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    Main Course
    North Indian
    Matar Paneer
    Intermediate
    For 4 people

    Matar Paneer Recipe: Creamy Green Peas and Paneer in Spiced Gravy


    Matar paneer is a popular North Indian dish featuring soft paneer cheese and green peas cooked in a mildly spiced tomato and onion gravy. The paneer is fried until golden, while the peas are blanched for a fresh pop of colour. A luscious cashew paste adds richness to the curry, which is fragrant with cumin, turmeric, red chillies, garam masala and fenugreek leaves from Sunrise. Serve piping hot with rice or roti.

    Ingredients

    • For the Paneer:

    • Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) (cut into 2.5 cm cubes)

      250 g

    • Oil (for frying)

      2 tbsp

    • For the Gravy Base:

    • Oil

      2 tbsp

    • Sunrise Jeera (whole seeds)

      1 tsp

    • Onion (finely chopped or grated into a paste)

      1 large (110 g)

    • Ginger (grated into a paste)

      1-inch piece (8 g)

    • Garlic (grated into a paste)

      3 cloves (8 g)

    • Tomatoes (finely chopped or pureed into a paste)

      340 g (1½ cups)

    • Salt

      to taste

    • Sunrise Haldi Power

      ½ tsp

    • Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder

      ½ tsp

    • Water

      as needed

    • For the Peas:

    • Green peas (fresh or frozen)

      200 g (1 cup)

    • Water

      for blanching

    • For the Cashew Paste:

    • Cashew nuts

      12 whole

    • Water

      1–2 tbsp for grinding

    • For Finishing:

    • Sunrise Shahi Garam Masala

      ½ tsp

    • Sunrise Kasuri Methi

      1 tsp

    • Cream (optional)

      2 tbsp for garnish

    Sunrise tip: For a restaurant-style finish, soak the fried paneer in hot water for 10 minutes before adding it to the gravy. This keeps it soft and moist.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Blanch the Green Peas

    Time: 3 minutes

    Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 2–3 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

     

    Step 2: Prepare the Cashew Paste

    Time: 6 minutes

    In a dry pan, roast the cashews on low heat for 4–5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, grind the nuts into a fine paste with 1–2 tbsp water. Set aside.

     

    Step 3: Fry the Paneer

    Time: 6 minutes

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the paneer cubes and fry for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the edges are golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

     

    Step 4: Make the Gravy Base

    Time: 15 minutes

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same pan. Add the Sunrise Jeera seeds and let sputter for 30 seconds.

    Add the onion, ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for 5–6 minutes until golden, adding a splash of water if needed to prevent sticking.

    Add the tomato paste and salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until the oil starts to separate from the mixture.

    Stir in the Sunrise Haldi Powder, Sunrise Lal Mirch Powder, and ¼ cup water. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes more.

     

    Step 5: Finish the Matar Paneer

    Time: 15 minutes

    Add the ground cashew paste to the gravy base. Stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes.

    Gently add the fried paneer and blanched peas. Pour in ½ to 1 cup water to reach your desired gravy consistency.

    Simmer for 6–8 minutes on low heat until the paneer is soft and the flavours have melded.

    Sprinkle in the Sunrise Shahi Garam Masala. Crush the Surise Kasuri Methi between your palms and add to the pan. Stir well and remove from heat.

     

    Step 6: Garnish and Serve

    Transfer the matar paneer to a serving dish. If desired, drizzle 2 tbsp cream on top.

    Serve hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, roti, naan, or paratha. A simple kachumber salad makes a refreshing accompaniment.

     

    Goes Best With

    • Bread: Tandoori roti, Butter naan, Lachha paratha

    • Rice: Steamed basmati rice, Jeera rice, Vegetable pulao