Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy) Recipe (2024)

By Zainab Shah

Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy) Recipe (1)

Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(4,208)
Notes
Read community notes

Traditionally, roasted and crushed cashews are puréed with cooked onions and tomatoes to make the base for this comforting vegetarian dish. This version skips the hassle of puréeing and instead uses a hefty amount of cashew butter for the same nutty flavor and creamy texture. Red chile powder, ginger and garlic provide the perfect backbone for the sauce. Substitute tofu for paneer if you like; the mildness of either lends itself well to this unexpectedly luxurious dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

  • ¼cup ghee or neutral oil
  • ½pound paneer or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted very dry
  • 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • ½teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
  • ½teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
  • 1teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¾teaspoon kashmiri or other red chile powder
  • ¼teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 3medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2tablespoons cashew butter
  • 8ounces frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh green peas (about 1¾ cups)
  • 3tablespoons heavy cream or cashew cream (optional)
  • ½teaspoon garam masala
  • Rice or roti, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

278 calories; 24 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 422 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy) Recipe (2)

Preparation

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  1. Step

    1

    Heat ghee in a large frying pan or medium wok on high for 30 seconds, or until it is melted. Lower heat to medium and lightly fry paneer or tofu cubes, turning frequently, until they are golden on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.

  2. In the same frying pan or wok, add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent.

  3. Step

    3

    Add cumin seeds, chile powder and turmeric, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and salt. Add ¾ cup water. Simmer on medium until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. Step

    4

    Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in cashew butter. Add peas and paneer. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness. Top with heavy cream in a swirl, if you like. Sprinkle with garam masala. Serve with rice or roti.

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4,208

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Erin

Much less work and mess: toss the paneer cubes in melted ghee or butter and salt then roast them on parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a 425 degree oven. Check them every 5-7 minutes and take them out when they’re as firmed and browned as you like

Allaudin Khilji

Cashews? Cashew butter? Traditional? Not in several decades of eating this dish at home and at numerous friends was this an ingredient. Some celebrity chef decided to add this, and decided it was "traditional." It is excessively decadent. Even the heavy cream is unnecessary -- no need to load on extra fat and calories.

S

The word Mattar means peas. So if you left out the peas and substituted with greens or potatoes then you would not be making mattar paneer but a different dish.That's perfectly okay, but if you do that, just don't call it mattar paneer when there is no actual mattar in the dish. Call it aloo (potatoes) paneer or saag (greens) paneer, or (ingredient) paneer as the case may be.

Sabena Singh

I sauté curry leaves first and then green chilies. Then I add diced onions, garlic and ginger pastes. Sauté till golden. Add cumin, coriander, red chili powder, haldi (turmeric) and salt. Then I add paneer which may or may not be fried first. Sauté and then add either 1/2 cup water or milk, cover and cook gently. Then I add baby peas. I often add a sprinkling of fenugreek for added flavor. Add coriander leaves and the dish is ready.

CDS

Store-bought paneer can be rubbery. Soak the paneer cubes in hot tap water for 20 minutes, drain and pat dry before pan frying.

PS

Modification:Heat cumin seeds a bit before you add the chili powder. Only heat the chili powder for a few seconds or it burns and can make you cough. Turmeric has health benefits that are destroyed by heat so try adding that toward the end of the dish. How you treat the spices so they maintain their health benefits is an important aspect of Indian cuisine!

Martin Basher

This is really bonkers good. I did tofu, probably doubled the spices, grated in a 1” cube of ginger, swapped cashew for half peanut and half almond, and sloshed the cream at it generously. As good as a restaurant.

MC Bmore

I am so happy I waited to make this until all the insightful New York Times cooking home cooks added their thoughts and suggestions.Per suggestions - soaked paneer,added curry leaves and coriander. Added potato & zucchini (because I had it in the fridge) cut into paneer size add both after adding the spices. Increased the water content to 1 cup simmered for a half hour then added cashew butter simmered on med/low for 20 - added peas and paneer served over basmati rice. Absolutely delicious.

