Mattar paneer recipe
This wholesome dish, known as mattar paneer (peas and Indian cheese paneer), is based on a simple onion-ginger-garlic masala cooked with softened tomatoes. Fried cumin seeds and aromatic garam masala shape the simple spicing.
Ingredients
For the garam masala (makes 100g/3.5oz)- 50 g black cardamom pods, seeds only (enough to provide 25g/0.8oz seeds)
- 25 g cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
- 25 g whole black peppercorns
- 10 g cumin seeds or shahi jeera
- 2 large blades of mace
- 7 g cloves (around 1 teaspoon)
- 0.2 whole nutmeg
- 240 g paneer, cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
- 500 ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying, plus 4 tablespoons
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 20 g root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 0.2 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp garam masala
- 4 tomatoes (about 300g/10.5oz), roughly chopped
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 250 g fresh or frozen peas
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
Details
- Cuisine: Indian
- Recipe Type: Paneer
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- If you're making the garam masala, tip all the spices into an electric grinder and process until finely ground. You can use a mortar and pestle for this if you don’t have a grinder.
- Sift the ground spices and store in a tightly lidded jam jar – the blend will keep for about 2 months. If you’re not likely to use it all up in that time, freeze the garam masala in an airtight plastic box – it will keep frozen for at least 6 months.
- For the mattar paneer, if you are using shop-bought paneer, put the cubes in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. You don’t need to soak homemade paneer.
- Heat the oil in a kahari or wok (the oil is ready for frying when it reaches 180°C/356°F on a food thermometer, or when a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 30 seconds), and deep-fry the paneer in batches over a medium heat for about 2–3 minutes, until golden brown. Alternatively, deep-fry in a large, wide, sturdy pan no more than two-thirds full with oil. Drain the paneer cubes on kitchen paper and set aside.
- Heat the 4 tablespoons of oil in a separate karahi or wok over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry, stirring all the time, for about 30 seconds, until the seeds darken and release a nutty aroma.
- Stir in the onion and cook for about 7–10 minutes, until golden. Reduce the heat slightly, add the garlic and ginger, and fry for a further 2–3 minutes, until the garlic and ginger turn golden.
- Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and sugar.
- Cook over a medium heat for about 3–5 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened, adding a little water if they catch on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 7–10 minutes, until the masala has thickened.
- Pour in 100ml/3.3fl oz of water and, as soon as the masala starts bubbling, add the peas. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the peas are tender. Stir in the cubed paneer and chopped coriander (cilantro) and serve with chapatis.You can find an easy chapati recipe here.
This recipe is from India: The World Vegetarian by Roopa Gulati (Bloomsbury Absolute, £20). Out now. Photography by David Loftus.
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