Matar Paneer

North Indian fresh green peas and cubes of soft paneer in a spiced onion and tomato gravy

Origin: North India

From the journey of Pea.

Matar paneer is among the most beloved vegetarian dishes of North India, a fixture of the home kitchen, the wedding buffet, and the roadside dhaba alike. Its name is a simple pairing: matar, the green pea, and paneer, the fresh pressed milk curd that is the great vegetarian protein of the subcontinent. Together, set in a glossy, spiced gravy of onion and tomato, they make a dish that is rich without meat and festive without difficulty. The pea entered the Indian subcontinent from the northwest in deep antiquity, travelling the same corridors as wheat and the other Western Asian pulses, and in the cool North Indian winter it found an ideal second season. The fresh green pea became one of the defining vegetables of that winter table, its natural sweetness a perfect foil for the warm spice and the rich dairy of the Mughal-influenced kitchen of Punjab and the Hindi belt. The marriage of peas with paneer in a tomato gravy is a relatively modern, restaurant-shaped classic, but it draws on far older traditions of pulse and dairy cookery. The technique is the foundation of North Indian gravy cooking: a base (masala) of fried onion, ginger, and garlic, ground or cooked-down tomato, and the warm spices of garam masala, brought together into a sauce in which the peas simmer and the lightly fried paneer is folded at the end so it stays soft. A finish of cream, crushed dried fenugreek leaf (kasuri methi), and fresh coriander gives it the characteristic dhaba fragrance.

Ingredients

Main

250 g paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes
300 g fresh or frozen green peas

Gravy

2 piece onions, finely chopped or puréed
3 piece ripe tomatoes, puréed (or 250 g tinned chopped tomatoes)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 piece green chillies, slit
3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

Spices

0.5 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for colour, mild)
0.75 tsp garam masala
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed

Finishing

3 tbsp single cream or whisked yoghurt (optional)
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Seasoning

1 tsp salt, or to taste

Method

Optional but traditional: heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee and lightly fry the paneer cubes until pale golden on a couple of sides. Lift out and drop into a bowl of warm lightly salted water to keep them soft while you make the gravy.
In the same pan, heat the remaining ghee and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the chopped or puréed onion and fry over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until deep golden.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and slit green chillies and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw smell goes. Stir in the turmeric, ground coriander, and chilli powder.
Pour in the puréed tomatoes and the salt. Cook the masala over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the oil separates at the edges and the gravy is thick and glossy.
Add the peas and about 200 ml hot water to reach a gravy consistency. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes (a little longer for fresh peas) until the peas are tender.
Drain the paneer and fold it gently into the gravy. Stir in the garam masala, the crushed kasuri methi, and the cream if using. Simmer for a final 2 to 3 minutes.
Scatter with fresh coriander and serve hot with roti, naan, or jeera rice.

Notes

Matar paneer is endlessly customisable: a richer restaurant-style version blends cashews into the gravy for body and gloss, while a leaner home version uses yoghurt instead of cream. Frozen peas work very well here and need only brief cooking. For a vegan version, substitute firm tofu for the paneer and a plant cream.

The Gastrographer

Name: Matar Paneer
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: North India
Ingredients: 250 g paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes; 300 g fresh or frozen green peas; 2 piece onions, finely chopped or puréed; 3 piece ripe tomatoes, puréed (or 250 g tinned chopped tomatoes); 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 piece green chillies, slit; 3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (for colour, mild); 0.75 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed; 3 tbsp single cream or whisked yoghurt (optional); 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped; 1 tsp salt, or to taste

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control