Gordon

I followed Erin’s suggestion and roasted the tofu in the oven first. Makes the outside of the pieces nice and crispy. The Ghee adds a nice flavour as well. Took about 30 minutes at 425. Highly recommend this approach even if it adds an extra dish to clean up. Cut up the tofu, lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, tossed the tofu in some salt and melted Ghee and roasted for about 30 minutes. I tossed it during cooking to make sure it is consistently toasty. Delicious!

ValerieClark2

very good but a little bland - double the spices next time. Made with tofu, wish could find paneer

mainemom

Peas may be meh if you add them too soon...put them in at the very end, just enough to thaw and warm if they are frozen.

Alicia

Instead of trying to brown individual cubes of tofu, I cut the brick into three equal planks (horizontal cut), heat up oil on a baking sheet, then put planks on hot sheet and roast until both sides are brown and crispy.

Burghanite

This was even better on day 2. I added fenugreek and coriander as per others’ suggestions and recommend those additions. I also needed to add more water. Great dish.

lauren.reed

I used canned tomatoes (12oz whole plum tomatoes, I chopped) which worked out well. I found the end result to need more liquid. Added 1/2 cup more water but could have used even more.

FDionne

Truly excellent, with tofu and safflower oil. I did use more garlic and ginger though.

Amber

Made a few substitutions (canned whole tomatoes for fresh, almond butter instead of cashew, and fenugreek leaves at the end). Agree with upping the spices a bit but otherwise super yummy.

Kisten

I followed Erin’s recommendation re tofu, so simplified the prep. It is an amazing flavor for such little time (I’ve made Indian dishes over 2 days; this is easy!); my 12 yo had seconds and so did I.

Fran D.

Preparing to make this in the next day or two. I see others have mentioned adding curry leaves—dry or fresh?

JBK

Use more turmeric, less garam masala, and curry powder instead of cumin

Anjali

This is an incredible (vegan!) dish. Double the garlic, ginger, and spices. Be generous with the cashew butter and you can happily skip the cream. (To get from raw cashews to cashew butter, just toast them until golden in the oven and whiz them in the food processor with a little oil.) Take an immersion blender to the sauce between Steps 3 and 4. This makes 2 generous servings in my opinion, so double it if you want it to serve 4.

allie

I found that this really needed tomato paste to bring the tomato flavor through. That and some msg and it was really good. I used canned plum tomatoes though so maybe that was the reason.

Anne

As written would have been very bland. More then doubled the spices. Followed other cooks and roasted the paneer in the oven - super easy. Really delicious and will be in rotation !

Erin

I used an immersion blender to puree the sauce before adding the peas and tofu, just a preference for consistency. Served over rice, very yummy winter lunch.

Cheri

Very good. Will make this again.

Don't Use Tofu

The fried tofu was basically hot pencil erasers. I doubled the spices and it still didn't have much flavor. 2 of 5

Sally

My husband never goes for Indian food, but he went back for seconds of this! I doubled the spices and used a can of diced tomatoes. Subbed with almond butter because it was all I had. I crisped up tofu in the air fryer before and stirred it in at the last minute. It was great and we’ll make it again!

Kimberly

Really flavourful dish. I did double the spices and subbed peanut butter.

Zan Romeder

Delicious. But double the recipe!

Liz

Less heat!

mia

This is quite good, served with brown rice. I baked the paneer on parchment at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so to avoid the mess of frying and it got really crispy. Next time I think I'd increase spices--made as is and it was a tad bland.

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Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between butter paneer and Matar paneer? ›

Matar Paneer is onion-tomato masala based. Butter Paneer, or Paneer Butter Masala, uses the Makhni Sauce that restaurants use for Butter Chicken and the like.

