Methi Matar Malai Recipe

Methi Matar Malai is a popular North Indian curry and a flavorful winter delicacy. As the name suggest it is a rich and creamy gravy made with fresh Methi ( Fenu greek) leaves , Matar ( Green Peas ) and Malai (cream). The dish is fragrant and very delicious owing to the use of  freshly ground spices. I have replaced cashews with almonds and cooked the gravy in milk which makes it all the more rich and creamier without adding much cream. The dish is mildly sweet in taste and pairs well with naan or chapati. 
                             

My first encounter with methi matar malai curry was at a North Indian wedding a couple of years ago. Until then, i had never imagined a milk based curry for a green leafy vegetable, especially fenu greek which has a characteristic bitter taste. To my surprise the curry was very delicious and had mild sweet flavors complimenting very well with the aromatic spices and the fenu greek leaves. Perfectly cooked fresh green peas making the curry all the more desirable. Methi matar malai made using fresh veggies makes it a flavorful winter treat. The dish is rich and creamy, but once in a while, you can treat yourself, isn't it ?

                          

Short Video Recipe for Methi Matar Malai

What goes into my version of Methi Matar Malai ? The Ingredients:

There are many variations to the Methi Matar Malai dish. Some add tomatoes also but then the color of the dish changes. Usually cashew nut paste is added to the gravy. But i always prefer almonds over cashews and hence replaced them in this recipe. You can used blanched almonds, i have soaked them overnight and peeled and made a paste. One more variation is that, i have cooked the gravy in milk instead of water and then added just 2 tbsp of heavy cream. Let's the ingredients one by one

• Fenu greek leaves / methi leaves : Use fresh green fenu greek leaves for best results. Avoid using wilted, stale or yellow color leaves. The use of stale fenu greek leaves makes the curry bitter in taste.
• Green peas / matar: Fresh or frozen green peas can be used in the recipe. I have used fresh green peas. The cooking time of frozen peas is less compared to the fresh ones.
• Milk: I have cooked the curry in skimmed milk instead of water. It makes the curry rich and creamy.
• Heavy cream: This recipe uses just 2 tablespoon of  heavy cream. I have used the regular homemade malai (cream) i get over the full cream milk. Make sure you use chilled cream that is first beaten to smooth or else the cream will split. You may skip it if you wish, but i would recommend using it as it adds a lovely creamy flavor to the dish.
• Almonds: I have substituted the cashews with almonds in this recipe. You may use either. Almonds may be blanched and then peeled before making a paste. I have soaked the almonds overnight instead and used them to make the smooth paste which gives desired body to the curry by making the curry thick.
• Onions: Red onion is used in this recipe. I would strongly recommend using it unless you are looking for a Jain recipe.
• Green chilies and ginger: Ginger and green chilies are pulsed along with onion to obtain a paste which adds a lot of spicy flavor to the curry. You may adjust the levels of spices as per your taste and spice tolerance.
• Whole Spices: whole spices like cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper are first roasted and then pound to make a spice powder which make the curry aromatic and flavorful. If you do not have the spicies handy, you may use garam masala instead. 
• Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil. I have used sunflower oil.
• Salt to taste

Dietary Tips:

• Vegetarian side dish
• Gluten-free 
• Creamy gravy dish
• North Indian curry
• Winter delicacy
• Kid friendly

Related Event: 

This is an old post that i had published in 2016 during my early blogging days. Today i have updated the post with new pics and written content, the recipe remain unchanged though. I have many such old posts where i feel the photography is dull or the recipe is not up to the mark ( at times we keep on changing our own recipes to make it a better version of it.) Such posts need to be updated. All thanks to my dear friend and a fellow blogger Renu, who came up with a Facebook gourmet group, Foodies_redoing old posts, wherein a group of passionate food bloggers can update their old posts with new photographs and written content fortnightly. This is my 27th entry into the event (22nd January 2021) The pic below is my old pic of methi matar malai.One can make out the difference between the old and the new pics. Meanwhile, do check out Renu's space for some delicious recipes from around the globe. I have bookmarked her Methi Matar Paneer a delectable curry without using cream to try out next.

                          

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: (Measurements 1 Cup = 250 ml)

• 2 cup fresh Fenu greek leaves / methi
• 1 cup fresh Green Peas / matar
• 1 cup skimmed milk
• 1 large onion roughly chopped
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 10-12 Almonds ( soaked overnight or blanched)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2-3 black pepper corn
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoon Heavy cream

Method:

1. Take onion, ginger and green chilies in a grinder and make a paste. To this paste add the peeled almonds and grind to a smooth paste. Add little water if needed.

  2. In a pan , dry roast the whole spices (cinnamon , cumin seeds, cloves and black pepper) on a low to medium flame until aromatic. Grind them to a powder on cooling and keep aside.

  3. Cook the green peas with water and salt either in an open pan or in a microwave. Drain and keep aside. Similarly clean and wash the Fenu greek leaves thoroughly , drain and chop it finely.

  4.  Heat up oil a pan on low to medium flame. Add the onion, almond paste to it and saute very well for 2-3 minutes. Cook until the paste leaves the sides of the pan.

  5. Now add 1 tsp of the freshly ground spice powder and mix well. To this add the finely chopped Fenu greek leaves. Next, stir in milk to this. 

  6. Add salt and cover cook the gravy for 2-3 minutes . Be cautious while adding salt as the green peas already have salt.

  7. Add the cooked green peas and cook for another 1 minute. Now add the chilled heavy cream. I have added the home made fresh heavy cream. Beat the cream to make it smooth , The cream has to be chilled , or else it will split in the gravy. 

 8. Mix well and cook for 1 more minute and put off the flame.

  9. Serve the Methi Matar Malai with naan ,chapati or paratha and enjoy with your loved ones !

          

               

Recipe Notes:

• Use fresh green fenu greek leaves for best results. Avoid using wilted, stale or yellow color leaves. The use of stale fenu greek leaves makes the curry bitter in taste.
• Fresh or frozen green peas can be used in this recipe.
• This recipe uses just 2 tablespoon of  heavy cream. I have used the regular homemade malai (cream) i get over the full cream milk. Make sure you use chilled cream that is first beaten to smooth or else the cream will split.
• I have substituted the cashews with almonds in this recipe. You may use either.

Would love to hear from you !

I hope you would love trying out this healthy and delicious Methi Matar Malai  using fresh Winter bounty. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with use in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.

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See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !

Happy Cooking !

Happy Eating !

Regards 

Poonam Bachhav 

If you are looking for more recipes using Fenugreek or green peas, do check ou the following from this blog:

• Matar Mushroom                        

• Methichi Patal Bhaji

• Multigrain Methi Muthia

• Undhiyu

• Matar Karanji

• Khoya Matar Makhana