Methi Matar Malai
Methi Matar Malai (मैथी मटर मलाई) is a delicious North Indian curry which is prepared with healthy peas and fenugreek leaves. The addition of malai or cream makes it creamy and smooth, cashews make it rich and whole spices make it aromatic. This is the most popular curry and you can find it easily in Indian restaurants. This curry has the goodness and nutrition of peas and methi leaves.
Methi matar malai has white gravy and mild sweetness in taste. The three main ingredients are methi, matar and malai as name tells. It doesn’t require lengthy process and can be prepared in less than 25-30 minutes, if you have already chopped methi leaves. Methi is bitter in taste but if you follow some tips, the bitterness of methi can be removed. This curry is a winter specialty as methi leaves are easily available during winter but if you want to cook it in summers, you can add kasuri methi to give an aroma and flavor of methi. In winters methi can be taken in many ways like methi aloo ki sabji, methi poori and methi paratha. Methi leaves have many health benefits. It reduces bad cholesterol, good for diabetic patient, improves digestion and helps to lower the risk of heart diseases.
Methi matar malai also has fresh peas (matar). It is easily available in winters but you can use frozen peas throughout the year. Like other curries it also has onion tomato based gravy but some people cook this without tomatoes.
Because of richness, you can prepare it for guests or on a special occasion. You can serve this curry with naan, laccha paratha or jeera rice.
Check out other methi recipes – methi aloo ki sabji methi ki poori
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serving: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serving: 4
Ingredients:
1 and ½ cup green peas
1 cup fresh chopped fenugreek leaves (Methi)
3 tbsp. oil
½ inch cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 red chilli dry
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green chilli
½ inch ginger, chopped
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ cup cashews
Salt to taste
1 green elaichi
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. cumin seeds (Jeera)
A small pinch heeng
½ tsp. coriander powder
¼ tsp. red chilli powder
¼ tsp. garam masala
½ cup cream or fresh malai
Instructions:
Remove stems from methi, wash and chop them. Sprinkle some salt over it and keep it aside for 10 minutes. This method helps to remove bitterness.
Boil the green peas in a pressure cooker for 4 minutes or until they become soft.
Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan on medium flame. Add cinnamon stick, cloves and dry red chilli in oil. Add chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli. Sauté till raw aroma goes away.
Add chopped onion and cook till they become golden brown.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook until become mushy.
Add cashews and mix. Turn off flame and let them cool.
Squeeze out all the water from methi using your hand.
Grind tomato-onion mixture into a blender to a fine paste using a little water if required. Keep aside.
Heat remaining oil in a pan. Once it become hot, sauté green cardamom and bay leaf.
Add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add a small pinch of heeng.
Add onion tomato puree and sauté until oil starts to separate from sides; it takes approx. 1 to 2 minutes.
Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix properly all spices.
Add methi and cook for 1 minute. Add boiled peas and 1 cup water. Add salt to taste and garam masala.
Mix properly. Gravy starts to thicken. If required add 1/2 cup more water to adjust consistency.
Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.
After 2 minutes remove lid and add fresh cream or malai. Mix properly. Switch off the flame.
Tips:
- You can skip tomatoes.
- If there is no availability of fresh peas and methi, it can be cooked with frozen peas and kasuri methi.
- You may add khoya in place of malai.
- Consistency of gravy depends on your choice.
- You may add some milk.
- You can add almonds in place of cashews to thick the gravy.
Try other gravy recipes;
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