Matar paneer recipe is a famous north Indian recipe which is a combination of paneer (cheese) and a matar (peas). It can be served with roti or paranthas, naan, rice, puri, etc. Here I am giving you a simple recipe to make it at home.

Ingredients

• 5 cup peas (matar)
• 10 gm roughly chopped ginger (adarak)
• 6 flakes garlic (lasun)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 medium (400 gms.) onions roughly chopped (piyaaz)
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 2 tbsp red chilli powder (red mirch powder)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder (dhniya ka powder)
• 1 tbsp cumin powder (jeera powder)
• salt 1 tbsp
• 2 large finely chopped tomatos
• 2 and 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp all ground spices (garam masala)

For Paneer (cheese)

• 10 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

For Garnish

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Process

1)  To make a paneer (cheese)

• To make paneer take a pan add milk and bring it to boil.
• Stirring occasionally to prevent skin from forming on top.
• Add lemon juice and stir till the milk curdles (curd separate from whey).
• Remove pan from heat.
• Place muslin over a bowl. Pour curdles milk into muslin and strain.
• Reserve 2 and 3/4 cups whey. gather up a corner of muslin and tie about 5 cms.
• Hang this bag for about 30 minutes. Gently squeeze bag, take down and place between two cutting boards about 2 and 1/2 kg heavy object (saucepan filled with water) for about 2 hours until the paneer layer is 1 cm thick.
• Remove weight. Untie bag and remove.
• Cut paneer into square shape or cubes.

2) For pea curry

• Firstly grind together ginger, garlic, and onion into a paste.
• Now, take a cooker add oil and heat it.
• Add the grind paste and cook it till golden brown.
• Now, add finely chopped tomato. Cook till tomatoes are pulpy and oil shows separately, stirring occasionally.
• Add, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt, all ground spices. Cook it for 1-2 minutes.
• Now, add water and peas (matar).
• close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat.
• Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove cooker from heat. Releases pressure with a slight lifting of vent weight.
• Open cooker. Place cooker on medium heat.
• Add paneer and simmer about for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and cream.
• Serve hot.

3) Microwave method

• For making a matar paneer, put the oil in a microwave proof bowl.
• Add a cumin seeds, turmeric powder, coriander and chilli powder.
• Microwave for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped onion, ginger paste and garlic paste.
• Microwave for 6 minutes.
• Add tomatoes puree.
• Microwave on high again for 6 minutes.
• Add paneer and peas. Stir.
• Microwave, covered, on high for 6 minutes.
• Stir twice.
• Stir in garam masala.
• leave to stand 3-4 minutes.
• Add salt.
• Mix well
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and cream.
• Serve hot with rice or chapaties.

Tip

• You can also you ready made paneer (cheese).
• You can also add boiled potato at pressure time.