Restaurant style Matar Paneer, a lip smacking vegetarian gravy dish loved by one and all. Enjoy the recipe and do let us know what you think.

Ingredients:

For Ground paste:
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Onion – 1 sliced
Garlic – 7-8 cloves
Ginger – 1 Inch piece
Green Chillis – 1-2
Tomato – 1 sliced
Cashews – 1 Tbsp
Poppy Seeds – 1 Tsp
Milk – 2 Tbsp

For Gravy:
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Cinnamon – ½ Inch piece
Green Cardamom – 2
Bay Leaf – 1
Cloves – 3
Cumin – 1 Tsp
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – ½ Tsp
Turmeric – ¼ Tsp
Water – ½ – ¾ cup
Coriander-Cumin Powder – 1 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder – ½ Tsp
Salt – ¼ Tsp
Tomato Paste – 2 Tbsp (Optional, gives a nice color)
Green Peas – ½ Cup
Yoghurt – 4 Tbsp
Sugar – 2 Tsp
Paneer – 150 grams cubed
Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi) – ½ Tsp
Cilantro – handful chopped to garnish

Method:

1.    Heat pan on high heat. Add oil and sliced onion and fry for 2 minutes.
2.    Now add garlic cloves, ginger and green chilis.
3.    Fry until slightly golden brown. Now add sliced tomato. Stir well.
4.    Cover and cook for 3 minutes on low heat.
5.    Grind the onion-tomato mixture with Cashews and Poppy seeds soaked in milk. Keep aside.
6.    Add 2 Tbsp oil to the same pan on medium heat.
7.    Add cinnamon, green cardamom, bay leaf, cloves and Cumin seeds.
8.    When cumin starts spluttering, add red chili powder & turmeric. Stir for 10 seconds.
9.    Now add the ground paste, stir well.
10.    Add water and stir well.
11.    Add Coriander-Cumin Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Salt, Tomato Paste (Optional, gives a nice color) and stir well.
12.    Now add Green peas, cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
13.    Add Yoghurt to finish and sugar, stir well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
14.    Add Paneer cubes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
15.    Lastly add dried fenugreek and chopped cilantro. Stir well.
16.    Serve hot with chapatis or plain dal and rice.

Happy Cooking! ☺