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Methi matar malai
Fenugreek and peas in cream gravy
Methi matar malai: fenugreek leaves and green peas in a mild, creamy white cashew gravy
Methi matar malai belongs to the Punjabi wedding buffet and the dhaba menu as much as to winter home cooking, when bunches of fresh fenugreek pile up in the markets of Ludhiana and Jalandhar. Bitter-sweet methi leaves and sweet green peas sit in a pale, silky gravy of onion, cashew and cream, mild enough for children and rich enough for a celebration. Serve it with butter naan, lachha paratha or jeera rice. Chef's tip: salt the chopped methi and squeeze it before cooking; it takes away much of the bitterness while keeping the flavour.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the white paste
- 2 onionsroughly chopped
- 1 ¾ oz cashew nutssoaked for 15 minutes
- 1 ¼ cups water
For the curry
- 3 ½ oz fresh fenugreek leaves (methi)picked and chopped, or 3 tbsp dried kasuri methi
- ½ tsp saltfor the methi
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 green cardamom podscrushed
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 7 oz green peasfresh or frozen
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup water
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ cup single cream
- ¼ tsp garam masala
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 3 ½ oz fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) with ½ tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze firmly by the handful and discard the green juice. Skipping this is the usual mistake, and the curry ends up harsh and bitter.
10 minStep 2: Boil 2 onions and 1 ¾ oz cashew nuts in 1 ¼ cups water for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Cool slightly and blend with the water to a very smooth white paste.
12 minStep 3: Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf and 3 green cardamom pods and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 3 garlic cloves and 2 green chillies for 1 minute.
2 minStep 4: Add the onion-cashew paste and cook over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until it thickens and smells sweet. Keep the heat low so it stays white rather than browning.
6 minStep 5: Add the squeezed methi and cook for 3 minutes, until it wilts and turns dark green.
3 minStep 6: Add 7 oz green peas, ¾ cup whole milk, ½ cup water, ¾ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar and simmer for 6–8 minutes, until the peas are tender.
8 minStep 7: Stir in ½ cup single cream and ½ tsp ground white pepper and heat through for 2 minutes without letting it boil hard, or the cream may split. Finish with ¼ tsp garam masala and serve with naan or jeera rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does methi matar malai take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cashew nuts?
- Almonds or peanuts, same amount.
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