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.
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.
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Methi matar malai
Ingredients
- 1 cup Methi leaves fresh
- 2 cups Green peas I used peas that I had frozen
- ¼ cup Cream
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ tsp Garam masala
- 1 pinch Turmeric optional
- 1 tbsp Butter
- ¼ 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
- 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. Place in the blender.
- Grind it into a smooth paste with little water. Heat kadai with remaining butter and add Cumin seeds.
- 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 (4-5 mins).
- 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.
- 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.
Goes well with roti, naan or any pulavs. I would love to have this with naan. Yummy and creamy methi matar malai!
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 🙂
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
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
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.
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 !
rich and creamy gravy, love it 🙂
can we make this using Kasuri Meethi ? What qty should be taken ?
white coloured gravies stand special among other coloured gravies….Methi matar and cream sooo yummm….
love this combination…for chapatti,so creamy..
I made it last week too 🙂 absolutely love methi!
Love it Looks so yummy and creamy..
A fav at home too..Love the creaminess of this dish..So nicely presented, as always..
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner
Love the creamy combo…delicious..
Looks yummy. Love methi leaves but never tried it for making malai recipe. Looks creamy.
so yummy n creamy..
Love this curry, should try it..
love this recepie….going to try it…
Very delicious.
Methi is my fave too,looks great and would be wonderful when paired with naan-YUM!
Mouthwatering here, such a flavorful and delicious
Creamy and rich curry,so yummy
Nice clicks and yummy curry.
Rich curry. Looks flavorful.
creamy and yummy curry..nice presentation…
http://foody-buddy.blogspot.com/
Rich n creamy would be perfec with hot rotis:)
I made it 2 weeks back..almost same …looks so yum and I want to have this again
Looks very nice. never tried this way.. must try..
Very Nyc! Sure gonna try it… Love ur cooking..:)
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…
Thank you very much for taking time to let me know. Glad you guys loved it 🙂
I love this and it has been ages since i made this. Pretty clicks, loved with fresh methi leaves
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.
Looks delicious raji, never made this dish before, will definitely try it!
Gorgeous looking Methi mutter! One of my favorites with methi.
Such creamy gravy no one can say no to it…my fav anytime!
hi raks..wonderful recipe…!made this a couple of days back and today again..my kids just love this..thanks for the great recipe..
Wow! The gravy looks so creamy and delicious!Wonderful snaps! Do visit my blog at- http://www.rita-bose-cooking.com/
This is one of my fav. i made very often with little change with cashew gravy.. hope u like my blog too.
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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!
yes u can use kasuri methi gty sud b little more thn green methi.
tried it…loved it!!
Keep going gal! you will sure be blessed for making 'happy families'!
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
Lovely. Just added a spoon of khova and bingo. Anyways perfect step to step explanation. Easy and yum. Thanks.
I prepared this following your page to the letter! and cant believe the compliments I got for it B-)
Thanks a bunch womaniya 😀
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!
Just made it for dinner . Yummy
Shanthi
hey, I tried this one… and it was good. My friends luved it.
When do I add Salt Madam..
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..
when to add salt? in the end?
Sorry, forgot to mention, updated now, its along with other masala powders
For the first time am writing a comment.. Really happy with the outcome.. Thanks for such a delicious n easy recipe.. Ummmah