Methi Matar Malai Recipe

Methi (fenugreek leaves) matar malai in a very popular delicious winter north Indian dish. It is a very rich dish made from freshly chopped fenugreek leaves (methi), matar (peas), cream or malai and Indian spices. It is very flavorful and aromatic dish which can also be found in many restaurants of north India.

Please follow the below recipe step by step to make delicious Methi Matar Malai at home quickly and easily.

Preparation Time: 30-40 minutes 
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Cuisine: Indian-North Indian-Punjabi 
Category: Main Course

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup Chopped Methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)
• 1 cup Peas (boiled)
• 2 medium onion – roughly chopped
• 3 medium tomato – roughly Chopped
• 1 inch Ginger – roughly chopped
• 4-5 garlic – roughly chopped
• 2 green chili –  roughly chopped
• Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• Small piece of Dalchini (Cinnamon stick)
• 2 cloves (laung)
• 1 Brown Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
• ¼ teaspoon Jeera (cumin)
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) –crushed
• ½ cup Cream or Malai
• 4 tablespoon vegetable oil or Ghee
• 1.5 cup water
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil or steam matar (peas) till they become tender. Drain and keep aside
2. Heat 2 tablespoon oil or ghee in a medium sized pan, when the oil is hot; add tej patta (Bay leaf), cinnamon (dalchini) slick, cloves (laung), brown cardamom (badi elaichi) and sauté till they turns light brown or till you feel their aroma.
3. Add ginger, garlic, green chili and sauté till they change in color. Now add onion and saute till they turns light brown. Add little salt at this time
4. Add tomatoes and cook them till they mashed or leave their skin. Switch off the switch off the flame and make the paste of it once cool
5. Add rest of the vegetable oil or ghee in the same pan, when the oil or ghee is hot, add asafoetida, jeera. When the jeera turns in light brown color, add all the dry masala except for salt, garam masala and kasuri methi. Sauté all the Dry Masala for 15 seconds.
6. Now add chopped methi leaves, mix it well with dry masala and add salt. Turn the flame to low and let it cook for 10-12 min. or till its own juice or water dries off. Stir in between.
7. Add the grinded paste (onion, tomatoes, whole masala, ginger, garlic and chili paste) and mix it well. Let it cook for another 5-10 min.
8. Now add cream or malai and stir till it start boiling. Now add water, boiled peas and let it cook till it thickens or 8 for -10 min.
9. Now add garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Switch off the flame and serve.

Enjoy this delicious dish with roti, naan, kulcha, parantha, rumali roti or rice/pulav.

Tips:

1. You can also boil methi leaves to reduce its bitterness.
2. Always add Garam Masala and kasuri methi at the end only; to get their better taste and aroma.
3. You can also add cashew nuts paste to increase the richness of the dish.