Today I bring you a recipe that may not seem very attractive at first, but I assure you, I promise and I give my word that it has an amazing flavor. In it we will find an explosion of flavor thanks to the presence of various spices and fresh ingredients. It is called Methi Matar Malai Paneer.
Methi Matar Malai Paneer, that is, peas and cheese with cream and fenugreek is one of the classics of Indian cuisine. I always like this as a side dish, although it can be served as a vegetarian main dish. I usually like to make several types of things when I cook Indian and I usually cook this or palak paneer along with the others.
Matar paneer also exists with other spellings. Thus, it is found as muttar paneer, mutter paneer or even mattar paneer. Etymologically, the term matar means pea. The word paneer obviously refers to the Indian cheese used in the recipe.
Matar paneer is a North Indian vegetarian dish that traditionally consists of paneer cheese, green peas, a mixture of spices and a tomato-based gravy. It is a very popular slow-cooked dish. It is usually served with naan or paratha bread. It is often served with chopped fresh coriander. To achieve an even smoother texture, some gourmets add fresh cream to this vegetarian curry just before eating. Additionally, dahi yogurt can be added to the tomato sauce during cooking to give this dish a tangy flavour.
Matar paneer is a very popular traditional dish in India. It is made with paneer cheese and sweet peas that are sautéed in a creamy tomato sauce with a mix of spices. The balance of flavours is between the spiciness of the chillies on one hand and the sweetness of the peas on the other.
This Indian dish of peas and cheese is a vegetarian curry that is slow-cooked over low heat to bring out the flavour of the servers. The presence of cashews gives matar paneer its characteristic richness and creaminess. But cashews also help thicken the tomato sauce.
Surely, those of you who are familiar with this preparation will notice that the dish lacks color. Indian cuisine is characterized by using a wide range of spices that envelop their dishes with aroma and flavor, as well as standing out for their intense and bright colors.
We are passionate about providing protein-rich meals, especially for vegetarians. While protein is easy to find in chicken, mutton or seafood, those who avoid meat may find it more challenging. Whether you are vegetarian or just want to diversify your high-protein diet, we have a wide variety of options for you.
While plant-based meat alternatives are great, our recipes focus on protein-rich whole foods like nuts, grains, and minimally processed soy. If you prefer proteins that don't mimic meat but still crave umami flavor and rich texture, opt for beans or nuts. And don't forget cheese, a standout protein source.
Paneer is a cheese that is used as an alternative to many meat-based stews. There are several typical Indian dishes made with this cheese. Malai kofta are Indian potato and paneer dumplings smothered in a creamy malai sauce.
Palak paneer is a vegetarian dish from the Indian subcontinent. Its ingredients include paneer, spinach and a mix of spices such as garam masala, garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric and cumin. Paneer tikka is an Indian dish consisting of pieces of paneer marinated in spices, skewered and roasted in the oven or tandoor.
Some time ago I wrote on the blog a sweet dish from Indian cuisine that was made entirely with milk. Bengali Cham Cham. The base was made with chenna or paneer, which is a very simple fresh cheese made at home.
On this occasion we will use this fresh cheese for a savoury dish and we will cook it together with the spice sauce and the peas.
This recipe is really easy to make and we can have it ready in just over 30 minutes, as long as we have ready-made paneer. Otherwise, the entire preparation can take about 2 hours.
I had tried to make paneer at home several times, the fresh Indian cheese, but I never managed to get it with solid pieces that can be roasted or fried. Then a few months ago I found a paneer recipe that included the addition of a little yogurt. I followed this recipe and finally managed to have a decent paneer.
Making paneer requires some work, but sadly if no one is selling it or you doubt the quality being sold, there is no other option!
So, here I am with matter paneer with cream and fenugreek which is really aloo matter paneer, that is, this recipe also includes aloo (potatoes) in addition to peas. You can also cook just aloo mattar without the cheese or mattar paneer without the potatoes.
For preparation of paneer, boil a liter of milk and then curdle it with the addition of lemon and a few spoonfuls of yogurt. Pass the curdled milk through a clean cloth and leave it hanging for a few hours until all the whey has drained. Then, crush it under a weight for a few hours and finally, let it cool in the fridge for a few hours. Cut it into cubes and the paneer is ready.
Roast the Paneer cheese pieces on a non-stick griddle. I used a little butter to ensure it doesn't stick to the griddle. Keep the roasted cheese aside.
Other Ingredients
2 bay leaves
2 tsp fenugreek leaves
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1 green chilli
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 cup peeled peas
3 potatoes
2 tomatoes
1 cup of water
Salt to taste
Method
Add oil, bay leaves and ginger to the pan and place it on medium heat. Stir for a few minutes. Add coriander, cumin, fenugreek and chilli, and stir the spices into the oil for another minute.
Add the tomatoes and if the mixture seems too dry, add a little water. Lower the heat and cook the tomato for at least 5-7 minutes until everything is well mixed. At this point, turn the heat up to maximum, add the peas and mix for 1-2 minutes and then add the potatoes and the glass of water. Mash a potato to make the curry thicker.
Cover the pan and lower the heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. When the pan has cooled down enough, open it to check if the consistency is to your liking. Turn the heat up again, and possibly add more water if the liquid is too thick (to eat with rice, you need to have a more liquid mattar paneer, but if you want it as a side dish, you can also leave it thicker).
Add salt and taste, if it seems ready, add the roasted paneer cheese pieces. Cook it for another 10 minutes, stirring gently so as not to break the cheese pieces. The mattar paneer is ready.
Notes:
Can I cut milk with vinegar instead of lemon juice? Yes, you can. Personally, I like lemon better as it doesn't impart as strong a flavour. But both work the same.
If you prefer, you can buy the paneer already made. Or use fresh cheese or goat cheese instead.
In case you are vegetarian, paneer can be substituted with tofu.
You can use frozen or fresh peas, but do not use canned ones under any circumstances. These have a worse flavour and an extremely soft texture.
You may have seen many mata paneer with a deep red colour. This is due to the addition of tomatoes.
I recommend always consuming it freshly made.
If you like Indian cuisine, don't miss out on trying this Matar Paneer or Mutter Paneer because it is a real treat if you like dishes with lots of flavour. Very easy to make and with wonderful results.
I've already told you many times that eating well doesn't necessarily mean spending many hours in the kitchen. It's true that some preparations don't leave us with any choice. But that's not the case here.
