Matar Paneer: Indian Cottage Cheese Curry
Fragrant Indian curry combining soft paneer cheese, peas, and potatoes in a tomato-based gravy. Onions, ginger, and garlic are ground into a paste and cooked with turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and garam masala. Paneer and potatoes are fried separately before being folded into the finished curry with fresh coriander.
Ingredients
- 2 onions, whole
- 1 chillies, whole
- 5 cloves garlic, whole
- ½ inch ginger, whole
- 2 tomatoes, whole
- 1 tbsp oil, to fry
- 1 tbsp oil, to fry potatoes and paneer
- ⅓ tsp turmeric powder, ground
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, groundcayenne pepper or paprika0.75:1note:adjust heat to taste
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- 1 tsp garam masala powder, ground
- 2 potatoes, medium, cubed
- 9 oz paneer, cubed
- ½ cup green peas, whole
- salt, to taste(optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Grind onions, chillies, ginger, and garlic to a fine paste without water. Set aside.
- 2
Grind fresh tomatoes to a puree and set aside separately, or use passata as substituted.
- 3
Heat oil in a pan and lightly fry paneer pieces until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper.
- 4
Add oil as needed and fry potato cubes until almost cooked through. Set aside.
- 5
Add oil to the pan to make approximately 1 tbsp total and fry the ground onion mixture until the onion changes color, about 3-4 minutes.
- 6
Add turmeric, chilli powder, and garam masala. Stir well and cook for about 30 seconds.
- 7
Add tomato puree and cook for a couple of minutes until the masala looks fried. Add water in stages to reach desired gravy consistency and bring to a boil.
- 8
Cover the pan, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- 9
Add peas and fried potato cubes and continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
- 10
Fold in the fried paneer and warm through for 1-2 minutes.
- 11
Stir in the remaining garam masala powder.
- 12
Remove from heat and finish with chopped fresh coriander.
- 13
Serve hot.
Tips
Do not add water when grinding the onion-chilli-ginger-garlic paste to keep it concentrated.
Fry paneer only briefly until golden to avoid it becoming chewy.
Add water to the gravy in stages for better control of consistency.
Stir the curry at the halfway mark during the simmering stage to ensure even cooking.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on stovetop with a splash of water if needed.
Prepare the onion-chilli-ginger-garlic paste up to 1 day ahead. Fry paneer and potatoes ahead and store separately; add to curry just before serving to maintain texture.
Serve hot with basmati rice, roti, or naan. Accompany with a cooling yogurt raita or pickle.
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook paneer during initial frying to avoid a rubbery, chewy texture.
Do not skip the stage of adding water in increments to avoid an overly thick or watery gravy.
Do not add paneer too early in the final cooking stage, as extended heat will toughen it.
Substitutions
Vegan Options
General Alternatives
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