Matar Paneer is a classic Indian recipe that originates from the Punjab region in Northern India. Paneer (Indian Cheese) is a staple for many vegetarians in India. Thankfully it is widely available from most big supermarkets now or you can usually find it in health food shops or your loval Asian store. In India Paneer is an important ingredient for vegetarians as it adds texture to a dish as well as much needed protein.
Paneer can sometimes be a bit tough and rubbery when cooked badly. An easy method I have found to avoid this is to gently fry the paneer in oil first before adding it to the gravy/sauce.
Matar Paneer Ingredients
- 200g frozen or fresh peas
- A block of paneer about 20cm by 15cm, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 table spoon of tomato puree
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 small white onion chopped fine
- 2 fresh birds eye chillis slit down the middle (i.e each one into 2 pieces)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger (finely chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Seasoning to taste
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Fresh coriander leaves
Method
Heat a saucepan & put the oil in. Once the oil is hot put in the cumin seeds & let them sizzle for about 20 seconds. Do not allow them to go black as they make the sauce taste bitter. Next put the chopped onions in & allow them to cook on a moderate heat for 5-10 minutes. The secret of Indian cooking is in the cooking of the onions. They are used as a base for most dishes. The browner they get the sweeter the sauce. For this dish, let the onions go slightly golden brown. If you find they start to burn throw in a pinch of salt & that will stop them burning any more.
Then add the turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder and mix well till all the onions have taken on the colour from the spices. Fry off for 30 seconds while stiring. Finally add the tomato puree and tin of tomatoes. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes. I then take a hand blender and blend the spiced tomato sauce into a smooth sauce before leaving to simmer on a low heat. Add the fresh chillies.
Cut the paneer into small cubes (~1cm squared). Gently fry them in a non stick frying pan turning them when they start to take on a golden brown colour. As the cubes are lightly browned on opposite sides remove them from the pan and place them on some kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil. Once all of the paneer is browned add them to the tomato sauce along with the frozen peas. Cook for a further 10 minutes over a low heat before serving with the fresh coriander.
Matar paneer can be served either as a main Vegetarian dish or even a side with a meat curry. It goes equally well with rice or bread (naan, paratha or roti).
