Methi matar malai recipe is a North Indian dish. As the name says it is made from methi (fenugreek leaves), matar (green peas) and malai (heavy cream).
It is very flavorful and aromatic dish with creamy, smooth and delicious gravy. Aromatic because we have sauteed whole spices along with onions and ground them into paste. It is creamy because of the cashew nuts and heavy cream in it. And of course it is delicious.
This dish has tiny bit of sweet taste because of cream and onions. And it combines well with slight bitterness of the methi.Â
Remember this curry is not too bitter because we have removed 80% of the bitterness of the methi in the recipe by sprinkling some salt over it and squeezing out the liquid.
Methi malai matar is also served in many restaurants. I do enjoy it once in a while. But we order paneer based dishes more often.
It has totally different taste and flavor compare to usual punjabi gravies which has onion-tomato based gravy like kadai paneer, matar paneer, aloo gobi matar, capsicum curry.
I and dear husband loved it and enjoyed it with ajwain paratha. Here in USA we get methi all year around, so I do make this methi mutter malai very often. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.
Check out more methi recipes
Methi paratha //  Methi rice //  Aloo methi //  Methi malai paneer
How to make methi matar malai (Step by Step Recipe with Photos):
1) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom). Saute them for a minute or till you get nice aroma of the spices.
2) Then saute ginger, garlic and green chilies for 40 seconds.
3) Mix in onions.
4) Cook them till they are soft and translucent. Let it cool down a bit.
5) Pluck the methi leaves, measure 2 cups then wash very well. sprinkle some salt over it and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
6) After 10 minutes squeeze out all the water from methi using your hand. This is the trick to get rid of the bitterness of the methi. Chop the leaves finely.
7) Meanwhile boil the green peas in pressure cooker or cook them in microwave. How I did: take peas in microwave safe bowl, add 2-3 tablespoons of water, add tiny bit of salt. Cover the bowl and microwave it for 4 minutes. If using frozen peas then cook for 4 minutes. If using fresh peas the cook for longer time approx. 7-8 minutes. Time may vary depends in your microwave.
8) By this time onion mixture is cooled down. Add this to a blender along with cashew nuts.
9) Grind into a smooth paste.
10) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat in the same pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
11) Then add prepared onion paste.
12) Cook till all the moisture evaporates and it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
13) Add remaining salt and garam masala. Be careful while adding salt because we add salt to methi as well as to green peas.
14) Mix well and cook for a minute.
15) Add green peas and chopped methi leaves.
16) Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
17) Add water and let it come to a boil.
18) Stir in the cream.
19) Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
20) Now methi matar malai is ready to serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve methi matar malai with roti or paratha or naan. It can be served with basmati rice or jeera rice too. I like to have pickle or onion lachha on side.
Methi matar malai recipe
Ingredients
For the onion paste:
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ¼ inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Green cardamoms
- 2 Black peppercorns
- 1 Green chilies chopped
- ½ inch Ginger chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic chopped
- 1 cup Red onion roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Cashew nuts
For methi matar malai recipe:
- 1 ½ cups Green peas boiled or microwaved
- 2 cups Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) plucked the leaves, measured and then washed
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ cup Heavy whipping cream or fresh cream or malai
Instructions
Preparation:
- Boil the green peas in pressure cooker or cook them in microwave.
- Pluck the methi leaves, measure 2 cups then wash very well.
- sprinkle some salt over it and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes squeeze out all the water from methi using your hand. This is the trick to get rid of the bitterness of the methi.
- Chop the leaves finely. Keep it aside
Making paste:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices. Saute them for a minute.
- Then saute ginger, garlic and green chilies for 40 seconds.
- Mix in onions. Cook them till they are soft and translucent. Let it cool down a bit.
- Once cooled add this to a blender along with cashew nuts.
- Grind into a smooth paste.
Making methi matar malai recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat in the same pan. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Then add prepared onion paste. Cook till all the moisture evaporates and it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
- Add remaining salt and garam masala. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add green peas and chopped methi leaves. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes
- Add water and let it come to a boil.
- Stir in the cream.
- Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes and then turn off the stove.
Hi! Quick question. What measuring cup size do you use? American? 240 ml?
Cheers!
Padma
yes. US measuring cups are used. 1 cup = 240 ml
What is THE BEST LOW FAT substitute for heavy cream?
you can try half and half
Hi Kanan,
In a big fan of your website and use many of your recipes :). My question is how this recipe would change for frozen methi instead of fresh methi. Do we need to remove the bitterness the same way, do it some other way, or not do it at all? Any other change in the recipe?
Defrost the leaves and then Yes you can do the same process to remove the bitterness.
You will need around 1/2 cup or so methi leaves, because frozen one is compacted.
Thank you!
I tried it today and it came out very tasty... thanks for the recipe....😊
Glad to know that you liked