How to make Matar Paneer 

Matar Paneer is an all-time favorite dish for all those who love paneer. In this recipe Paneer and Matar is cooked in a gravy prepared with red chilli and tomato. No onion is used in this recipe yet it has a creamy texture with a nice red color gravy. The taste of matar paneer is still scrumptious. 

How to make frozen peas/matar

During winter, green peas/matar are fresh and cheap in rate. You can buy them in large quantity during this time and freeze it. Simply remove the peas from the shell. Wash them nicely. Then in a pan boil enough that the peas/matar will get emersed. Switch off the flame. Add the peas/matar to the boiling water and keep it for 5 minutes. Then drain out the excess water and let the peas cool down to room temperature. When the peas cool down, fill them in a zip lock bag and store it in the freezer. 

Paneer/cottage cheese

Paneer also known as cottage cheese is a dairy product made by curdling milk, using an acidic food ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar. It is a very simple process by which we can get fresh paneer easily at home. Matar/green peas are easily available fresh in the market during winters or also available in frozen form.

You can also try my other Sabzi/Side dish recipes

Moong Dal ki Sabzi

Quick Paneer ki sabzi/ Cottage cheese side dish 

Bhindi/Lady’s Finger/ Okra vegetable 

Suva/Shepu ki sabzi/Dill Side dish 

Gaur sabzi/ Clutter beans vegetable 

Tori/ Turai ka Bharta 

Methi Matar Malai/Fenugreek & Green peas curry 

Ingredients:

• Paneer/cottage cheese – 200 gm
• Matar/green peas – 1 cup
• Whole red chilli – 8 to 10 nos
• Tomato – 2 large
• Cumin/jeera – 1 tsp
• Garlic – 4 to 6 cloves
• Ginger – 1 inch
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 1 to 2 tbsp
• Black pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Method:

• In my recipe, I have not used onion. I have prepared a red gravy using whole red chilli which is not very spicy but will give a nice red color to the gravy and tomatoes along with other ingredients. This gravy is not only appealing but also tasty.
• Dry roast the whole red chillies in a pan or Tawa and let it cool. I have used Kashmiri red chilli and Guntur chilli. Both have dense red color and are less spicy.

 

• Roast the tomatoes on the gas stove till the outer skin becomes black as shown below

 

• Remove the seeds from red chilli.
• Remove the skin from the tomatoes and roughly chop them.

 

• Make a paste using this tomato, red chilli, ginger, garlic and cumin/jeera.
• A nice red color paste is ready for the gravy.

 

• Heat oil in a kadhai.
• Add the prepared paste and 1 tsp of salt.
• Let it cook on low medium flame with occasional stirring.
• In the mean while wash and cut the paneer in cubes.

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• Shallow fry the paneer on high flame in a pan. We just want the paneer to give a crisp golden outer layer so that it will remain soft and do not crumble down when added to the gravy. This process also adds a nice taste to the paneer. Also overcooking of paneer will make it dry and hard. Add salt and black pepper powder to taste. Keep it aside.

 

• In a pan bring 2 cups of water to boil. Add 1 tsp of salt. Now add the matar/ green peas and cook for 5 minutes. You will see the peas become softer and gets a nice dense green color.
• Drain the excess water and keep it aside.

 

• Once the oil from the gravy gets separated that means our gravy is cooked properly.
• Add garam masala powder and mix.
• Cook for few seconds and then add paneer and matar.
• Add 1 cup of hot water.
• Add salt to taste and mix.
• Let it cook for 5 minutes on simmer.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with roti.