METHI MATAR MALAI / RESTAURANT STYLE METHI MALAI MATAR

Today i have for you all a famous North Indian dish that’s very common in restaurants,Parties and get together’s . It’s very tasty,aromatic yet easy to make. Busting with flavors of fresh methi leaves this creamy gravy tastes just awesome. Uff… enough of hint’s let me reveal today’s dish – It’s ” Methi Matar Malai ” .. one of the classic Punjabi dish .

Methi Matar Malai as the name suggests , actually is a fenugreek leaves and peas gravy prepared in a fresh milk cream based rich base. Cashew nut paste brings in rich texture while fenugreek leaves brings tempting flavor .Basically this dish will be not that spicy but slightly on the sweetish side thanks to onion paste , cream, milk and cashew . Many of you must have tasted this dish in restaurants but i had never tasted it till few years before. I just hate fresh cream and since this dish has malai in it , i was under wrong assumption that methi leaves cooked in fresh cream can never taste good. But one fine day when i tasted it at one of my friends house , i was just bowled  by its taste and texture.I realised how foolish was i to make a conclusion without trying even once. Now i make methi malai matar regularly in home. However i feel my home made Methi malai matar tastes better than restaurant ones. I use less malai and more of cashew / almonds to get creamy texture. If you want a full white color gravy omit turmeric and garam masala and increase cream quantity. Next time when you are hosting a party at home or just looking for some royal yet easy side dish for chapathi , Methi Matar Malai would be one of the perfect choice.Do try friends and be prepared to get a pat on your back …Here you go..

METHI MATAR MALAI

Smitha Kalluraya

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine north indian

Servings 4 serving

Ingredients

 

• 2 cups Fresh Fenugreek leaves methi, chopped
• 1 cup green peas, Fresh or frozen
• 3 - 4 tbsps Fresh cream malai
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 - 2 tbsps Butter /ghee/oil
• 1 onion, - chopped
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds Jeera
• 1 Bay leaf / Tej patta
• 1 tsp Kasoori methi
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala
• a pinch Turmeric / Haldi powder  
• Salt, to taste

To grind ( Masala ):

• 1 medium size onion, - diced
• 1 inch Ginger, diced
• 3 - 4 flakes Garlic,
• 3 - 6 Green Chilli, (based on ur preferred spiciness)
• 10 - 12 Cashew
• 1 Cinnamon, small stick
• 2 - 3 Cloves/ Lavang
• 1 - 2 cardamom elaichi

Instructions

 

• Pluck , clean ,wash and chop methi leaves.
  
• Take onion , ginger, garlic, green chilli , cashew ,jeera , elaichi , cloves and cinnamon in a mixer jar and grind to a very smooth paste adding very little water.
  
• Take a kadai or pan . Heat butter + oil .Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let cumin seeds splutter.Add onion and saute till slightly browned.
  
• Next add the onion cashew paste and saute till the raw smell goes . Be careful not to over fry it.
  
• 
• To the sautéed masala add chopped methi leaves ,little kasoori methi and turmeric.Sauté for 1-2 mins.
  
• Add milk , water ,salt and semi cooked peas to it . Mix well . Close and cook on low flame so that peas and methi are cooked properly. Stir in between .
  
• Now add garam masala masala.
  
• Lastly add fresh cream , Mix well ,simmer and bring just to a boil . Switch off .
  
• Serve hot methi matar malai with chapathi , naan , Kulcha etc.
  
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Notes

1. After adding cream don't boil much . They will curdle .
2. Cashew paste is very important here as they give a nice texture . you can add few almonds too .
3. If your peas are very tender no need to pre cook . You can add it directly .
4. if you don't have fresh methi leaves you can do it with just kasoori methi by adding more of it.
5. If you want you can increase Fresh cream ( Malai ) quantity .

 

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