My kids love Matar Paneer and I observed that most kids in Indian kids love it. The sweet taste of peas blended with rich cream gravy is really a way to go for little kids. If you are thinking of a quick potluck recipe or expecting some guests and don’t have much time – Matar Paneer is a very good option. It is easy, quickly made and delicious.
My Matar Paneer recipe below does not use any nuts, something to remember if anyone has nut allergies.
I love Matar paneer with Jeera rice, but it goes well with Poori, naan or chapati as well.
Ingredients
200gm/0.450lb Paneer /Indian Cottage cheese cut in cubes
1 medium Tomato chopped
1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1 medium Onion Chopped
1 cup peas /matar
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
2 Green Chilies (Hari Mirch) chopped (as per your taste)
1 tbsp Oil or /Desi Ghee
1 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder (as per your taste)
1 tsp Turmeric (Haldi) Powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Coriander Powder (Dry Dhaniya Powder)
Pinch of Heeng / Asafoetida
4 tbsp Cilantro (Hara Dhaniya) chopped
1-2 small Cinnamon Sticks
1-2 small green cardamom (Elaichi)
2-3 cloves (Laung)
2-3 black peppers (Kali mirch)
1/8 cup heavy cream
Salt according to the taste (I used 1 tbsp)
2 cups of water
Instructions
1. Collect all the ingredients together, before you turn on the stove it will help you in cooking and tasting.
2. Turn on the flame in medium heat, put pressure cooker on it.
3. Add oil, Cumin seeds, Bay leaf, Cinnamon stick, cloves and Cardamom inside the pressure cooker.
4. Once the Cumin seeds start to splutter and the Masala mixture becomes little brown, then add chopped onion and saute it well.
5. Stir for 3-4 then add Ginger-Garlic paste inside and mix it with onion.
6. When Ginger-Garlic paste becomes little brown and raw smell is gone, add chopped tomato inside the pressure cooker and saute it.
7. Stir it well for 3-4 minutes, tomatoes will be become softer. Once they are soften, turn off the flame.
8. Put the spice mixture ( onion, tomato mix from pressure cooker) inside the blender jar and wait for it to cool down. Set aside.
9. While waiting mixture to cool down , put Paneer cube inside the prssure cooker and just simmer them a little in hot pressure cooker. Turn on the heat in medium heat.
10. Take out the Paneer from pressure cooker after 3-4 minutes. The Paneer will become little golden , turn off the gas.
11. The tomato-onion mixture in blender should be cooled down by now. Add tomato ketchup to mixture and make a paste out of it.
12. Put pressure cooker back on stove. Turn on the heat one more time in medium heat setting.
13. Add a little oil, Cumin seeds, Turmeric powder and pinch of heeng in it.
14. After 2 minutes, add the pureed mixture to the cooker. Add coriander Powder, Garam Masala, chili powder, salt and 2 cups of water.
15. After mixing all the spices powder and gravy together, let it cook for 3 minutes in medium heat and then add Paneer and peas in the gravy and mix it all together again.
16. Close the lid of pressure cooker while stove in medium heat, wait for 3 whistles and then turn off the flame.
17. After the pressure inside cooker is released, around in 10-15 minutes , open the lid and add the cream/malai and dry Kasoori Methi.
Garnish with cilantro. Mutter Paneer is ready to serve !
Serving suggestion- Serve with steamed rice and Roti/Naan.
