Mattar Paneer (Peas and Paneer in Spiced Tomato Gravy)

By Zainab Shah

Published March 18, 2023

  • A gray bowl filled with an orange-hued sauce dotted with peas and tofu sits next to a small bowl of rice and a plate of onions and cucumbers.
    Linda Pugliese for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(6,123)
Comments
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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

  • ¼ cup ghee or neutral oil

  • ½ pound paneer or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted very dry

  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • ½ teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger

  • ½ teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • ¾ teaspoon kashmiri or other red chile powder

  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 2 tablespoons cashew butter

  • 8 ounces frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh green peas (about 1¾ cups)

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream or cashew cream (optional)

  • ½ teaspoon garam masala

  • Rice or roti, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)

29 grams carbs; 13 milligrams cholesterol; 365 calories; 13 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 478 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

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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Preparation

  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. Step 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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Ratings

5 out of 5
6,123 user ratings
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Comments

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

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.

Cynthia

An outstanding recipe. I now consider it one of my very favorites on this site! I boldly made it for the first time for my Indian expat friends and they took seconds! - I did not have ghee so I subbed coconut oil. - Made my own cashew butter in the food processor. - Made my own chili powder 3 parts sweet paprika, 1 part cayenne. - Doubled the sauce, but not the cheese - Served with jasmine rice

Hannah

Matar paneer is my most-ordered Indian dish, so I had high hopes with all the 5-star reviews. I doubled the aromatics and replaced the 3 tomatoes with a big can of crushed tomatoes - maybe this was too much tomato and messed up the ratios?? It needed way more spices and salt. The cashew butter and drizzle of cream were spot-on though.

IanMacD

Thanks to contributors for some great hints. My adaptations based on various comments - Baked paneer as per comments. Used whole 450 gm paneer, so basically doubled the recipe (not quite). added curry leaves to start, tripled spices, added fenugreek seeds, used 2 cans tomatoes (60% tomatoes) and used the fluid in place of water. Ground cashews as I didn’t have cashew butter. Reduced the salt. Added peas at end just before adding paneer. Yoghurt instead of cream, and chopped coriander to garnish. Delicious. Made 3 meals for two of us.

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