Methi Matar Malai Recipe
Methi Matar Malai (also spelled Methi Mutter Malai) is a sumptuous North Indian curry made with fenugreek leaves, green peas and cream. Smooth, creamy, and rich, this recipe is a surefire winner with kids and adults alike. Try making this tasty curry recipe today – you’re sure to love it.
About Methi Matar Malai
Methi (fenugreek leaves), matar (green peas) and malai (cream) is a great combination. So, if you need a cooking win, this recipe is for you.
This recipe is so good, it even beats the preparations served in restaurants! It gets done in flat 30 to 35 minutes. Thus, making it a perfect comfort dinner dish on a chaotic weeknight.
One of the primary elements of this Methi Matar Malai recipe is a flavorful ground paste that forms the body of the dish.
It is this white paste made with onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, cashews and cumin seeds that is first sautéed well in ghee (clarified butter) or oil. And then, the rest of the recipe follows.
This gluten free recipe is inspired from Asha Khatau’s cookbook ‘Epicure’s Vegetarian Cuisines of India’ and has always been a hit at home. Every single time I make it, I am amazed at how good it tastes.
It’s a mild dish, good for kids too. Especially, if you want to feed them fenugreek or methi. There is no bitterness in this creamy Methi Matar Malai. In fact, this yummy curry is on the sweeter side due to the cream, onions and cashews.
As with most Indian curries, this Methi Matar Malai is served with Indian flatbreads like the ever popular Naan, the everyday staple Paratha or Chapati and the favorite Tandoori Roti.
It even pairs well with steamed rice or Jeera Rice. The recipe is also easily scalable. So, if you’re cooking for a crowd, feel free to double or triple it. As written, it makes about 4 servings with roti.
Both fresh fenugreek leaves and its seeds have a lot of health benefits. So, be sure to include them in your meals.
Some of the other Methi Recipes that are our personal favorites include:
How to make Methi Matar Malai
Preparation
1. Before you begin making this delicious curry, first prep all the ingredients. Rinse and chop the fenugreek leaves and set them aside.
Chop onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic and set them aside to make the ground paste later.
Meanwhile also steam or boil ½ cup green peas (fresh or frozen) in a pan adding water as needed. Though fresh green peas taste best, you can use frozen peas too.
Opt to cook the peas in a pan or a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Add water as needed when cooking in the stovetop pressure cooker. The water should cover the peas completely.
Here I have cooked them in a pan with water. To do so, simply combine the green peas and with 1½ cups of water in a small pan. Boil the green peas for about 7 to 8 minutes or until they are tender and softened.
Strain the cooked green peas and set them aside. You could opt to drain the green peas cooked water or reserve ½ cup of it to make the gravy later.
2. In a grinder or blender, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
2. Add ⅓ cup chopped onions.
3. Add ¼ cup cashews.
4. Next add 1 teaspoon chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger and 1 teaspoon green chillies.
5. Grind to a smooth and fine paste. If the blades are having difficulty turning, then you can add a tablespoon or two of water while grinding.
Sauté Onion Paste
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or a neutral flavored oil in a pan or kadai until the ghee or oil starts to shimmer. Add the ground paste to the heated pan.
7. Sauté the paste, stirring often.
8. Sauté paste for about 6 to 7 minutes on low to medium-low heat until you see the fat separating and the paste leaving the sides of the pan.
You don’t have to brown the paste.
Stir often to ensure that the paste does not stick to the pan. If it does stick, then add some water.
To see the sautéing process in action, check out the video above.
Sauté Methi (Fenugreek Leaves)
9. Add 1 cup chopped fenugreek leaves (methi).
Prep the leaves ahead before you begin the cooking by first rinsing them thoroughly in water 3 to 4 times. Draining all the water, then chop the leaves and set aside.
10: Mix well and sauté the fenugreek leaves and curry paste mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.
