Methi malai matar

Methi malai matar is an aromatic dish perfect when you have guests at home and you are cooking vegetarian or you are celebrating some occasion. It is rich and creamy due to the cream and cashews added and flavorful due to the aromatic spices. Mostly, turmeric is not added while preparing this dish. It can be served with rice, roti or naan.

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Course: Main course

Cuisine: Indian

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• ¼ inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
•  2 cloves
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 3-4 black peppercorns
• 2 green chilies chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 10-12 cashew nuts
• 2 tightly packed cups of methi/fenugreek leaves roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cup of peas fresh or frozen
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Remove methi leaves from their stem, rinse thoroughly and chop them roughly. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let the seeds splutter. Add green chili, ginger, garlic. Saute for a minute or two.
3. Add the onions and the cashew nuts and saute till the onions turn translucent
4. Remove pan from heat and let it cool down a bit. Transfer the entire mixture into a blender.
5. Blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
6. In the same pan heat 1 more teaspoon of oil and once hot add the prepared paste. Saute for few minutes till the raw smell goes away.
7. Add water and give a good mix.
8. Once it comes to boil, add the chopped methi leaves and mix.
9. Add the green peas and mix.
10. Cook till the leaves and peas are cooked properly and then add the cream and mix. Cover and let it simmer on medium-low flame for 4-5 minutes.
11. In another pan dry roast the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns and blend them to a fine powder. This garam masala powder is used at the end to infuse the aroma of these spices.
12. Sprinkle some garam masala on top and switch off the heat.
13. Serve hot methi matar malai with naan, roti or rice.

Remove methi leaves from their stem, rinse thoroughly and chop them roughly. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let the seeds splutter. Add green chilli, ginger, garlic. Saute for a minute or two.

Add the onions and the cashewnuts and saute till the onion turns translucent

Remove pan from heat and let it cool down a bit. Transfer the entire mixture into a blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.

In the same pan heat 1 more teaspoon of oil and once hot add the prepared paste. Saute for few minutes till the raw smell goes away. Add milk and water and give a good mix. Once it comes to a little boil, add the chopped methi leaves and mix. Add the green peas and mix. Cook till the leaves and peas are cooked properly and then add the cream and mix. Cover and let it simmer on medium-low flame for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle some garam masala on top and switch off the heat.