This recipe is for the very popular Indian dish called mattar paneer (peas and paneer). Mattar paneer is a North Indian green peas curry delicately spiced and cooked with paneer cheese. Mattar paneer is one of the easiest and quickest curries to make and tastes positivity delicious. Matter paneer tastes wonderful with chapati, as a stuffing inside a burrito, or even to have as a side dish with chicken or fish.  To keep this dish dairy free, try making the curry with tofu instead of paneer.

Mattar Paneer. Spiced Peas and Paneer

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 cups frozen peas
• 5 cloves garlic finely crushed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 green chili for some heat. If you would rather have this dish mild, remove the seeds.
• 2 cups Paneer cut into cubes or tofu
• 4 tbsp ghee or oil
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt
• Oil
• Juice of 1 small lemon

Directions:

• Heat 2 tbsp ghee or 2 tbsp oil.  Add cumin seeds and toast in oil for a few seconds for the aroma to release. Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and chilies and sauté until onions are cooked and tender.
• Next add turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala and mix into the onions.

• Add frozen peas, salt, and 1 cup water. Cover pot and cook peas until peas are tender, about 5-10 minutes.

• While the peas are cooking, sauté paneer or tofu in 2 tbsp ghee until paneer is brown. Set aside.

• Once the peas are cooked add paneer and cook with peas for additional 5 minutes to allow for the flavors to get absorbed into the paneer.  After 5 minutes turn the stove off.  Add juice of 1 lemon and stir in.

• Mattar Paneer is ready.

• Serve mattar paneer with chapatis, tortillas, or serve as a side dish.