Restaurant style creamy peas and Indian cheese curry
Matar Paneer (peas and paneer) is a common north Indian vegetarian curry dish popular in Panjabi cuisine. Its a slightly sweet and spicy, in a creamy tangy tomato gravy. Paneer is an Indian cheese made from milk, its used in many curries as it does not melt and holds its shape. Like tofu, it does not have much of flavor, so its perfect for absorbing flavors around it. Paneer does not really need to be cooked and peas hardly take time to cook so this is a perfect fast fix curry option.
Cream is commonly added to the gravy to give it some richness and make it even more special for entertaining. Matar paneer is a popular north Indian dish, a must on most Indian restaurant menus. For a simple dinner party with friends or a large wedding reception, Matar Paneer is a prevalent vegetarian curry.
Anything with paneer is a favorite for most children. This one is a frequently requested dish from my kids. It’s also a common party dish served with naan and rice. You cannot go wrong with this simple and fast cooking recipe at home with your family or for a dinner party with friends.
Makes 4 servings
Time: 5 mins to prep, 10 mins to cook
Ingredients:
- 1/2 block Paneer (6-7 oz)
- 6 oz frozen green peas
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 1/2 cups of tomatoes
- 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 6 curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/2 tbsp chana masala
- 1/2 tbsp cumin coriander powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam masala
- 1 1/2 tbsp cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp sour cream or heavy cream
- 1 tbsp of ketchup or sugar
- 1 tbsp oil for cooking, additional oil for frying paneer
- 1 cup of water
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh coriander leaves
Method:
- Cut the paneer into any size and shape you like. Shallow fry them on medium heat till it just starts to color on each side. Set aside.
- In a blender, add the onion, tomato, cashews and blend to a smooth paste. Set aside
- In a nonstick pot, on medium heat add oil, curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds till the mustard seeds splutter.
- Add blended mixture from step 2 to the pot.
- Add salt, turmeric, cumin coriander, garam masala, chana masala, ketchup. Cook for 5 mins stirring frequently. tomato gravy should thicken and oil start to show on the sides.
- Add peas and sour cream, cook for another 5 mins
- Gently stir in paneer cubes. Turn off heat.
- Optional garnish with coriander leaves, a swirl of cream or butter on top.
- Enjoy!
Tips:
- Restaurant tip: shallow fry the paneer cubes till a yellow, lightly brown on all sides. This seals the exterior surfaces and prevents it from breaking while stirring in the dish. You can add the paneer straight without frying if you are consuming it right away, however stirring can make it crumble and break apart in the curry.
- Paneer freezes very well, fry a big batch and freeze in zip lock bags. save a step, easily pull out as much as needed and add to any curry.
- Add chopped methi leaves (fresh, frozen or dried Kasuri) to add another dimension of flavor. Just a little goes a long way.