown. Now add turmeric, red chili powder and fry for 1 min. -
4. Add coriander powder, grated tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/4 tsp salt and fry until oil separates. (about 5-6 minutes on medium heat) -
5. Add peas and 1/2 cup water and simmer for 5-6 more minutes. Half way though cooking, add cubed paneer and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until paneer is tender and gravy is little thicker. -
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with Indian Naan, Roti or Rice.
Savita's Recipe Notes:
You also use Curry Powder instead of Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Red Pepper Powder, and Cumin Seers in this curry.
For more flavor, add 1/4 tsp of Garam Masala to the gravy.
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