Matar Paneer Recipe, How to Make Mutter Paneer

Matar paneer is a delicious dish made by cooking paneer & green peas in spicy onion tomato masala. This recipe will give you restaurant style creamy & rich matar paneer. It tastes amazing to serve with rice, naan or paratha. Stovetop and instant pot instructions included.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

To Saute & Puree

1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil
1 to 2 green cardamoms (optional, omit if you don't like, read notes 1)
3 (8 grams) garlic (medium sized cloves )
1 inch (8 grams) ginger (peeled & sliced/ chopped)
1 cup (110 grams) onions cubed (1 large or 2 medium, weighted after chopping)
1½ to 1¾ cups (340 grams) tomatoes (2 to 3 large, fine chopped)
12 (20 grams) cashewnuts (or soaked almonds or sub with ¼ cup heavy cream/double cream)
½ teaspoon salt (¼ to ⅓ tsp more to adjust at the end)
¼ to ⅓ cup plain yogurt/ curd (optional, or sub with 1 tablespoon tomato paste)

For Matar Paneer Gravy

1½ tablespoon (22 ml) ghee or oil (½ tbsp more if you want to fry paneer)
1 inch cinnamon piece (dalchini, optional)
1 small bay leaf (tej patta, optional)
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¾ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)
¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala (adjust to taste)
½ to ¾ teaspoon coriander powder
1 cup (160 grams) green peas (matar, frozen or fresh, read notes)
1 to 1¼ cup water (adjust as required, read notes)
1 green chili (deseeded & slit, optional)
250 grams (8 to 9 oz) paneer (diced to ¾ inch)
1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance the flavors)
2 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro, fine chopped)
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (/ double cream, optional, or use more to omit cashews)

How to make the recipe

Preparation

Pour oil to a hot pan and add green cardamoms (optional), ginger & garlic. Saute for a minute and add onions.
Saute until light golden for 5 to 6 mins. Add tomatoes, cashews and salt. Saute for 2 to 3 mins and cook covered until mushy and soft. If the pan dries out, add a splash of water while you cook.
Cool this and transfer to a blender. Add the optional ingredient - yogurt or tomato paste and blend to a smooth puree.

How to make Matar Paneer

Heat ghee or oil in the same pan. Add cinnamon & bay leaf, let sizzle in oil for a minute.
Lower the heat completely and stir in turmeric, chili powder, garam masala and coriander powder. Transfer the pureed onion tomato masala. (If your puree isn't smooth, turn off the heat and pass it through a strainer, directly to the pan)
Saute for 2 to 3 mins until the masala comes together and turns thick. Stir in the rinsed green peas and water to make a gravy.
Bring to a boil and cook partially covered on a medium heat, until the gravy turns thick and traces of fat are visible on the gravy. This takes me about 10 to 12 mins.
Optionally fry paneer - Spread and heat ½ tablespoon ghee in a non-stick pan and place the diced paneer. Fry on a medium high heat until golden, for 3 mins. Turn them to the other side with a tong and repeat the process.
Crush kasuri methi in your palm and add it. Add slit deseeded green chili, sugar (both optional) and paneer. Mix and taste test to adjust salt and garam masala.
Cook for 2 mins for the paneer to heat through and turn off. Stir in the heavy cream and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve matar paneer with Basmati rice, jeera rice, naan or paratha.

Instant Pot Matar Paneer

Press saute button on the instant pot and pour 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté onions, ginger and garlic for 5 mins. Press cancel. (Or Alternately bring 1½ cups water to a rolling boil and add the onions. Boil for 5 mins and remove them.)
To a blender jar, add the sauteed/boiled onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cashews, cardamoms and yogurt (optional). Blend to a very smooth puree.
Press saute button on the instant pot and pour ghee/oil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon and transfer the onion tomato puree. Stir in the red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, coriander powder and garam masala.
Saute until the mixture turns slightly thicker and aromatic. Cover with an external lid to avoid splatters. This step takes about 5 minutes. Press cancel button.
Pour 1 cup water and deglaze the pot well. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position the steam release valve to sealing.
Press pressure cook button (low) & set the timer to 5 mins. (If you want to put your rice together, soak basmati rice for 30 mins and drain the water. Place the rice bowl over a trivet and pour hot water.)
When the IP is done, wait for 6 to 7 minutes & then release the rest of the pressure manually.
Stir the gravy. Add frozen green peas and cook for 2 minutes. To avoid splatters, cover the pot when you cook. Taste test and add more salt if needed. If the curry is runny, cook it on saute mode for a few more minutes.
Add crushed kasuri methi, cream, sugar, green chili (optional) and paneer. Let matar paneer rest for 10 minutes before serving

NUTRITION (estimation only)