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Matar Paneer

A traditional Punjabi dish popular in British Indian restaurants, Matar Paneer is incredibly easy to make at home. Browned cubes of paneer cheese are cooked in a delicious, mint & coriander spicy tomato sauce along with peas.

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, Vegetarian
Keyword mattar paneer, matar paneer
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp oil e.g. sunflower
  • 250 g paneer cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 20 g butter or ghee
  • 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1-2 tsp sugar optional
  • salt to taste
  • 200 ml water
  • 100 ml full fat plain yogurt
  • 2 level tbsp garam masala
  • 200 g frozen peas
  • 1 medium bunch coriander leaf roughly chopped
  • 1 medium bunch fresh mint, leaves only roughly chopped

For the curry paste:

  • 2 medium onions skinned, roughly chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic skinned, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 fresh chillies de-seeded if liked, roughly chopped
  • 3 cm root ginger peeled, grated
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground fenugreek
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 0.5 tsp ground tumeric

Instructions

  1. Make the curry paste

    Using a stick blender or food processor, whizz together all the ingredients for the curry paste until smooth, then set aside.

  2. Brown the paneer

    In a large frying or sauté pan, heat the oil to moderately high. In batches, fry the cubes of paneer, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer the cubes to a plate while you cook the rest then set aside.

Make the curry

  1. Using the same pan, add the mustard, fennel and cumin seeds to the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until they fizzle and pop.

  2. Turn the heat down to medium and put in the butter or ghee and the curry paste, stir well and cook for 10-12 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

  3. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar if using, plus a little salt. Stir well.

    Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the oil separates from the tomatoes (approx 10-20 minutes).

  4. Add the water, yogurt and half the garam masala. Cook over a low heat, covered, for another 10 minutes.

  5. Add the fried paneer, frozen peas and half the coriander leaf and mint. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

  6. When the sauce is reduced to your liking, add the rest of the garam masala plus more salt if needed.

    Stir in the rest of the coriander and mint before serving.