Recipe- Gear Up Your Weekend With Methi Matar Malai

Usually methi matar malai sabzi is prepared in 2 ways – with white gravy and creamy red gravy. We have prepared this recipe with rich and creamy red gravy.

In this recipe we have used blanched green peas and sauteed methi leaves. Preferably use fresh green peas, if in season, since it will give great taste to this dish. So if you have blanched peas and sauted methi leaves ready, then this gluten-free and vegan curry gets ready quickly. Plus its very easy to make this delicious restaurant style methi matar malai recipe at home.

Ingredients

For the masala paste

2 teaspoon oil
1 onion small, chopped roughly
⅓ cup cashews soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes
4-5 tomatoes chopped roughly

For blanching peas

1 cup green peas fresh/frozen
2-3 cups water

For cooking methi leaves

½ cup fresh fenugreek/methi leaves
2 teaspoon oil

For Tempering

1 tablespoon oil
1 broken dry red chili, deseeded
1 green chilli slit/cut into 2 pieces/finely chopped
pinch of hing/asafoetida
½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
1 clove/lavang/laung
1 small cinnamon stick/dalchini
1 cardamom/elaichi
1 teaspoon coriander powder/dhania powder + jeera/cumin powder
¼ teaspoon kitchen king masala
salt as per taste
¼ cup water add as required, depending on the consistency you prefer

Method

For blanching peas

- In a big vessel/pan, bring water to boil and add salt. When water boils, add the peas. Make sure the pan/vessel is big enough for the peas to move and get cooked. If the vessel is not big, then do this process in 2 batches. This process is called Blanching. Blanch the peas till they float on to the top, this will take about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

- Drain all the water. Keep aside.

- If you want to store and preserve fresh green peas, you can check our detailed article on How to preserve and store green peas

For cooking methi leaves

- Heat oil in a pan and add ½ cup methi leaves. Saute on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes or till all the moisture absorbs and leaves shrink completely. Keep aside.

- If you want to store and preserve methi leaves, you can check our detailed article on How to preserve and store methi (fenugreek) leaves

For the masala paste

- Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and soaked cashews. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

- Then add tomatoes and mix. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes till tomatoes become soft. Remove from flame and let this mixture cool down.

- Once cooled, take this in a mixer/blender jar and blend to a fine paste.

Preparing methi matar malai

- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add dry red chilli and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the green chilli, hing, clove, cinnamon stick, cardamom and prepared puree. Mix well.

- Cook on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till moisture is absorbed.

- Add all the spice powders one by one – coriander powder, cumin powder, kitchen king masala and salt. Mix and saute for 3-4 minutes till oil separates from the gravy.

- Now add blanched peas and sauteed methi leaves. Mix.

- Now if you prefer sabji with little gravy, then add ¼ cup water. You can later add more water to adjust consistency you require. If you want a dry sabji, do not add water.

- Mix well, cover and cook for 5 mins.

- Remove from flame and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve this methi matar malai sabzi with pooris, parathas, kulcha or chapatis.