Add Water or Green Peas Stock
11. Next, add ½ cup water or the reserved green peas stock (the water in which the green peas were cooked) in two parts.
Initially add about ¼ cup of either liquid and mix thoroughly. Next pour the remaining ¼ cup and mix again.
You could also add either of these liquids as needed to get the consistency you prefer.
12. Mix thoroughly to get an even gravy.
13. Simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 mins.
Make Methi Mutter Malai
14: Next, add ½ cup of the boiled matar (green peas).
15. Now add ½ cup light cream or low-fat cream. If using homemade malai, then whip chilled/cold malai with a whisk or in a small blender till smooth and creamy.
Tip: For heavy or whipping cream, add only ¼ cup and adjust the consistency by adding water as required.
16. Mix very well.
17. Simmer the gravy or curry for 5 to 6 minutes on low heat, stirring at intervals.
If the consistency looks too thick for your liking, add a bit of water to thin the consistency slightly.
18. Lastly, add ½ teaspoon each of sugar and salt. Mix again and simmer for a minute.
Add more or less salt or sugar according to your taste. You could skip the sugar altogether from the dish.
At this step, optionally you can sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of Garam Masala Powder.
19. Methi Mutter Malai is now ready to serve.
20: Garnish with coriander leaves (cilantro) and serve Methi Matar Malai with naan, paratha, or chapati.
It also pairs well with plain steamed basmati rice or saffron rice or jeera rice.
Expert Tips
- Fenugreek Leaves (Methi): If the fenugreek leaves are too bitter, chop the leaves and take them in a bowl. Sprinkle some salt and mix very well. Keep aside for 15 minutes. Then, squeeze the leaves in your palms to remove the bitter juices. You could rinse again in fresh water if you prefer.
- Green Peas (Matar): You can add either fresh green peas or frozen green peas. Make sure to boil or steam the green peas before you add to the curry. Do not throw away the cooking water. Use the green peas stock instead of water for even more flavor.
- Homemade Cream (Malai): If using homemade malai, refrigerate about ¼ cup of clotted cream or malai first. Then, whip till it turns smooth and soft. Don’t add warm malai or clotted cream straightaway from the milk as this won’t give you a good creamy texture. I used packaged light cream but you can get the same results with fresh malai. You don’t need to whip or beat the cream, if you are using packaged cream.
- Whipping or heavy cream: When you include whipping or heavy cream in the recipe, then add ¼ cup of either. Adjust the consistency by adding some water if required.
- Vegan version: For a vegan recipe, feel free to use coconut cream instead of malai, or make the dish using almond paste or almond flour. With coconut cream, there’ll be the coconut flavor in the dish.
- Jain version: To make a Jain version of Methi Matar Malai, skip onion and garlic and make a paste of green chilies, ginger, cashews and cumin seeds. Heat the oil and add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) before adding the spice paste. From there, the rest of the recipe remains the same.
FAQs
Can I use almonds instead of cashews?
Yep! In basically any Indian recipe, you can replace cashews with almonds. Be sure to blanch them first and remove their skins for the best results.
What if I am allergic to nuts?
Try swapping in 1 to 2 tablespoons of melon seeds (magaz) or 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds (khus khus) for the cashews. But note that the taste and flavor will change when using either of these seeds.
Can I use dried fenugreek leaves a.k.a kasuri methi?
Indeed you can. Simply use 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of dried fenugreek leaves in place of the fresh leaves.
How do I make methi leaves less bitter?
Sprinkle some salt on the chopped fenugreek leaves and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then squeeze them before using.
Can you add paneer to this curry?
Absolutely!
I’m out of cream, can I use khoya instead?
Yes, though the flavour will be slightly different. Use ½ cup grated khoya in place of the cream.
What about curd?
