The Perfect Matar Paneer Gravy
Master the perfect Matar Paneer gravy at home! This easy recipe shows you how to get that rich, restaurant-style flavour and creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 250 g Watana/Matar/Green Peas
- 250 g Fresh Paneer
- Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- Water
- Coriander Leaves
Gravy Paste:
- 2 Medium-sized Onions Chopped
- 2 Medium-sized Tomatoes Chopped
- 10-12 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Green Chilli spicy variety
- 1/2 Inch Ginger
- 10-12 Cashew Nuts
- Coriander Leaves including stems
Instructions
- Heat some water until it’s hot, but not boiling.
- Add the fresh green peas to the hot water and cover the pot. Let it sit for a few minutes to soften.
- In a blender, combine the chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic cloves, ginger, green chillies, cashew nuts, and coriander leaves.
- Blend these ingredients into a fine paste. No water is needed, as the tomatoes provide enough moisture.
- Heat a little oil in a pan.
- Add the paneer cubes and fry them lightly.
- Once they are slightly golden, remove them from the pan and set them aside.
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil and heat it up.
- Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add the blended paste to the pan and saute it on medium heat until the oil starts to separate from the masala (about 2–3 minutes).
- Add all the powdered spices: red chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric, coriander powder, and salt.
- Mix everything well and continue to cook on medium heat until the mixture becomes dry and well-cooked.
- Add a little water to the pan to create the gravy. The amount of water depends on how thick you want the gravy to be.
- Mix well, cover the pan with a lid, and let it simmer on low heat for 5–7 minutes until the masala is thoroughly cooked.
- Add the softened peas and the fried paneer cubes to the gravy.
- Mix everything gently.
- Cover the pan again and let it cook on low heat for another 10 minutes.
- Garnish the matar paneer with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve it hot with your choice of bread (like roti or naan) or rice.