Methi Matar Malai Recipe Restaurant Style Whiskaffair

on Jan 18, 2021, Updated Dec 11, 2023 Here are some more methi recipes: Aloo Methi Sabzi, Methi Paneer, Baingan Methi, Kashmiri Methi Chaman, and Gajar Methi. Eating out was a rare event while I was growing up. It was reserved for special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays, and festivals. My mother, who is a vegetarian and not very fond of paneer, used to order this Methi Matar Malai curry. We sisters would leave our robust, spicy, non-veg curries and go for it. The creamy, sweetish, and mildly spiced curry paired very well with the crispy naan, and it was also a respite for our taste buds burning from the spices in the curries we ordered. When I started to explore cooking, it was one of the first curries I learned to make. My mother approves of it, and now, although we go out to eat very often, my homemade recipe is still her favorite.

About Methi Matar Malai

Rich, creamy, sweet, and very slightly bitter, Methi Matar Malai is a North Indian curry popularly served at Indian restaurants.
It is a perfectly balanced curry, with the bitterness of methi (fenugreek leaves) balanced by the sweetness of matar (green peas) and malai (cream). This vegetarian and gluten-free curry comes together in just 30 minutes. Once you make it at home using my easy recipe, you will never order it from a restaurant again. Keep in mind that this is not your everyday curry. It is rich and heavy and best made for special days when you are not counting calories. Serve it with Plain Naan, Lachha Paratha, or Peas Pulao. Fenugreek Leaves (Methi) – Try to use fresh fenugreek leaves (fresh methi leaves) to make this curry, but if they’re unavailable, you can also use frozen leaves. Kasuri methi can also be used if fresh or frozen leaves are unavailable. If using Kasoori methi, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes to rehydrate the leaves. Squeeze and add it to the gravy. Green Peas (Matar) – You can use fresh or frozen green peas. Frozen peas can be used directly, but if you use fresh green peas, cook them until tender before adding them to the curry. Note – Freeze green peas when they are in season to use them throughout the year using my simple recipe. One great substitute for green peas in this curry is steamed sweet corn kernels, which also taste delicious. Unsweetened Heavy Cream adds richness and creaminess to methi matar malai curry. Replace it with milk to make the curry lighter. You can also use malai (fresh cream) instead of heavy cream. Just blend it in a blender to make it smooth. Ground Masala Paste – To make the base of methi mutter malai curry, make a ground masala paste using onions, fresh ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, tomatoes, and green chilies. Some people also add white poppy seeds to the masala paste to make it richer. Other Ingredients – You will also need some basic ingredients such as oil, green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cinnamon (dalchini), salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala powder, sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice. You can add a little turmeric powder to get a bright yellow curry. Add paneer cubes to this recipe and make methi malai matar paneer. You can also add corn kernels, baby corn, mushrooms, etc. To remove insecticides, add 1 teaspoon vinegar or baking soda to the water while washing the leaves. Now drain the leaves well and measure 2 cups of packed leaves. Chop the leaves finely using a knife. Note – Chopping the leaves finely is essential as we will not puree them later. If they’re too big, they won’t feel good while eating. Cook 1 cup of green peas in water until tender if using fresh peas. If using frozen, rinse with water. Slice the onions and chop ginger, garlic, green chilies, and tomatoes. Gather the remaining ingredients. When it comes to a boil, add chopped methi leaves and peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the water and run the leaves under tap water in a colander to stop cooking. Drain and keep aside. When it comes to a boil, add the following ingredients and cook for 5 minutes.

1 cup of sliced onions 1 teaspoon chopped ginger 1 teaspoon chopped garlic ½ cup cashew nuts ½ cup chopped tomatoes 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies

Drain and keep aside. Blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending. Once the oil is hot, add 3 green cardamoms and a 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick and fry for 3-4 seconds. You can crush the cardamoms and cinnamon lightly for a more intense flavor. Add the onion-tomato paste to the pan and cook for 3- 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add the following ingredients and cook for a minute.

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ½ teaspoon garam masala powder

Add 1 cup of water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked methi and peas to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add ½ cup unsweetened heavy cream and 1 teaspoon sugar and cook for a minute. Add 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice and mix well. Check for salt and add more if required. Garnish with heavy cream swirls. Serve hot with naan or laccha paratha.