Matar Paneer (My Favorite Indian Dish)

Matar Paneer (also spelled Mutter Paneer) is one of my favorite Indian dishes. It's a classic North Indian vegetarian curry made with paneer—a fresh Indian cheese—and sweet green peas simmered in a rich, warmly spiced tomato sauce.

We first tried it years ago at an incredible Indian restaurant in Panama City, and to this day it's still the best Indian food we've had. Ever since then, I've wanted to recreate it at home.

The paneer holds its shape beautifully as it cooks, soaking up all of the fragrant spices without melting. I've seen versions made with cottage cheese, but I much prefer using traditional paneer (or a good frying cheese if that's easier to find). This was my first attempt at making it, and I couldn't believe how well it turned out. All I needed was a cold mango lassi and some warm naan to make the meal complete.

Ingredients

2 cups paneer, cut into cubes (or solid frying cheese)
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 small red chili, minced (remove the seeds for a milder curry)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons light cream
½ cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt, to taste
Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the paneer cubes and cook until golden brown on all sides, turning as needed. Transfer the paneer to a plate and set aside.
If needed, add another drizzle of oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, curry powder, garam masala, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices become fragrant.
Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, yogurt, light cream, minced chili, and salt. Whisk until the yogurt is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the lemon juice, frozen peas, and the browned paneer. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the peas are heated through and the paneer is warmed.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired, and serve with warm naan or steamed basmati rice.

A Little Side Note...

If you're wondering what's sitting next to the curry in the photos, it's coleslaw.

I know that probably sounds like an odd pairing, but hear me out. The cool sweetness and crunchy texture of the coleslaw are surprisingly delicious against the warm spices and creamy tomato sauce. It adds a fresh contrast that works so much better than you'd expect.

I'm just saying...don't knock it until you've tried it.