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Matar Paneer

A paneer and green pea curry with yogurt and spices.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 15 ingredients
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Why it works: Coriander and ginger match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,505 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓

Matar Paneer

Time8–10 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the paneer

  1. Slice the paneer into 1-inch cubes.

  2. Heat ghee and fry the paneer or tofu until light golden in color.

Make the sauce

  1. In a separate pan, heat ghee again.

  2. Fry the onions until light golden brown.

  3. Add all spices and salt, and stir for a few seconds.

  4. Add the tomatoes and stir for a few minutes.

  5. Add the yogurt and simmer for 8–10 minutes.

  6. Add the peas.

Finish and serve

  1. A few minutes before serving, add the fried paneer or tofu and stir gently.

  2. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with naan or tandoori roti.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

439Calories
32 gProtein
20 gFat
37 gCarbs

Counts 11 of 15 ingredients. The other 4 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 11 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Yogurt170g plain Greek100
Tofu100g firm76
Pea1/2 cup (72g)62
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Turmeric1 tsp ground (3g)9
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Ginger1 tsp grated fresh (2g)2
Cilantro1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Paneernot in our table0
Coriandernot in our table0
Gheenot in our table0
Asafoetidanot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Coriander + gingertop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,505 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).

  2. Tomato + coriandertop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,967 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).

  3. Tomato + oniontop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together20,633 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  4. Peas + tomatotop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together1,058 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  5. Onion + gingertop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together7,595 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Paneer or tofu
Provides the firm, chewy body that holds its shape in the sauce.
Green peas
Adds sweetness and a tender texture to the dish.
Yogurt
Adds tang and creaminess, and its proteins thicken the sauce as it simmers.
Tomatoes
Contribute acidity and body that forms the base of the sauce.
Onions
Browning builds sweetness and depth that forms the sauce's foundation.
Ghee
Carries the spices and adds rich flavor and fat to the dish.

The step that matters

Adding the yogurt. Yogurt can curdle or split if it is added to a very hot pan or boiled hard. Stirring it in gradually and simmering gently keeps the sauce smooth and creamy.

Swap the onion

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (paneer, peas, yogurt, tomato, coriander, ghee, ginger):

  1. Capsicumfits better
  2. Potatofits better
  3. Cucumberfits better
  4. Onionthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against paneer, peas, yogurt, tomato, coriander, ghee, ginger. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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