My Food and travel memoir

Matar Paneer is a quintessential Punjabi delicacy that is from North Indian cuisine. This delectable matar paneer masala recipe that compliments a variety of breads such as roti, paratha, and puris, as well as rice dishes like Jeera rice.

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh or Frozen Peas – 1 ½ cup

Paneer – 250 gms, cut into cubes.

Butter + Oil – 2 tbsp

Bay leaves – 2 small

Green Cardamon – 2

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon – small piece

Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Asafetida – Pinch

Onion – 1 small chopped finely

Spice powder mix- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

                  Kashmiri Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

                  Coriander seeds powder – 1 tsp

                  Chole masala powder – 1 tsp. 

Salt – to taste

For the Masala paste, grind:

Soaked cashews – 7-8

Tomatoes – 3 medium sized

Onion – 2 

Ginger – 1/4-inch piece

Garlic – 3 large cloves or 4-5 small cloves

Green Chilies – 3

Concentrated tomato puree – 1 tbsp.

Final Tempering:

Butter – 1 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chilli powder – ½ tsp.

 

METHOD:

First soak the cashews in hot water for at least 15-20 minutes.

• Add a tsp of oil and add the ingredients for masala paste along and cook till all gets mushy. Cool down, and grind it a fine paste along with the soaked cashews.
• Heat butter, add the whole spices bay leaves, green cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. Once it fries, add onion and sauté till slightly browned. Then add the tomato ground masala paste and sauté.
• Cook well till the rawness from onion and tomatoes goes away and the water content reduces. 
• Then add all the dry spices, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander seeds powder and some salt. Sauté this mixture and add some water to avoid it burning. Cook well till oil separates at the sides.
• Add the green peas, little sugar to balance the sourness from tomatoes and cook in low flame for 5mins. Finally add cubed paneer and adjust the salt. Cook covered for 4-5 minutes. You can also lightly pan fry the paneer pieces in little ghee and add.
• Once done, heat some butter and add ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder. Once it sizzles sprinkle this tempering on the matar paneer masala.
• Serve hot with Rotis.

Additional tips:

* To make the paneer kept in fridge soft, put the cut paneer pieces in warm for 10 minutes and then use it in gravy.

* You can also add little dried kasoori methi in the final tempering for added flavour. 

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon, or not at all” 

Harriet Vorne Horne