Methi matar malai is a rich and creamy North Indian curry, you can make with fresh peas and fenugreek leaves in a silky, creamy cashew based gravy. A super easy and mild spiced dish, pairs perfectly with Indian breads. Let's see how to make methi matar malai with step by step pictures and full video.
When mutter and methi are available in the winter in India, this is a must try at home for lunch or dinner.
Do check out my aloo matar gravy recipe and an amazing matar paneer recipe in this website.
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, I am gonna make this. Pair it with Naan or roti, you will sure love it! Recipe slightly adapted from here.
In Singapore, we get fresh matar in Little India imported straight from India.
So I buy in small batches, prepare using fresh matar. But throughout the year, frozen matar are available, I can also use it.
Just fresh methi is to be bought. I at times freeze methi too and use it when needed. It's so handy.
Methi matar malai Ingredients
Let's see what are the ingredients in Methi matar malai. Refer my recipe card for quantities.
- Green peas - You can use fresh or frozen peas.
- Fenugreek leaves - Make it while methi leaves are in season.
- Onion - Base for the gravy.
- Cashews - For richness and thick consistency, prevents the gravy from curdling.
- Cumin seeds - For tempering.
- Milk - Gives richness and for controlling the consistency.
- Cream - Malai, a must for the recipe as the name indicates.
- Butter - This is a must and game changer when it comes to rich flavour.
- Ginger - Flavour for the dish as well as helps with digestion.
- Green chilli - For spice.
- Garam masala powder - Very little to add subtle flavour.
- Oil
GOES WELL WITH
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Step by step Images
1. Firstly, clean the methi leaves by removing the stem, unwanted things and yellow leaves, leaves with lines. Then wash it well.
2. To begin with, in a pan, heat butter, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, onion, green chilli, ginger and cashews. Continue frying until onions are translucent.
3. Cool down completely and place in the blender. Grind it into a smooth paste with little water.
4. After that, heat kadai with remaining butter and add Cumin seeds. Then add the ground paste. Cook until the raw smell goes and becomes thick, without browning the paste.
5. After that, add peas (matar) and methi, little salt. Fry furthermore until matar gets done.
6. In between add butter if needed, it prevents burnt bottom. After that, add 1 cup water and adjust salt.
7. Mix well and cook covered for approximately 4-5 minutes.
8. After that, lower the flame and pour in the milk, followed by cooking cream (Malai).
9. Mix well and cook in low heat until it bubbles again.
10. Finally, add garam masala and mix well, switch off the flame.
Goes well with roti, naan, kulcha or any pulavs. I would love to have this with naan. Yummy and creamy methi matar malai!
My notes
- The green chilli I use here in Singapore is at times less spicy, so depending on the variety you use, please reduce the quantity.
- I used raw milk in the gravy. The cream I used was cooking cream which has moderate thickness (fat), lighter than the whipping cream. So depending on the fat percentage, adjust the amount of cream.
- Butter adds a good flavour as well as richness which goes well with the cream and works best in this recipe.
Top tips
- Since this is a malai based gravy, try not to change the color of the base as much as possible. That is do not brown the onion while frying as well as take care not to brown the ground masala paste while cooking it.
- If you are using fresh peas, parboil or cook before using in the recipe to get done faster.
FAQ
If the methi leaves are not cooked properly, there is high chance of bitter taste. So make sure it is cooked well. Also make sure to balance it with spice and salt.
Kasuri methi has a total different flavour and it is strong. this recipe is exclusive for only using fresh methi leaves. If you dry methi leaves, a lot of leaves gets shrunk to little, so even if you want to try, just 1-2 tablespoons will be enough for this recipe.
This recipe works best with fresh green peas or frozen green peas.
While frying, make sure nothing is browned. Do the cooking in medium flame maximum.
Recipe card
Methi Matar Malai Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup Methi leaves fresh Loosely packed
- 1 & ½ cups Green peas I used peas that I had frozen
- ¼ cup Cooking cream
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice Optional
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
To fry and grind
- 1 Onion Large sized
- 7 Cashews
- 4 Green chilli Spicy variety
- 1 tablespoon Ginger measure chopped
- 1 Cinnamon small piece
- 1 Cardamom green
- 1 Clove
Instructions
- Firstly, clean the methi leaves by removing the stem, unwanted things and yellow leaves, leaves with lines. Then wash it well.
- To begin with, in a pan, heat butter, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, onion, green chilli, ginger and cashews. Continue frying until onions are translucent.
- Cool down completely and place in the blender. Grind it into a smooth paste with little water.
- After that, heat kadai with remaining butter and add Cumin seeds. Then add the ground paste. Cook until the raw smell goes and becomes thick, without browning the paste.
- After that, add peas (matar) and methi, little salt. Fry furthermore until matar gets done.
- In between add butter if needed, it prevents burnt bottom. After that, add 1 cup water and adjust salt.
- Mix well and cook covered for approximately 4-5 minutes.
- After that, lower the flame and pour in the milk, followed by cooking cream (Malai).
- Mix well and cook in low heat until it bubbles again.
- Finally, add garam masala and mix well, switch off the flame.
