Still, it’s Matar Paneer — a dateless North Indian curry that brings together soft paneer cells and green peas in a deeply luscious, spiced tomato-onion gravy. Suppose there’s one dish that truly captures the substance of comfort food in a Punjabi home. This homemade interpretation isn’t only nostalgic and agreeable but also incredibly easy to make, whether you’re a beginner in Indian cookery or a seasoned cook looking to recreate authentic flavors at home.
About This Recipe
Inspired by Traditional Home Kitchens
This form is my homage to the innumerable Punjabi kitchens where matar paneer is a regular point on the dinner table. Growing up, I watched my ma prepare it with love and care, combining spices by dubitation and letting the masala cook just long enough to release its full aroma. My interpretation stays true to that spirit while perfecting numerous ways to make it indeed more luscious and harmonious.
Unique cookery fashion: Sauté Before Blending
What sets this form piecemeal is a vital fashion sautéing the onions and tomatoes before blending them into a gravy. This spare step might feel small, but it makes a big difference. It caramelizes the natural sugars in the onions, deepens the flavor of the tomatoes, and gives the dish a slightly sweet undertone that balances beautifully with warming spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala.
Perfect Paneer Texture
Still, you’ll love this system if you’ve ever had flexible paneer in curries. I use fresh paneer( or soak store-bought paneer in warm water) to ensure each cell stays soft, tender, and full of flavor. The paneer gently absorbs the masala while stewing, making each bite juicy and succulent.
Every day, Simplicity Meets Special-Occasion faculty
While this form is designed to be light enough for regular reflections, it’s also versatile. Want to make it richer for guests or a festive mess?
Enjoy It Anytime of the Year
Matar Paneer was once a seasonal favorite in Punjab, especially during winters when fresh green peas were easily available. Today, with frozen peas at our fingertips year-round, you can savor this classic dish whenever the craving strikes. Whether you’re whipping up a quick dinner on a busy weekday or planning a cozy weekend meal, this recipe is easy to make, versatile, and incredibly comforting.
Ingredient Notes
Here is the pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this matar paneer recipe.
- Paneer: Utilize store-bought paneer from the Indian grocery store to mellow paneer, splash in warm water for 10-15 minutes, some time recently.
- You can also make new paneer at home if time permits.
- Green Peas: Peas are helpful and work well; fresh peas are an amazing choice if available.
- Onion: Utilize onions for the best flavor in Indian cooking.
- Tomatoes: Utilize any kind, but make beyond any doubt they are ripe and red. Unripe tomatoes make the gravy sour.
- Ginger, Garlic, Green chilies: Generally chopped and included along with onion, tomatoes, whereas sauteing.
- Spice powders: The fundamental spices like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala are used.
- Kasoori methi: Continuously smash kasoori methi between your palms for some time recently including to release its flavor and aroma.
- Sometimes kasoori methi catches dampness; in that case, microwave it for a few seconds, cool down, and crush.
- Heavy whipping cream: A little amount is utilized here, and it makes the matar paneer gravy marginally wealthy and rich.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Base Masala
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed vessel or kadhai over medium heat. Once the oil painting is hot, add 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds and let them crinkle and sizzle for many seconds to release their earthy aroma.
Next, add the roughly diced red onion, gusto, garlic, and green chilies. Add a small pinch of salt at this stage; it helps draw out humidity and speeds up the cooking process.
Sauté the admixture for about 6 – 8 minutes, stirring sometimes, until the onions soften and turn a pale golden-pink. You don’t want deep browning then; just enough to mellow the sharpness of the aromatics.
Step 2: Add Tomatoes & Cook Down
Now, add the diced ripe tomatoes to the visage. Continue cuisine until the tomatoes break down fully, come mushy, and the raw smell disappears. This should take around 6 – 7 twinkles.
Once the admixture is well-cooked and the oil painting starts to separate slightly from the edges, turn off the heat and let the masala cool for many minutes. You do not want to blend it while it’s piping hot, as that can be unsafe and make a mess.
Step 3: Blend to a Smooth Puree
Transfer the cooled onion-tomato mixture to a blender or mixer jar. Blend until you get a smooth, lump-free paste. You can add a splash of water if needed to help it blend smoothly.
Set this vibrant masala base aside—it will be the heart of your matar paneer curry.
Step 4: Cook the Masala Gravy
In the same pan, toast the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil on medium heat. Pour in the amalgamated masala puree. It may expectorate originally, so you can incompletely cover the visage with a lid and stir sometimes.
Let the gravy poach for about 6 – 8 minutes, or until it thickens and most of the redundant water has evaporated. Stir constantly to help it stick.
Step 5: Add Ground Spices
Once the puree has thickened and strengthened in color, it’s time to add flavor. Add the following spices
½ tablespoon turmeric greasepaint
1 tablespoon red chili greasepaint( acclimate to taste)
1 ½ ladles coriander greasepaint
swab to taste( add the remaining from earlier)
Stir well to combine, and sauté the masala for 1 – 2 minutes. This hotting step intensifies the flavor of the spices and ensures they’re well-integrated into the gravy.
Step 6: Simmer & Cook Peas
Add about ¾ to 1 mug of hot water to the visage, depending on how thick or thin you want your gravy. Stir everything together and let it poach gently for 5 twinkles, allowing the flavors to mingle.
While the gravy simmers, cook the frozen green peas
Place them in a microwave oven-safe coliseum with 2 – 3 teaspoons of water and a pinch of salt, also microwave for 4 twinkles or until tender. You can also boil them on the stovetop if you prefer.
