Muttar Paneer from my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy’. Photo by Kris Kirkham.
This recipe has been adapted from the muttar paneer recipe in my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy’. In fact, the recipe at the bottom of this page is the exact recipe you will find in the book but I have changed the step by step instructions in the photos just to be different.
In the muttar paneer recipe in my book, marinated raw paneer is used which works really well. This time around, for the video and photos, I fried the paneer.
This looks great and also tastes delicious but it is not necessary! Whether you add the paneer to your muttar panner curry fried or raw is down to you.
Working ahead…
The muttar paneer sauce can be made a couple of days ahead of stirring. If using raw paneer, it can marinate for a day or so too. If frying the paneer, this also can be done up to two days ahead of serving.
Make this muttar paneer curry your own.
Making delicious Indian food is all about tasting as you go. Feel free to adjust this recipe to your own personal taste preferences.
You could add more or less chilli powder for example. Taste it, adjust and enjoy.
When I first developed this recipe for my cookbook, I used to blend the sauce before adding the paneer and peas. This gave the curry a much smoother texture.
I no longer do this but that is another way you could adjust this recipe.
Start by tempering the whole spices in the pan.
Fry the onions until soft and translucent. About 5 minutes
Stir in the garlic and ginger paste.
Stir in the ground spices.
Fry for about a minute.
Add the blended tomatoes.
Add the cashew paste.
Followed by the peas. Give it all a good stir.
In goes the paneer. Raw or fried paneer can be used.
Stir in the cream. Check for seasoning and enjoy.
If you enjoy this muttar paneer recipe, you might also like to try some of these authentic curries…
Broccoli Curry
Chilli Paneer Curry
Paneer Chukandari
Paneer Kebabs
Muttar Paneer
Ingredients
- 1kg (2lb 3oz) paneer cheese, cut into 4cm (11⁄2in) cubes
- 1 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tsp salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp chilli powder
- 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt, whisked
- 1⁄2 tsp garam masala (see page 167)
- FOR THE SAUCE
- 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or seasoned oil
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1.2kg (2lb 10oz) tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp raw cashew paste
- 1 tbsp chilli powder, or to taste
- 2 fresh green chillies, quartered
- 150g (1 cup) frozen peas
- 5 tbsp single (light) cream
- 1⁄2 tsp garam masala
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori
- methi), crushed
- 50g butter
Instructions
- Put the paneer in a bowl with the oil, garlic and ginger paste, salt, lemon juice and chilli powder, and mix gently to coat. Set aside for about
15 minutes, then stir in the whisked yoghurt and garam masala. Leave to marinate while you
prepare the tomato sauce. - In a large saucepan, heat the oil until hot. Toss in the cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaf, and sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the onions and fry for a further 3 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Stir in the garlic and
ginger paste. - Fry for another 30 seconds, stirring, then add the tomatoes, 125ml
(1⁄2 cup) of water and the cashew paste. Let this come to a simmer and cook until the onions and tomatoes break down into a thick sauce, about
5 minutes. Using a jug or
hand-held blender, blend until super smooth, about 3–4 minutes. - Return the sauce to the pan and stir in the chilli powder and green chillies. Let this all come to a mild bubble then add the paneer cubes and peas, and heat through for about 2 minutes (if you cook the cheese too long, it will begin to
disintegrate into the sauce, so watch carefully). - To finish, swirl in the cream and garam masala, then stir in the cold butter one piece at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt. Top with the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) and serve.
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I hope you enjoy this authentic muttar panner recipe. If you do give it try, please don’t be a stranger. Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
Lolly
Tuesday 12th of October 2021
A delicious recipe, thank you! I've made this three times now so it's become a go-to recipe of mine. It's pretty quick to make and very satisfyingly with the paneer and rich sauce - even without the single cream and ghee. I cut the dried chillies downs to 1 tsp for the whole recipe as the full quota has a pretty strong kick ;) I've also not had the fenugreek to hand but have improvised with mustard seeds or cumin which I add at the start and it's always tasted amazing.
Dan Toombs
Thursday 14th of October 2021
Thanks for letting ne know. I'm really glad you enjoyed the recipe, good tweaks! Dan
Dan G.
Saturday 12th of September 2020
Hello there. In step 5 of the instructions, you say to ‘stir in the cold butter one piece at a time’, however, butter isn’t listed in the ingredients. How much butter do you use? Just regular butter? Many thanks.
Dan Toombs
Monday 14th of September 2020
Hi Thank you for noticing that. I have added butter to the list of ingredients. Please add approximately 50g of regular unsalted butter. Dan
RAJESH N RATHOD
Thursday 6th of August 2020
RUSTIC - MOUTH WATERING & FLAVOURFULB
Dan Toombs
Monday 10th of August 2020
Thank you for that. Good to hear. Dan
Dave Brown
Wednesday 24th of June 2020
Hey Dan, great recipe (as always). I had a fantastic tip about paneer from the manager of a local Indian restaurant that I know. He cubes his paneer and then coats them in coarse semolina (with or without spices included) before deep frying them. They stay nice and crisp if you don't put them into the sauce too soon. I've done this and added spices (garam masala, cayenne, cumin etc) and served them as party snacks. They went down a storm. Keep up the good work!
Dan Toombs
Friday 3rd of July 2020
Hi Dave Thanks for that handy tip! I am glad you are enjoying my recipes. Dan