Cozy, Creamy and Luscious… Matar Paneer..!! Made with Cottage Cheese and Peas, simmered in a Cashew Tomato Gravy. This Classic no-fail North Indian Delicacy makes a wonderful side dish with Naan or any bread of your choice!!!
If you are craving for a healthy vegetarian curry, Well then… Hello!!!
India is famous for its food and culinary diversity, especially it’s vegetarian dishes with at least half of its population living on a vegetarian diet. It is so diverse that you would be surprised with the range of options available; from savory breakfasts, spicy appetizers, creamy curries & lentils n pulses dishes… all the way upto 70mm dosas and the gigantic thalis! And that too after omitting salads which in many countries is all that they have vegetarian. Indian cuisine is also a growing tourist attraction. Whenever I met my American friends who have travelled to India, they talk about how they stayed vegetarian throughout their trip and couldn’t get enough of it!
Paneer aka Indian Cottage Cheese is a popular vegetarian protein used mainly in Indian recipes. Paneer dishes although considered a delicacy in India, is a homely, warm & comforting food welcomed by millions all around the world. Though paneer is the key ingredient of this recipe, the fusion of the creamy cashew gravy, tangy tomatoes, sweet peas, and the aroma of the spices makes the dish and its gravy super rich & appetizing. I would say this is one of the best paneer dishes I have made so far.
Tofu is a good substitute for paneer, and using it you could actually make it a low calorie recipe as the dish uses no butter/ghee or cream. Serve this wonderful curry with the side of Naan or homemade roti or fragrant basmati rice.
Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!
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Cozy, Creamy and Luscious… Matar Paneer..!! Made with Cottage Cheese and Peas, simmered in a Cashew Tomato Gravy. This Classic no-fail North Indian Delicacy makes a wonderful side dish with Naan or any bread of your choice!!!
- 12 oz paneer (cut into squares)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 inch sized ginger (sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4-5 cashews
- 2 tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- Oil (as necessary)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds / jeera
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- ¾ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp fenugreek / methi leaves (crushed)
- Salt (as required)
- Cilantro leaves (garnish)
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Heat some oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes until its sides turn brown. Fry them in batches so that you get an even cook and don’t over crowd the pan. Keep aside.
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Into the same pan, add a little oil (if necessary) and saute the onions with a little salt on a medium flame until it starts turning translucent. Add ginger, garlic, cashews, and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
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Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute until it is soft. Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool down. Transfer the contents of the pan to a grinder and grind into a smooth paste.
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Into the same pan, add a little oil and saute spices until fragnant – jeera, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Add the above grinded paste and saute for another 2 minutes on a low flame.
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Add chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, sugar, and stir fry for a minute to blend well. Add water and salt, mix well, place the lid and allow the gravy to simmer for 5 minutes. You can manage the gravy consistency per your choice at this time.
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The last step is to add paneer, thawed peas, crushed fenugreek leaves, and mix gently. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
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Remove the dish from the heat and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve hot with naan, rice or roti.
- You can buy paneer from your local Indian/Asian groceries.
- Substitute paneer with tofu for a healthier version.
I’m not sure if I can find paneer where I live, but I’ll certainly find some substitutions. This recipe looks really fragrant and tasty 🙂
Thank You Makos. I can suggest Tofu as a great substitution for paneer (which is healthy too) or you follow this link to make paneer at home (https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-paneer-cheese-in-30-minutes-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-57008 ).