Matar Paneer masala- Paneer and green peas in rich tomato gravy

Matar paneer masala is a very popular north Indian dish made with paneer and green peas in rich tomato-onion gravy. I tasted it many times from Mangalore. Its richness and creaminess made me a fan of this dish. This dish can be made in different ways and can be made richer by adding cream and cashew paste. Here I am following the simplest way of making matar paneer masala.

Matar paneer recipe Author: Anju Aneesh Recipe type: Main course Cuisine: North Indian, Indian Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients 200 gram Cottage cheese or paneer, cubed ¾ cup green peas or matar ½ teaspoon cumin seeds / jeerakam ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon kashmiri chili powder ½ teaspoon garam masala powder ¾ teaspoon kasoori methi or dried fenugreek leaves 3 teaspoon oil or ghee 2 green cardamom 1 bay leaf 2 cloves Cashew paste from 8 to 10 cashews Water as needed Salt as required coriander leaves for garnishing For tomato-onion paste 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 2-3 green chilies, chopped 1” ginger, chopped 2-3 garlic, chopped Direction of preparation of matar paneer masala Heat 1 tablespoon oil/ghee in a pan, splutter cumin seeds and saute onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies, till the onion became translucent. Add tomato and saute till soft. Switch off the stove and grind into a fine paste in a mixer grinder. Add remaining ghee in the same pan, saute bay leaf, cardamom, clove and cinnamon for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, saute turmeric powder, chili powder and Kashmiri chili powder till the raw smell leaves. Add prepared tomato-onion paste and cook on low-medium flame till the oil starts to separates from the paste. Add peas and 1.5 cups of water and cook till the peas became soft. (You can add cream at this stage.) Add the paneer cubes, garam masala and kasoori methi and cook for two to three minutes. Add cashew paste (optional) and cook till the gravy thickens. Switch off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or chapati.

Let us go to the step by step preparation of matar paneer masala

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil/ghee in a pan, splutter cumin seeds and saute onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies, till the onion became translucent.
  
• Add tomato and saute till soft. Switch off the stove.
  
•  Grind into a fine paste in a mixer grinder.
  
• Add remaining oil/ghee in the same pan, saute bay leaf, cardamom, clove and cinnamon for 1 minute.
  
• Reduce the flame to low-medium, saute turmeric powder, chili powder and Kashmiri chili powder till the raw smell leaves. Be conscious, the powder can burn easily.
  
• Add prepared tomato-onion paste and cook on low-medium flame.
  
• Saute till the oil starts to separate, also the colour will be a little darker.
  
  
• Add peas and  1.5 cups of water and cook till the peas became soft.
  
• Add salt,  paneer cubes, garam masala and kasoori methi and cook for two to three minutes.
  
• Add cashew paste (optional) and cook till the gravy thickens. Switch off the stove.
  
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or chapati.
  

My notes on matar paneer masala

• You can add fresh cream or cashews to make the dish richer.
• Take care the paste splutters while sauteing. If too much spluttering, keep on low-medium flame or partially cover with a lid.