Matar Paneer Recipe | Mutter Paneer

Restaurant-style recipe of Matar Paneer Recipe | Mutter Paneer. This vegetarian recipe for mutter paneer is filling, delectable, and flavorful with lots of North Indian tastes. It is simple to prepare and ideal when you want to experience restaurant-style food at home. This dish, also known as mutter paneer, is a wonderful paneer peas curry that the whole family will love. Serve it with flatbreads of your choice, Butter naan, spiced rice, or steamed white rice.

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About Matar Paneer Recipe | Mutter Paneer

From the versatile Northern Indian cuisine, which has many diverse (and delectable) varieties, comes the recipe for matar paneer, a famous Indian curry dish prepared with green peas and Indian cottage cheese. I’m going to give you the recipe for our family’s tasty and straightforward mutter paneer.

This easy homemade matar paneer recipe is from a family and is made with paneer, an Indian cottage cheese, and green peas (known as matar or mutter in Hindi). In Hindi, it is also known as matar paneer ki sabji.

Matar Paneer, also known as mutter paneer or mattar paneer, is an Indian curry prepared in the Punjabi manner using matar (green peas) and soft paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in tomato-onion gravy.

The most well-known paneer recipe from North India is matar paneer, which can be cooked in a variety of ways and is quick, easy, and delicious. Today I’m presenting my new favorite mutter paneer sabji in the Dhaba style, along with a list of alterations you can make.

To make the gravy for this Matar paneer recipe restaurant style, we first sauté the onions and tomatoes with some spices. Then let this cool and be blended into a paste. Later, we add spices and boil them with water to achieve a thick consistency. Green peas and paneer are added to this wonderful curry base.

The mild sweetness of the onions and tomatoes is enhanced by sautéing. This process also deepens the gravy’s range of flavors and tastes. This matar paneer is extremely delicious and special because of the sautéing process.

I include two methods for this dish:  Instant Pot, and stovetop pan or skillet method.

This gravy for matar paneer is,

• Quick, savory, and spicily
• Comforting
• Simple to make
• similar to dhaba curries
• ideal for regular meals

Ingredients 

• 400 gms – Paneer cut into cubes
• 2 medium – Onion cut into cubes
• 1 cup – Peas fresh or frozen
• 6 to 7 – Garlic chopped roughly
• 2 inch – Ginger chopped roughly
• 3 – Green chili slit
• 2 medium – Onion chopped finely
• 1/2 cup – Tomato puree
• 2 medium – Tomato chopped
• Oil for frying
• 1 tbsp – Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tbsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp – Red chili powder(Kashmiri)
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tbsp – Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp – Cumin powder
• 1 tbsp – Garam masala powder
• 4 tbsp – Coriander leaves chopped
• Water as required

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese)- Indian cottage cheese known as paneer is incredibly soft, fresh, and unaged and is often manufactured from dairy milk. You can use tofu instead of paneer if you are vegan.

Well, I enjoy making paneer at home since it is delicious and fresh. However, if you are short on time, you may simply purchase the ready version at the closest grocery shop or from your neighborhood dairy.

To find paneer, look in the dairy or frozen sections of your local supermarket.

If using the pre-made variety, you can soften the paneer pieces by immersing them in a container of warm water for ten minutes. Make sure to defrost the paneer if it is frozen before using it.

Vegetables – You’ll need some medium-sized ripe red tomatoes, a few fresh or frozen green peas (matar), a medium or big onion, and a few green chilies.

Cashews – The masala puree is creamy and thickened with cashews paste. Almonds can be used in place of cashews if you don’t have any on hand.

Green Peas – Green peas: Fresh green peas are in season in India during the winter, and since they are widely accessible, most people eat them. However, mutter paneer may be prepared at any time of the year using frozen peas, as I did in this recipe.

Onion Tomato Paste – For this curry, we will produce tomato onion paste, which is thoroughly cooked and serves as the curry’s foundation.
We will need fresh tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, and green chilies to make this paste. The number of green chilies can be changed to suit your preferences.
If canned tomatoes are readily available to you, you should definitely use them instead of the fresh tomatoes I used.

Spices- Additionally, we will require some basic spice powders, including salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder.

Use Kashmiri red chili powder to give the curry a lovely red color without adding too much heat. You can modify the number of spice powders to suit your preferences.

Garam Masala- The main spice combination in this dish is garam masala. How fragrant your garam masala is will have a significant impact on the flavors of your matar paneer. Use a quality garam masala, then.

Coriander Leaves- Finally, add some roughly sliced coriander leaves as a decoration to this delectable and simple dish.

Check out the Matar Paneer | Mutter Paneer Recipe Video:

How To Make Matar Paneer Recipe Step By Step With Photo: 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the Paneer cubes one by one.
2. Fry the paneer cubes till golden brown.
3. Take out the Paneer cubes after frying and keep them aside.
4. Heat oil in a Kadai and add onion bulbs.
5. Add ginger chopped, garlic chopped, and green chili slit.
6. Now fry till onions are translucent and ginger, garlic raw smell goes away.
7. Now add the chopped tomatoes.
8. Fry till the tomatoes are slightly mushy.
9. When the tomatoes are soft turn off the flame. Let them cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them into a grinder.
10. Grind the mixture till smooth paste.
11. Heat oil in the same Kadai and add cumin seeds. Let them splatter.
12. Add finely chopped onions and fry them till they are translucent.
13. Now add turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder. Saute for 1 minute.
14. Now add tomato puree and mix properly.
15. Add the onion tomato paste we prepared.
16. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes till the oil gets separated.
17. Now add salt to taste, cumin powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
18. Saute for 1 minute after adding the masalas.
19. Add the fresh or frozen green peas.
20. Saute for 30 seconds.
21. Add water to the gravy and mix with the leftover paste in the grinder to avoid any wastage and add the water to the Kadai.
22. Add 1 cup more water.
23. Mix nicely.
24. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
25. Open the lid after 5 minutes.
26. Add the fried Paneer cubes.
27. Now mix well and now garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
28. Take it out in a bowl. Matar Paneer is ready to be served hot.

