Quick 20-Minute Indian Matar Paneer

Come learn how to make restaurant style Quick 20-Minute Indian Matar Paneer. It's an easy, weeknight night meal, vegetarian recipe. It's basically Indian cottage cheese and peas curry. This recipe is served with Chapati.

WHAT IS MATAR PANEER?

Quick 20-Minute Indian Matar Paneer is made with Indian cottage cheese and peas. It's an Indian dinner recipe. It holds a great value in my husband's heart, as he grew up in India he remember going to his best friend's place time to time and eating it. He called up his best friends' mom to get his hands on this special recipe. This Indian recipe reminds him of his childhood so much.

Matar Paneer is an onion-tomato based recipe unlike these tomato based recipes: Mutton Karahi, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Khatte Baigan. This Indian recipe is widely popular in any Indian restaurants. What's sets apart my friend's mom version that it uses both whole and powdered spices so it's packed with flavor. This is a mild spiced curry.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUTTER PANEER AND MATAR PANEER?

The most obvious difference is Matar Paneer has the peas and butter Paneer doesn't. Moreover, Butter Paneer is going to be tomato based just like Butter Chicken and Paneer Matar is onion-tomato based recipe.

HOW TO SOFTEN AND PAN FRIED THE PANEER FOR THIS RECIPE?

Some people fry the whole paneer first, then cut it into cubes, which doesn't make it crispy all around. My way is different. First, cut the paneer into cubes. Then, soak them in salt water to soften them. After that, pan-fry each side until they're golden. This way, every paneer cube gets crispy all over. By the way, I enjoy eating pan-fried paneer with a sprinkle of chaat masala powder.

Soak in salt water for 20 minutes.

Fry the paneer until its golden.

Set aside.

INGREDIENTS

• Paneer- I bought store-bought but you can make it at home. I can't say that enough remember to soak paneer in salt water.
• Tomatoes and green peppers- I pureed all the with green onion.
• Whole spices and Powdered spices - These are the ingredients that add flavor to your recipe.
• Peas- I used frozen peas but you can use fresh peas as well.

HOW TO MAKE MATAR PANEER?

Soak and pan-fried the paneer and set aside. Next blend in tomatoes and green pepper until smooth.

Add oil and onion, brown the onion.

Next add whole spices.

Now add ginger garlic paste.

Add powdered spices, salt, and little bit of water.

Now add the tomato and green peppers puree that you made earlier with some water.

Add the pan-fried paneer and peas.

Let it cook.

Enjoy with some Chapati.

PRO TIPS

1. Always cut the paneer in cubes before soaking in salt water so it won't hard.
2. Always use a nonstick pan when frying the paneer so it won't stick.
3. Just blend tomato with green pepper until smooth.

HOW TO STORE IT?

Store the Paneer Matar in the refrigerator it will be good for 3-4 days. This recipe isn't freezer-friendly.

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Let's Make Matar Paneer!!!

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Quick 20-Minute Indian Matar Paneer

Quick 20-Minute Indian Matar Paneer is a restaurant-style, weeknight night meal, and vegetarian recipe. It's a peas and paneer curry.

Prep Time2 minutes mins

Cook Time18 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: indian recipes, matar paneer, paneer, paneer recipe, paneer recipes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Sarah Mirza

Equipment

• blender

1x2x3x

Ingredients

Soak and Pan-Fry the Paneer Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lbs paneer
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Tomato Puree

• 4 tomatoes
• 2 green peppers

Matar Paneer

• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 cup peas frozen or fresh
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• water

Whole spices

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5 black peppercorns
• 4 green cardamoms
• 2 black cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 small cinnamon stick

Powdered spice and salt

• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt or as needed

Garnish

• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 tbsp cilantro chopped

Instructions

Soak and Pan fry the Paneer

• Cut the paneer in cubes.
• In a bowl, add water, salt, and paneer. Let it soak for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, take paneer out on a paper towel and pat dry the paneer.
• In a non-stick fry pan, on medium-low heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and let it heat up.
• Add your dry paneer to the fry pan.
• Let it fry on all sides until paneer is golden.
• Set aside.

Tomato puree

• 4 tomatoes and 2 green peppers in a blender. Blend until smooth, set aside.

Now let's make Matar paneer

• In a pot, on medium heat, add olive oil, and let it heat up.
• Add in the chopped onion and sauté the onion until brown.
• Next add in the whole spices and saute that for 5-10 seconds.
• Add in ginger garlic paste mix that for 10 seconds.
• Now add in powdered spices, salt, and 1 tbsp water and mix well.
• Add in the tomato puree and mix well!
• Let it cook for 2 minutes.
• Now add 1 cup of water and cover and let it cook for 5 minutes.
• Now add in the pan-fried paneer and the peas and mix well.
• Cover and let it cook on low for 5 minutes.
• Now turn off the stove, garnish with cilantro and dried fenugreek leaves.
• Serve it with some fresh chapati.
• Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 550mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 456IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 162mg