I don’t suggest you use curd in this recipe, as it will give the curry a sour taste. Use cream, or substitute ½ cup mawa or khoya instead.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
For the curry paste
- ⅓ cup onions – chopped
- ¼ cup cashews – whole cashews
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic – chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger – chopped
- 1 teaspoon green chilies – chopped, can add serrano peppers instead
Other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves – chopped, (methi leaves)
- ½ cup water or the stock/water of boiled green peas – add as required
- ½ cup green peas – boiled or steamed
- ½ cup light cream or low-fat cream, * check point no 5 in notes below for whipping or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- salt as required
For garnish
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, (cilantro)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons green peas – boiled or steamed, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Begin by preparing the ingredients. First rinse the fenugreek leaves thoroughly in water. Drain the water completely and then chop the leaves.
- Meanwhile cook the green peas. Though fresh green peas taste best, you can use frozen peas too.
- Rinse them a few times in water. To cook green peas in a small pan, just add them in about 1½ cups water or as needed. Boil for 7 to 8 minutes or until the peas are softened and tender.
- Once the peas are softened, strain them. At this point you could reserve about ½ cup of the green peas cooked water, if you prefer.For garnish, opt to set aside about 1 to 2 tablespoon of the cooked green peas.
- You could also steam the green peas in a 6 quart Instant Pot for 3 to 5 minutes adding about 1 to 1.25 cups water in the steel insert.
- You can also boil the green peas in a 2 litre stove-top pressure cooker for 5 to 6 minutes adding water as required. The water should cover the green peas completely.Reserve ½ cup of the cooked water if you have boiled the peas.
- In a grinder jar or blender, add cumin seeds, chopped onions, cashews, garlic, ginger and green chilies.
- Blend or grind to a fine and smooth paste without adding any water.
- If your blender or grinder is not able blend or grind effectively, then you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to the ingredients and continue to blend or grind to a fine paste.
Sautéing Curry Paste
- Heat ghee (clarified butter) or oil in a pan or kadai.
- When the ghee melts or becomes lightly hot, add the ground paste.
- Sauté the paste for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium-low heat until you see the fat separating from the sides.
- Stir often when sautéing so that the paste does not stick to the pan. You should see fat releasing from the sides and the paste will also have a nice aroma.
- You will see the paste coming together and becoming glossy. Do not brown the paste.
- If the ground paste sticks to the pan or gets browned add a few splashes of water. Mix, deglaze and continue to sauté.
Making Methi Matar Malai
- Add in the chopped fenugreek leaves and sauté further for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then add ½ cup water or the stock/water in which the green peas were cooked in two parts. First add ¼ cup water or green peas stock and mix thoroughly. Next add the remaining ¼ cup and mix again.
- Simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir at intervals.
- Add the boiled peas and cream. Stir and mix to combine.
- Continue to simmer the gravy for 5 to 6 minutes on a low heat. If the consistency appears to be too thick, add some water to thin it slightly.
- Finally add the sugar, salt and mix again. At this step, you can opt to sprinkle 2 to 3 pinches of garam masala powder.Feel free to adjust the salt and sugar according to your taste.
- If the consistency looks too thick for your liking, add a bit of water to thin the consistency slightly.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve Methi Matar Malai hot or warm with naan, paratha or roti.
Video
Notes
- If the fenugreek leaves are too bitter, chop the leaves and take them in a bowl. Sprinkle some salt and mix very well. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Later, squeeze the leaves in your palms to extract the bitter juices. Rinse them again if needed.
- You can add either fresh green peas or frozen green peas. Make sure to boil or steam the green peas before you add to the curry.
- If using homemade malai, refrigerate about ¼ cup of clotted cream or malai first. Then, whip till it turns smooth and soft. Don’t add warm malai (or clotted cream) straightaway from the milk or without whipping it as this won’t give you a good creamy texture. I used packaged light cream but you can get the same results with fresh malai.
- You don’t need to whip or beat the cream, if you are using packaged cream.
- * When you include whipping or heavy cream in the recipe, then add ¼ cup of either. Adjust the consistency, by adding some water if needed.
- For a vegan recipe, feel free to use coconut cream instead of malai, or make the dish using almond paste or almond flour. With coconut cream, there’ll be a coconuty flavor in the dish.
