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Methi matar malai, Methi mutter malai recipe

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methi matar malai

Methi matar malai, as the name suggests this is a rich cream based gravy with green peas and methi leaves as main ingredients.

I have always wondered how methi in the methi mutter malai will taste and afraid of trying it if it could be bitter. But when I tried last week, there was not even a pinch of bitter taste in the gravy. May be the butter, cream and milk we are using in the recipe. I was thinking how I will like and afraid how Aj will like it. But he loved it! So when ever I get fresh methi leaves, I am gonna make this. Pair it with Naan or roti, you will sure love it! Recipe slightly adapted from here.

methi matar malai

How to make methi matar malai

First prepare a white rich gravy with sauteed onion, green chilli, ginger and cashews. Then, cook peas & methi leaves in this gravy. Finish with cream and a dash of lemon juice if deisred.

In Singapore, we get fresh peas in Little India imported straight from India. So I buy in small batches, prepare using fresh peas. But through out the year, frozen peas are available. So I can also use it. Just fresh methi leaves is to be bought. I at times freeze methi leaves too and use it when needed. It’s so handy.

GOES WELL WITH

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Methi matar malai

Methi matar malai, as the name suggests this is a rich cream based gravy with green peas and methi leaves as main ingredients.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Cup measurements

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Methi leaves fresh
  • 2 cups Green peas I used peas that I had frozen
  • 1/4 cup Cream
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 pinch Turmeric optional
  • 1 tbsp Butter
  • 1/4 tsp Kasoori methi optional
  • Salt – as needed
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice Optional

To fry and grind

  • 1 Onion
  • 7 Cashews
  • 5 Green chilli
  • 1 inch Ginger piece
  • 2 Cardamom green
  • 1 Clove

Instructions

  • Wash methi leaves and separate the leaves from stem. Chop it roughly.
  • In a kadai, heat butter, add cardamom, cloves, onion, green chilli, ginger. Fry until onions are transparent. Cool down and add cashews and place in the blender.
  • Grind it into a smooth paste. Heat kadai with remaining butter and add jeera.
  • Add the ground paste and fry well in medium heat.
  • Cook until raw smell goes off with out changing the colour.
  • Add green peas and methi. Fry until peas gets cooked well.
  • Add turmeric, garam masala and salt. Fry for 2 minutes. Add milk and mix well. The flame should be medium and cook for 3-4 minutes. Do not boil in high flame.
  • Lastly add the cream and mix well. Let it be for 2 minutes in medium flame again. Switch off the flame (add lemon juice if adding) and transfer to the serving bowl.

Notes

  • You can skip garam masala, kasoori methi and turmeric. But it gives some flavour to the gravy.
  • After adding milk or cream never put the stove flame to high.
  • Cashews are important as binding agent for keeping the milk or cream from not curdling. So do not skip it.
  • Pinch of sugar can be added to retain the green colour of the peas while frying.
  • You can pre cook the peas too and then proceed with the preparation.
  • If you are using dried peas, soak overnight or for 12 hours and then pressure cook it for 2 – 3 whistles and then make this gravy. If using fresh ones, cook it before proceeding.
  • Lemon juice is optional, but it can balance the taste, especially if you feel the gravy is bitter.

Step by step Method

  1. Wash methi leaves and separate the leaves from stem. Chop it roughly.2-methi-matar-malai
  2. In a kadai, heat butter, add cardamom, cloves, onion, green chilli, ginger. Fry until onions are transparent. Cool down and add cashews. Place in the blender.1-methi matar malai
  3. Grind it into a smooth paste with little water. Heat kadai with remaining butter and add Cumin seeds.3-methimuttermalai
  4. Add the ground paste and fry well in medium heat. Cook until raw smell goes off with out changing the colour.4-methimuttermalai
  5. Add green peas and methi. Fry until peas gets cooked well (4-5 mins).5-methimuttermalai
  6. Add turmeric, garam masala and salt. Fry for 2 minutes in low flame. Add milk and mix well. The flame should be medium and cook for 3-4 minutes. Do not boil in high flame.6-methimuttermalai
  7. Lastly add the cream and mix well. Let it be for 2 minutes in medium flame again. Switch off the flame (add lemon juice if adding) and transfer to the serving bowl.7-methimuttermalai

Goes well with roti, naan or any pulavs. I would love to have this with naan. Yummy and creamy methi matar malai!

methi mutter malai

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Sowmya D.S.L

    Healthy recipe .. Loved the pics.. I am gonna try if methi is available here this week. I ll let u know how it turned out . Your pics are so tempting that makes me to dig in and try them. thanks for sharing this recipe raks 🙂

    Reply

  4. Bhuvana.G

    Very Nice. To avoid the change in white colour, you can add the wholesome onion in boiling water and then you saute it. If done this way, onion doesn't brown and the dish retains its white colour

    Reply

  30. Kavitha

    Hai raks,
    Made this yesterday with phulka.. All loved it and happy that my son had methi,which he generally dislikes.. Thanx a lot for this wonderful and healthy recipe…

    Reply

  41. Unknown

    This was very tasty. You have mentioned 5 chilies in your recipe, i used only two. But felt that itself was pretty spicy. But turned out to be very very tasty dish.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  44. Manisha

    Hi,

    I tried this. It was very tasty. Thanks for the wonderful recipes. You have mentioned 5 green chillies for the curry which was more. So i used only 3……but it was still a lil spicy………….Nyways the taste was very good……Thanks

    Reply

  51. Sheela

    Tried it.. and it came out too good.. my family enjoyed it a lot.. you have given a very simple recipe. before this i browsed too many sites for methi matar recipe.. all of them time consuming and complex. then tried ur simple way and it just worked best.. Thanks..

    Reply

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