This dish is so much preferred in India that you will find it in almost every other restaurant, buffet menu, wedding menu or for any gathering that plans for a North Indian meal. I hardly order this dish in a restaurant because the ratio of the gravy with the paneer is never balanced and so, I always prefer to make it at home. It’s also a great weekday meal as it takes less than 30 minutes from prep to finish. If you want to make fresh paneer at home, check out this Homemade Paneer Recipe
Matar Paneer - Very Popular North Indian curry
I am sure we all have our way of preparing this dish, but we always like to try a new version. The steps I follow and the ingredients I use are very basic, everyday Indian spices. Of late, I started using the not so famous spice called dagar ka phool. It adds a gorggeous umami flavor to the dish that you will absolutely love! Dagar Phool grows on the bark of the trees, and it is an exotic lichen also known as Black Stone Flower, Dagarful, Kalpasi, Kallupachi or Dagar da Phool, used in Indian foods. Just like most exotic spices, a little goes a long way, so add very little amount of this spice straight on hot ghee and the aroma will make you hungry.
With Matar Paneer the ratio of gravy to paneer and peas is important or else, at the end of the meal, all you see is a boatload of gravy with a few green peas floating in the bowl.
Few Key Points To Remember
Pick the best quality paneer from the market or try making at home. It’s really easy. If you can make the dish using homemade fresh paneer, the taste will obviously be much better. When paneer sits at room temperature, it hardens up, especially when you are using store bought paneer. So, either serve the dish immediately or make sure to warm it before you serve. I used frozen peas only because it is convenient, but feel free to use fresh peas, if you like. The color of the gravy is very important for me, and the technique of blending the cooked onion and tomatoes gives the gorgeous rich orange hue to the dish. TRY THIS DELICIOUS KHOYA MATAR PANEER
