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Lorna’s Matar Paneer Recipe

Try Lorna’s Matar Paneer recipe (also known as mutter paneer and mattar paneer) for an easy-to-make delicious traditional north Indian vegetarian curry made by cooking paneer (Indian cheese) and green peas in a spicy onion tomato masala.
20 Mins 50 Mins Easy Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 400g paneer – cut into cubes (approx. 1.5cm)
  • 200g frozen peas – thawed
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 2 onions – peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh garlic – finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger – finely grated or chopped
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 4 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1.5 teaspoons turmeric powder (Haldi)
  • 2 teaspoons salt (add more or less to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons green chillies – finely chopped (add more or less to taste)
  • 1 tin plum tomatoes – finely chopped or blended
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 2 handfuls fresh coriander – chopped

Method

  1. Place oil in a saucepan and heat until hot – gently lower the paneer cubes into the oil and fry for 1½-2 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown.
  2. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper.
  3. Heat some more oil in the pan and add cumin seeds and allow them to darken.
  4. Add garlic and ginger – fry until slightly brown.
  5. Add chillies, onion, salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the onions soften.
  6. Add turmeric and stir through.
  7. Stir in tomatoes – cover the pan for 10 to 15 mins on a low-medium heat to allow the flavours to intensify.
  8. Uncover pan & cook on full heat for a further 3 to 4 mins until the oil runs free from the masala.
  9. Add the peas and paneer to the masala sauce mixture and stir.
  10. Add water, bring to the boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes allowing the flavours to develop.
  11. Add the garam masala – stir and adjust seasoning if required.
  12. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice or fresh hot chapatis or puris.
Lorna’s Matar Paneer Recipe

Recipe notes

Tip: Add a couple of chopped potatoes to make this dish go further. You’ll need to add the potatoes with the tomatoes to ensure they cook through.

 

Lorna Nanda of The Little Indian Kitchen

About this recipe

This Lorna’s Matar Paneer recipe is courtesy of Lorna Nanda – founder of The Little Indian Kitchen which offers a selection of cookery classes for authentic Indian food designed to appeal to all food lovers wanting to learn how to cook or to expand on their existing cooking skills.

You can learn more by visiting The Little Indian Kitchen website, and you can follow Lorna on Facebook.

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