Methi Matar Malai Recipe

Methi Matar Malai Recipe

January 4, 2023
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 30 mins
 

Ingredients

For the paste

  • ⅓ cup chopped onions or 1 medium-sized onion
  • ¼ cup cashews – whole cashews
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic or 4 to 5 medium-sized garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies or serrano peppers or 1 to 2 green chilies

Other ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 cup chopped fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)
  • ½ cup water or the stock/water of boiled green peas – add as required
  • ½ cup green peas – boiled or steamed
  • ½ cup light cream or low-fat cream, check notes below for whipping or heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
  • salt as required

For garnish

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons green peas boiled or steamed – optional
 

Instructions

Preparing the ground paste

  • In a grinder jar or blender, add cumin seeds, chopped onions, cashews, garlic, ginger and green chilies.
  • Blend or grind to a smooth paste withput adding any water.
  • If you are not able to blend, then you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
  • For cooking the green peas, you can either boil them in a pan with 1.5 cups water for 7 to 8 minutes until tender or steam them in an Instant pot for 3 to 5 minutes adding about 1 to 1.25 cups water in the steel insert.
  • You can also boil the green peas in a stove-top pressure cooker for 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the cooked water if you have boiled the peas.

Sautéing ground paste

  • Heat ghee (clarified butter) or oil in a pan or kadai.
  • When the ghee melts or becomes lightly hot, add the ground paste.
  • Sauté the paste for 6 to 7 minutes on a low heat until you see the fat separating from the sides.
  • Stir often when sautéing so that the paste does not stick to the pan. You should see fat releasing from the sides and the paste will also have a nice aroma.
  • You will see the paste coming together and becoming glossy. Do not brown the paste. 
  • If the ground paste sticks to the pan or gets browned add a few splashes of water. Mix, deglaze and continue to sauté.

Making methi matar malai

  • Add in the chopped fenugreek leaves and sauté further for 2 to 3 minutes. 
  • Then add ½ cup water or the stock/water in which the green peas were cooked in two parts. Mix thoroughly and simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir at intervals. 
  • Add the boiled peas and cream.
  • Simmer the gravy for 5 to 6 minutes on a low heat.
  • Finally add the sugar and salt. Mix again. At this step, you can opt to sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of garam masala powder.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve methi matar malai hot or warm with naan, paratha or roti.

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