Video
Notes
- The onion I used was large, so if it's small, use two as it's the base of the gravy.
- You can skip garam masala, but it gives some flavour to the gravy.
- After adding milk or cream it is better to cook in low heat.
- Cashews are important as binding agent for keeping the milk or cream from not curdling. So do not skip it. My cashews were large in size.
- 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, especially when it is fresh peas instead of frozen.
- If you think the gravy is bitter, Lemon juice can balance the taste.
- Please adjust the chilli numbers according to the spice level of the chilli.
Sowmya D.S.L says
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 🙂
sowmya(creative saga) says
My favourite...I make it at home too when I buy methi..jus scared of the cream that goes into it which actually renders a wonderful taste...looks yumm
Bhuvana.G says
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
Dipti Joshi says
I keep fresh methi leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, remove them in a strainer, refresh them and then use it in a gravy. I will try your method next time.
APARNARAJESHKUMAR says
i wanted to try for long time 🙂 just because of i am scared about the bitter taste i avoided ! may be i should try !
photos are too good raks !
Aruna Manikandan says
rich and creamy gravy, love it 🙂
Amruta Gupte-Ghodke says
can we make this using Kasuri Meethi ? What qty should be taken ?
ShravsCookBookBlog says
white coloured gravies stand special among other coloured gravies....Methi matar and cream sooo yummm....
Revathi says
love this combination...for chapatti,so creamy..
Nagalakshmi V says
I made it last week too 🙂 absolutely love methi!
Veena Theagarajan says
Love it Looks so yummy and creamy..
Prathima Rao says
A fav at home too..Love the creaminess of this dish..So nicely presented, as always..
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Leena says
Love the creamy combo...delicious..
Uma Ramanujam says
Looks yummy. Love methi leaves but never tried it for making malai recipe. Looks creamy.
Kalpana Sareesh says
so yummy n creamy..
Aarthi says
Love this curry, should try it..
chitra says
love this recepie....going to try it...
Rumana Ambrin says
Very delicious.
Divya Kudua says
Methi is my fave too,looks great and would be wonderful when paired with naan-YUM!
divya says
Mouthwatering here, such a flavorful and delicious
Suja Manoj says
Creamy and rich curry,so yummy
Jayanthi Karthikeyan says
Nice clicks and yummy curry.
Anu says
Rich curry. Looks flavorful.
Gayathri Ramanan says
creamy and yummy curry..nice presentation...
http://foody-buddy.blogspot.com/
Sireesha Puppala says
Rich n creamy would be perfec with hot rotis:)
Kavitha says
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...
Priti S says
I made it 2 weeks back..almost same ...looks so yum and I want to have this again
Chitra's Foodbook says
Looks very nice. never tried this way.. must try..
priya iyappan says
Very Nyc! Sure gonna try it... Love ur cooking..:)
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thank you very much for taking time to let me know. Glad you guys loved it 🙂
Jeyashrisuresh says
I love this and it has been ages since i made this. Pretty clicks, loved with fresh methi leaves
Laavanya says
This is one of our favorite ways to eat methi too... I agree that the cream must take away all the bitterness of the methi. Lovely pics Raks.
Sathya Sankar says
Looks delicious raji, never made this dish before, will definitely try it!
Anu Nandu says
Gorgeous looking Methi mutter! One of my favorites with methi.
Sharmilee! :) says
Such creamy gravy no one can say no to it...my fav anytime!
Anuradha says
hi raks..wonderful recipe...!made this a couple of days back and today again..my kids just love this..thanks for the great recipe..
Rita Bose says
Wow! The gravy looks so creamy and delicious!Wonderful snaps! Do visit my blog at- http://www.rita-bose-cooking.com/
Indian Cooking with Gangnam Style...!!! says
This is one of my fav. i made very often with little change with cashew gravy.. hope u like my blog too.
Unknown says
This was very tasty. You have mentioned 4 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!
Unknown says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Swapnil Mishra says
yes u can use kasuri methi gty sud b little more thn green methi.
Deeps says
tried it...loved it!!Keep going gal! you will sure be blessed for making 'happy families'!
Manisha says
Hi,I tried this. It was very tasty. Thanks for the wonderful recipes. You have mentioned 4 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
jay rao says
Lovely. Just added a spoon of khova and bingo. Anyways perfect step to step explanation. Easy and yum. Thanks.
aasa says
I prepared this following your page to the letter! and cant believe the compliments I got for it B-)Thanks a bunch womaniya 😀
aasa says
O womaniya! I tried this one ..abso to the letter from this page.. and cant belive the compliments I got for it! Thanks a bunch!
Shanthi Rekha Rajagopal says
Just made it for dinner . YummyShanthi
Padma says
hey, I tried this one... and it was good. My friends luved it.
AviatorDreamz says
When do I add Salt Madam..
Sheela says
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..
Divine Spark says
when to add salt? in the end?
Raks anand says
Sorry, forgot to mention, updated now, its along with other masala powders
Soumya Jagathap says
For the first time am writing a comment.. Really happy with the outcome.. Thanks for such a delicious n easy recipe.. Ummmah