Step 7: Add Paneer & Peas to the Gravy
Drain the soaked paneer and gently add the cubes to the stewing gravy, followed by the cooked green peas. Stir precisely to fleece everything in the masala, and let it poach for another 2 – 3 minutes so the paneer can absorb the flavors.
Step 8: Final Flavor Boost
Sprinkle in
½ tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon crushed kasoori methi( irk between your triumphs to release the aroma)
Mix gently to incorporate. These finishing touches add an infectious warmth and aroma that truly defines a Punjabi-style curry.
Step 9: Add Cream & Finish
Eventually, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of heavy cream to the visage. Stir it in and allow the curry to come to a gentle poach — no need to boil at this point. The cream brings a soft uproariousness and rounds off the spice beautifully.
Once it’s hot through, turn off the heat and let it rest for a nanosecond before serving.
Pro Tips for That Restaurant-Style Finish
- Switch Oil with Ghee or Butter for Added Depth
- Instead of using regular oil, try using pure desi ghee or unsalted butter as the cooking fat. Ghee adds a nutty richness, while butter brings a creamy roundness to the dish. Either of these instantly upgrades the flavor and gives the gravy that familiar restaurant aroma.
- Add Cashews for a Creamy Body
- To achieve that smooth, luxurious consistency found in restaurant gravies, add 7–8 cashew nuts while cooking the tomatoes. Cashews blend seamlessly with the onion-tomato base, adding natural creaminess and a hint of sweetness. Make sure to blend them well with the masala for a velvety finish.
- Generous Use of Cream for Richness
- While home-style matar paneer may call for just a spoonful of cream, the restaurant version doesn’t hold back. Use up to ¼ cup of heavy cream toward the end of cooking. This makes the curry lush, silky, and indulgent, while also balancing the spices beautifully.
- Double Tempering (Tadka) for Extra Flavor
- Just before serving, heat a teaspoon of ghee and lightly fry a pinch of kasoori methi, a dash of garam masala, and a dried red chili. Pour this sizzling tadka over the finished curry for a dramatic flavor boost and irresistible aroma, just like a professional chef would do.
- Strain the Gravy for a Super-Smooth Finish (Optional)
- If you’re aiming for a high-end restaurant feel, once you blend the masala, you can strain it through a fine mesh sieve before simmering. This extra step removes fibrous bits from onions or tomatoes, resulting in a gravy that’s smooth and silky like what you’d get at a fine-dining place.
Variations to Customize Restaurant-Style Matar Paneer
- Add a Subtle Touch of Sweetness
Many restaurants incorporate a slight hint of sweetness to balance out the bold spices in the gravy. You can do the same by stirring in ½ tablespoon of sugar or a drizzle of honey during the final simmer. This small addition rounds out the flavors beautifully without making the curry taste noticeably sweet—it simply enhances the overall depth and harmony of the dish. - Paneer Tikka-Style Upgrade
For a smoky, chargrilled twist, lightly grill or pan-sear the paneer cubes before adding them to the curry. To take it a step further, marinate the paneer briefly in a mix of yogurt, turmeric, red chili powder, and a pinch of salt. This not only infuses the paneer with bold flavor but also adds a delicious tikka-like character to your matar paneer, giving it that signature restaurant flair with minimal effort. - Add a Dollop of Butter on Top Before Serving
For that hand café-style finish, add a small cell of adulation on the top right before serving. It melts into the curry, adding luster and indulgence that makes it look as good as it tastes. - Invest with Whole Spices
Sauté whole spices like bay flakes, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom in ghee before adding onions. This layering of flavor gives the curry a more complex, sweet profile, analogous to what you’d find in North Indian cafes.
Serving Ideas
Whether you are hosting guests or planning a comforting family meal, matar paneer is incredibly versatile and dyads beautifully with a variety of Indian sides. Then are two succulent ways to serve it that bring out its full flavor implicitly.
- Mess Idea 1 Classic North Indian Thali Vibes
- For a truly satisfying and comforting experience, serve your matar paneer alongside freshly made Indian viands such as caloric naan, concentrated lachha paratha, or soft tandoori roti. These viands are perfect for ladling up the rich, spiced gravy and soft gobbets of paneer.
- Complement the mess with a brickle Indian onion salad — thinly sliced red onions tossed in bomb juice, a pinch of salt, and a dusting of chaat masala. This sharp, pungent salad cuts through the uproariousness of the curry and adds a pleasurable discrepancy in texture.
- To complete the mess, pour a glass of stupefied, interspersed lassi — a yogurt- grounded drink that cools the palate and aids digestion. Its light, savory flavor balances the warmth of the spices, making this a well-rounded, satisfying traditional spread.
- Messy Idea 2 Comfort Bowl with Rice & Crunchy Sides
- Still, pair your matar paneer with a generous serving of fumed basmati rice, immaculately cooked in an Instant Pot for ease and heftiness, if you are further of a rice nut. For a further ambrosial and scrumptious option, go with jeera rice — basmati rice sautéed with ghee and cumin seeds.
- On the side, add some roasted papad( papadam) for a crisp bite and kachumber salad, a stimulating blend of diced cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and coriander tossed with lime juice and a sprinkle of black salt. This combination not only adds crunch but also brings a stimulating element that balances the uproariousness of the paneer gravy.
- Together, this mess strikes a perfect balance between cozy, hearty comfort and light, fresh accentuations — ideal for both weekday feasts and casual weekend feasts