Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer

Matar and paneer. 

A match made in heaven. 

And it tastes best in a tomato based gravy. No onions, no garlic, no heavy masalas. A simple dish and one of my favourites from childhood. 

Many people prefer frying the paneer pieces before putting them in the gravy. I don’t!! I like my paneer to be soft and crumbly. Frying makes them chewier. 

The dish is so irresistible that you will not be able to resist dipping a spoon and sampling it as the gravy simmers away!!

Ingredients

200 gm paneer, cubed

1 cup peas

3 tomatoes, pureed

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp salt

A pinch of sugar

½ tsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp cardamom powder

4 tbsp mustard oil

Heat the mustard oil. Add the cumin seeds. Add the tomato puree and ginger paste. Cook till the water evaporates and the puree starts drying up. 

Add all the masalas and cook till the oil separates. Add salt and sugar. Now add the peas and paneer pieces. Cook for a minute or two till the paneer pieces are well coated with the masala. 

Add ½ cup of water and simmer. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. You can have this with hot roti or rice.