Let's begin by dry roasting our spices. Dry toasting the whole spices releases their essential oils and makes it more aromatic and flavorful.

Heat a pan and transfer all the dry spices to it. Roast them till they start emitting aroma and coriander seeds are lightly toasted. Using a motor and pestle coarsely grind them or you can use a food processor or mixer. Keep it aside.

Grind onion, garlic and tomato to a fine paste and in the same pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and when they start to sputter add this paste to it along with ginger paste.

Start cooking the masala till all the liquid has evaporated. Add tomato puree and mix, adding tomato puree will give the gravy that rich red color. Stir in pounded spices and give it a good mix.

Add curd to this masala and keep sauteing till curd is well blended with the masala. It will take another 2-3 minutes.

Once masala is fully cooked oil will start to appear in the corners of the pan. Add water, mix and bring it to a boil.

Assemble: rest of the ingredients. (Picture error - curd and cumin seeds are already added in the recipe above). Add peas to the boiling masala, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile toast paneer on the griddle/tawa. Grease the hot tawa and place paneer slices over it. Cook it evenly from all the sides till they are golden brown in color.

After 5 minutes cooked matar will look like this. Beautifully blended with the gravy, adjust water and seasoning at this point.

Stir in Paneer cubes, mix and give it a boil.

Matar paneer is ready. If you prefer add cream at this point, again it's an option.

Serve it hot over rice or with chapati.