Methi Matar Malai | How to make Methi Matar Malai

Methi Matar Malai  – a winter delight made with fresh methi leaves and peas

Methi Matar malai is a popular North Indian recipe which is a must-make in winters when you get the freshest of methi leaves and peas. It is an aromatic, rich, creamy gravy made with fresh methi leaves, peas and generous amount of cream.

Methi Matar Malai is packed with so many flavours – the sweetness from fresh peas, the bitterness from methi, creaminess from cashews and cream and a hint of spice from green chillies and garam masala. It pairs perfectly with rotis, parathas and also rice.

If you want to avoid using cream in this dish, you can follow this (Methi Matar malai without cream) recipe, wherein I have not used cream but the taste is not compromised.  Methi Matar Malai tastes great with Ajwain paratha. So, do try the recipe this winter and do comment in the comments section below and let me know as to which recipe you liked … Methi Matar malai with malai or without malai.  Here goes the recipe.

Step-wise recipe with pictures

Firstly, in a blender jar, add onions, ginger, garlic, poppy seeds, cashew nuts and green chilllies .

Blend to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped methi leaves and a pinch of salt. 

Saute for few seconds. Keep aside.

In the same pan add oil. Add the masala paste and saute for few minutes till its cooked well and the raw smell disappears.

Next, add tomato paste and saute for few minutes.

When the masala is cooked well and starts changing its colour, add a pinch of turmeric powder and garam masala. Saute and cook for few seconds.

Now, add sauteed methi leaves.

Next add fresh cream. Mix well and cook on low flame.

Add boiled peas and mix. Add salt as per taste. 

Add water to adjust the consistency as required. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.

Serve hot.

Recipe

Ingredients

for the masala paste

2 onions
3 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger
3 to 4 green chillies
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khuskhus)
2 tbsp broken cashew nuts

Other ingredients

2 ½ cups methi leaves (fenugreek leaves), chopped
1 cup green peas (boiled)
2 tbsp oil
1 small tomato
1/3 cup fresh cream
a  pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
salt as per taste

Method

• Wash the methi leaves and  chop them. Keep them aside.
• Blend the tomato to a fine paste and keep aside.
• Blend onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, poppy seeds, cashew nuts with little water to a smooth paste and keep it aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add  methi leaves and pinch of salt. Saute it for few seconds. Remove and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add 1 tbsp oil. Add the masala paste and saute it on a low flame till the masala is cooked well and you cannot get the raw smell of onion anymore.
• Add the tomato paste and cook for another few minutes. 
• Once the masala is cooked well, add a pinch of turmeric and garam masala. Mix well. 
• Now add sauteed methi leaves and mix.
• Add fresh cream and mix well. Now add boiled peas.
• Add salt as per taste. Add water as required to adjust the consistency.
• Cook for another couple of minutes. 
• Serve hot with rotis/parathas or rice.

Notes:

The quantity of green chillies and fresh cream can be adjusted as per individual taste. If you want the gravy to be mild and sweet, reduce the number of chillies and increase the quantity of fresh cream.

WATCH RECIPE VIDEO :

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