30-Minute Matar Paneer with Frozen Peas

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A weeknight version of the North Indian classic: cubes of paneer and sweet green peas simmered in a blender-smooth onion-tomato gravy. Everything goes through the blender before it hits the pan, so you get that restaurant-style silky sauce without 40 minutes of chopping and browning. Frozen peas and a block of store-bought paneer keep it to one shopping trip and half an hour.

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1 14.5 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, with juice
• 1 small serrano or green chile, stemmed (optional)
• 2 tbsp raw cashews

• 14 oz paneer, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chile powder or sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
• 1 cup water, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream or whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), optional
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• Basmati rice or naan, for serving

Instructions

1. Put the paneer cubes in a bowl and cover with very hot tap water; let them sit while you cook. This softens store-bought paneer so it stays pillowy instead of squeaky in the finished curry.
2. Combine the onion, garlic, ginger, canned tomatoes with their juice, chile, and cashews in a blender. Blend on high for 60 to 90 seconds, until completely smooth with no visible flecks of onion. It will look thin and pale — that's correct.
3. Heat the oil or ghee in a 12-inch skillet or wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken slightly, about 30 seconds.
4. Stand back and pour in the blended base — it will spit. Stir, then cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until it thickens noticeably, darkens from pink to a deeper brick orange, and you see oil beading at the edges. This step is where the raw onion flavor cooks off, so don't cut it short.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Add the coriander, garam masala, turmeric, chile powder, salt, and sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Add the frozen peas and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender and the sauce has the body of heavy cream.
7. Drain the paneer and add it to the pan along with the cream. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, spooning sauce over the cubes — do not boil hard, or the paneer will tighten. Thin with a splash of water if the gravy gets too thick.
8. Crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them in. Taste and adjust salt; add a pinch more sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp. Off heat, stir in half the cilantro, scatter the rest on top, and serve hot with basmati rice or naan.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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