Vegan Matar Paneer

Matar Paneer is a very famous recipe from Punjab, Northern India. It’s a mix of green peas, cheese and tomatoes.

I veganized the version I learned with an Indian Chef (my dear teacher Pritpal) using a store-bought vegan cheese. It looks elaborate but it’s actually very easy to put together and enjoy.

Ingredients:

200g tofu, diced
300g green peas
3 TBS vegan butter
Fresh ginger, shredded, to taste
Garlic and 2 onions OR 1 heaping TBS of Asafoetida
1 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Cumin
½ tsp fresh lime juice
2 tomatoes, diced
Green chili, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat a big skillet and add 1 TBS of butter. Next, add and sauté the tofu until golden brown. Pour them into a bowl and set aside.

2. Add again 2 more TBS of butter to the skillet. When melted, add onion/garlic or asafoetida, ginger, and tomatoes. Cook for ca. 2 minutes, Then, add the cumin, Garam Masala, chili, salt and green peas. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

3. When ready, add the tofu and lime juice to the skillet, mix and let cook for another 5 minutes, whisking a few times.

It’s usually served with rice or Indian breads (like Naan and Parathas – not gluten-free).