    

Instant Pot Method

Making matar paneer in an Instant Pot is simple. Even this I have earlier made this mutter paneer in the Instant Pot, where I frequently make Indian food. To prepare the Matar Paneer recipe in your Instant Pot, read the directions below.

• Preparation: Follow the above step-by-step instructions to make the masala paste using tomatoes, spices, herbs, and cashews. Place aside.
• Sautéing: When the Instant Pot’s display says “hot,” press the sauté button. The inner steel pot now needs oil. Add cumin seeds. The cumin seeds should first crackle. Add the ground masala paste Stir often while cooking the ground masala mixture until it thickens and takes on a glossy appearance. If the pot gets too hot, you can press the sauté button twice to lower the temperature.
• Adding spices: Add the garam masala, red chili, and turmeric powders. For a minute, combine and sauté.
• Adding green peas: Green peas, 1 cup of water, and salt are added. Everything is properly mixed while deglazing the inner saucepan. To cancel, click the cancel button.
• Pressure cooking: Close the lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set the timer to 3 minutes and click the pressure cook/manual button. Use a high-pressure cooker mode. Wait for five minutes after the cooking is finished before doing a quick steam release.
• Final step: The last step is to cancel and click the cancel button. Mix thoroughly before adding the paneer cubes. Finally, stir in some coriander leaves.

Important Suggestions To Keep In Mind

• Include ripe, delicious tomatoes in your diet. The flavor of the curry will be sour if the tomatoes are sour. Add some sugar or a tiny quantity of light cream to counteract the acidity.
• Version with a Little More Cream: I add cashews to the version for a little more cream, but you can omit them. I also add cilantro leaves to the dish to provide some citrus flavors (cilantro). If cilantro isn’t your thing, leave them out.
• No onions Version without garlic: In my recipe, you can omit both the onions and the garlic. Add a healthy sprinkle of asafoetida (hing) before the masala paste and after the cumin seeds to replicate their flavors. After thoroughly combining everything, add the ground masala paste. When cooking the asafoetida in oil, be careful not to burn it.
• When short on time, you can quickly prepare the matar paneer gravy the following day by blending or chopping the masala paste, freezing it for a few days, or refrigerating it overnight.
• Mutter paneer is always prepared in oil. You can prepare it in ghee for a richer version (clarified butter).

Frequently Asked Questions

How can it be prepared without garlic and onion?

Heat ghee or oil in a skillet to prepare No Onion No Garlic matar paneer. When the oil is heated, add the cumin and hing (asafoetida) seeds, and let them sizzle for a short while.
Cook for a minute after adding the tomato puree and ginger.

Cook for two to three minutes before adding salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala powder. Add the fried paneer and peas as described further down.

Cook for 3–4 minutes after adding water. The mutter paneer is ready without onion and garlic.

If you want to create Jain matar paneer, follow the recipe but exclude the onion and garlic as well as the ginger.

How to make it in restaurant style?

In contrast to the more hearty and spicy mutter paneer sauce served at dhabas, the gravy served at restaurants is typically creamy and mild.

To prepare it in the manner of a restaurant, substitute milk for the water, then add cream or fresh malai, honey, and lime juice just before serving. To achieve the flavor of a restaurant, a dash of Kasuri methi is essential. Before adding paneer and peas, the masala can also be pureed to make it creamy.

Why should the paneer be placed in water after being fried?

The paneer’s outer layer softens when it is soaked in water, making the cheese soft rather than chewy.

How can I make this matar paneer vegan?

Paneer can be used in place of tofu for vegans to still experience the taste.

Can I cook matar paneer in a pot or pan?

Of course! In a pan, first, toast the cumin seeds, then add the masala paste and cook until the oil begins to seep from the sides. Add salt, water, green peas, and the dry spice powders after that. Then cover the pan and continue cooking the peas until they are tender. Add more water if the curry starts to dry up or get too thick while cooking. Continue with the original recipe at this point and adhere to the remaining instructions.

Serving Suggestions

With Indian flatbreads like Roti, Paratha, and Naan, matar paneer pairs beautifully. Additionally, it goes nicely with cooked Broccoli fried rice and Navratan Pulao.

To accompany it at home, I typically cook paratha or roti, but a side veggie salad or Raita also tastes great with mutter paneer and paratha.

You can also enjoy dipping the leftover Rajma poori masala (Indian fried bread), ordinary bread, or any chapatti.

Storage Suggestions

Products made from dairy don’t freeze well. After being thawed after being frozen, their texture changes. Therefore, I advise making the curry as described below without adding the paneer if you want to freeze it.

The curry can be frozen, and when you’re ready to consume it, you can add paneer and green peas. The dish only needs to be thawed, heated, and cooked for 5–6 minutes with paneer and matar

Some other paneer recipes on my blog you may like – Paneer Tikka Grilled Sandwich, Paneer Tikka Masala Restaurant Style, Paneer Butter Masala Restaurant Style, Palak paneer paratha (Spinach Cottage Cheese Paratha).

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