Matar paneer recipe – a popular Indian Curry dish made with green peas and Indian cottage cheese, is from the versatile Northern Indian cuisine that has many different (and delicious) variations. I’m sharing our family recipe of a flavorful and simple home-style mutter paneer.
This simple homemade matar paneer is a family recipe spiced to perfection and cooked with green peas (matar or mutter in Hindi), and paneer which is Indian cottage cheese.
t is a tasty Indian dish that I make often, as matar paneer — also known as mattar or mutter paneer — is one of the most popular dishes from Northern India.
Paneer (cottage cheese): Paneer is a super soft, fresh, unaged Indian cottage cheese, usually made from dairy milk. You can use ricotta cheese if needed instead of paneer, but it’s important to note that ricotta cheese may be salted and paneer is not. Squeeze and drain any extra whey from ricotta before using.
Vegetables: You will need fresh or frozen green peas (matar), a few medium-sized ripe red tomatoes, a medium or large onion, and some green chilies.
Cashews: Cashews act as a creamy thickener for the masala paste. However, if you do not have cashews on hand, you can substitute almonds.
Seasonings: You will need several seasonings and spices for this mutter paneer recipe, including cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
How to Make Matar Paneer
Gather Masala Paste Ingredients
- First, you will take all of the masala paste ingredients and add them to a grinder or a blender. Make sure you include:
½ cup chopped onions
¾ to 1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon chopped ginger {sub with ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger (dry ginger powder)}
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
10 to 12 cashews
2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro)
1 teaspoon chopped green chilies or serrano peppers
4 to 5 black peppercorns
1 inch cinnamon (Use true cinnamon. For cassia cinnamon, use ½ inch of it)
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds {sub with 1 teaspoon of ground coriander (coriander powder)}
1 green cardamom – optional
2 cloves
Make Masala Paste
- After that, you will grind the ingredients into a smooth paste. If needed add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water while grinding the masala paste. When the paste is creamy and blended to a fine consistency, set aside until later.
NOTE: There should be no small bits or pieces of cashews in the paste.
Frying Cumin
- Next add 3 tablespoons oil in a 2-litre pressure cooker. Let the oil become hot. Reduce heat to a medium-low heat. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and fry until they splutter.
Add Masala Paste - Next, add in your ground masala paste, and mix well.
TIP: It is important to be careful while sautéing because the masala paste tends to splutter when added to the pressure cooker. If there is too much spluttering, then cover the cooker partly with a lid until the spluttering stops.
Sauté
- Now you will sauté the paste mixture for about 10 to 12 minutes on a medium-low heat.
You want to be sure to sauté long enough for the oil to separate from the paste. The masala paste will also thicken and look glossy.
Add Ground Spices
- After sautéing the masala paste, add in all of the dry spice powders, stir to combine well and sauté for a minute. Be sure to include:
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or sweet paprika (sub with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cayenne or red chilli powder)
¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder (replace with ¼ teaspoon of curry powder)
NOTE: If adding heavy or light cream or malai, you can add now. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy or light cream or malai (the cream that floats on top of heated and cooled milk). In place of cream, substitute with ¼ cup whole milk.
Add Green Peas
- Next, add in 1 cup of rinsed green peas or matar.
- Mix again.
- Then, add 1 to 1.25 cups water, salt and mix thoroughly.
Pressure Cook - It’s now time to pressure cook the green peas until they are fully cooked. Be sure to cover the cooker tightly, then cook for about 9 to 10 minutes or 2 to 3 whistles on medium to medium-high heat.
NOTE: When the pressure drops on its own, open the lid of the pressure cooker. If the gravy appears thin, simmer until it reaches the desired consistency.
The consistency should be medium and neither thick nor thin. If the gravy appears thick, add some water and simmer.
For a slight sweet taste, you can also add up to ½ teaspoon of sugar at this point.
Make Matar Paneer
- Finally, add the paneer cubes and mix well or simmer on a low heat for some seconds or until the paneer cubes are fully cooked. Don’t overcook as the paneer will become dense and hard.
You can add more flavors, by including ½ teaspoon of crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) at this step.
NOTE: You want to avoid overcooking, otherwise the paneer will become dense and rubbery. You can even shallow or pan fry the paneer pieces separately and then add these to