What is matar paneer called in English? ›

Matar Paneer is a popular North Indian dish of Indian cottage cheese aka Paneer and peas cooked in a spicy and flavorsome curry. Matar Paneer translates to peas paneer where 'Matar' is the Hindi word for 'peas' and 'paneer' for “Indian cheese”.

What is paneer gravy made of? ›

This Paneer Butter Masala recipe is a rich and creamy dish of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in a tomato, butter and cashew sauce that is known here as “makhani gravy.” The acidity of the tomatoes and the sweetness of the cream make for a velvety, nearly addictive sauce.

Which is better paneer tikka masala or paneer butter masala? ›

What is the difference between paneer butter masala and paneer tikka masala? Paneer butter masala is essentially cooked in butter, has a smooth silky curry to which raw paneer is added. But paneer tikka masala is made with grilled paneer and is predominantly spicy and has some texture in the curry.

What are the three types of paneer? ›

Some of the popular types of paneer are: Regular Paneer: This is the most common type of paneer found in the market. It is made using cow's milk and has a mild, slightly tangy flavor. Malai Paneer: Malai paneer is made by using full-fat milk, which gives it a creamier and richer texture compared to regular paneer.

What is paneer called in USA? ›

Although many Indians translate "paneer" into "cottage cheese", cottage cheese is made using rennet extracted from the stomach of ruminants, and cow's skim milk. Queso blanco or queso fresco are often recommended as substitutes in the Americas and Spain as they are more commercially available in many American markets.

What do they call paneer in England? ›

"Farmer's cheese" or "curd cheese" are the names I come across most often in English. "Paneer" is widely understood in areas with S. Asian immigrants and their restaurants, however.

Do you soak store-bought paneer? ›

Soaking: Do not soak the paneer for more than 10 minutes, or it will break down and lose its taste and texture. Boiling: Soaking the paneer in cool water after boiling keeps it soft during cooking. Otherwise, it will turn hard and rubbery.

Do I cook paneer before adding to curry? ›

How do you add paneer to a curry sauce? Prepare the sauce and then add the fried paneer to the bubbling hot curry. Although fried until crisp, it is best to add the paneer fry to a sauce just before serving. It will then retain its shape and become soft and delicious in the center.

Should we fry paneer before cooking? ›

Cooking extracts moisture from the paneer, thereby making it hard and rubbery. Paneer is very healthy until you don't fry it you can try using it without frying. If you are making dishes with paneer then according to me you don't need to fry it . Frying paneer before using it is a choice.

Why do people soak paneer in water before? ›

Top tip: If you find your paneer can get a bit dry or chewy when fried or cooked, you can soak it in water for 10 minutes so it retains more moisture while cooking.

How to thicken paneer gravy? ›

Add Cashews: Cashews are also a good option to make the gravy thick and healthy. First, grind the cashew nuts by adding a little water. Now add the cashew paste to the gravy. Adding cashew paste to paneer curry doubles the taste of the curry.

Which type of paneer is best? ›

Which paneer is best? The paneer made from fresh cow or buffalo milk is best. While Cow milk paneer is softer because of the reduced calcium concentration, buffalo milk paneer is more creamy in texture.

What is the difference between butter and paneer? ›

Butter is predominantly made up of milk fat. While paneer is milk soft fresh curd like cottage cheese has most of the milk components minus water and some whey protein lost in the whey which is removed while making paneer. You can note the diffy in the nutritional composition of these two dairy product.

Which is better shahi paneer or butter paneer? ›

Similar dishes include paneer butter masala and Kadai paneer. The subtle difference between paneer butter masala and shahi paneer is that more of whole spices are used in paneer butter masala, whereas shahi paneer has a sweeter taste when compared to paneer butter masala.

What is the difference between Kadai paneer and matar paneer? ›

Kadai paneer is much spicier than the other two as fresh masala are added whereas shahi paneer is rich in taste. Also a lot of dry fruits are added. While Matar Paneer's main ingredient is peas along with paneer (cottage cheese) whose base gravy is mostly made by tomatoes and onions.

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