- To make a Jain Methi Matar Malai, skip onion and garlic and make a paste of green chilies, ginger, cashews and cumin seeds. Heat the oil and add a pinch of asafoetida (hing) before adding the spice paste. From there, the rest of the recipe remains the same.
Nutrition
Methi Matar Malai recipe from the blog archives was first published on February 2012.
Awesome recipe, thank you very much.
Dear Dassana, thanks for the yummy recipe. Can we make this with frozen Methi?
Thanks ?
Yes you can try. But use ⅓ to ½ cup of frozen methi and also thaw them very well and squeeze all the water from them before using.
Hello Dear Dassana,
I made methi matar malai today & it tasted so delicious. My daughter is a very fussy eater and; to my amazement, she had 3 rotis with the curry.
And; also told me to keep the leftover for her so that she can have it for dinner. And; she had 2 rotis again in the dinner. I am a super happy mom today. Thank you so much for this recipe. ?
Lovely to hear that. Thanks so much for sharing this. Most welcome.
I will try this methi recipe, appears to be tasty
The recipe is just perfect. I tried it out and my family and me loved it. Tasted yummm!! ?
Great and thanks a lot for the super review on the recipe.
I’ve made this a few time and every time it’s perfect. People keep asking me for the recipe. This is my favourite cooking site.
Thanks a lot. Also thanks for the feedback on the recipe and the rating.
Delicious and easy, thank you.
Hi! Dassana…have forgotten the no. of times I have made this dish since I sighted it..and believe me every time it’s been a hit in the family..thank you soooo much ?
Thanks a lot for the feedback and glad to read it. Most welcome. Thanks for the rating as well.
I tried this recipe last night and my husband relished it. He usually doesn’t take much of veg to eat with rotis but last night he finished the entire dish. Thank you for this recipe.
welcome rosy and thanks for sharing this feedback. glad to know.
Sir….i want to download ur ap….will u plz tell is it available in play store…..by name?
Vaishali, the app is no longer available. we have deleted it.
Hi Dassana ,,,,,your recipies are always a hit ,,,tried methi matar malai and it was a hit too,,,I used almond instead of cashews still it tasted delicious ,,,,thank you for all recipies ,,,as there are still many recipies which I tried but forgot to write comment on it,,,,but really if i want any recipies I can just open your blog and without any second thought try your recipies it’s that good and reliable
Thanks Kavita for your positive feedback on recipes and the trust you have on them. Glad to read your positive comment.
Very true recipe.. ..taste is too good.. .
thanks minal jain. glad you liked the methi matar malai recipe.
Hi dassana
I want to try this recipe. So instead of Malai. Can i use almond paste and make it vegan.
yes you can use almond paste or almond powder (almond meal).
seems to be very delicious. will try this soon
Raghav, yes it taste very good.
Hi Dassana, First of all, a big big thanks for creating vegrecipesofindia. It has helped me be a better and confident cook. It helps us expatriates to recreate the flavors we get in India. I even have an app installed now and browse it every weekend for my meal planning. Thanks a lot. Secondly, can I use frozen methi for this dish? If yes, how much? Should I thaw it?
thanks for this lovely comment aakriti. glad 🙂 you can use frozen methi. use the same amount as mentioned in the recipe. i have never used frozen methi, so i do not know how it looks. yes do thaw and then use.
Hi Chef, I am a big fan of yours and have tried many recipes. I have tried complimenting you every time I tried your recipe , however, it never got updated due to some technical error. Hope it gets posted this time. I have a question, what can be a replacement for cashews? I don’t have enough cashews as I am making achari paneer and methi matar malai. I have guest coming in for dinner today. Hope to hear from you asap as its a bit urgent. Thanks a lot for all your recipes. I don’t have count of how many recipes I have tried from your blog. Stay blessed????
thanks a lot shraddha. you can use almonds instead of cashews. in any recipe you can replace cashews with almonds. you can even little magaz (melon seeds) along with almonds for replacing cashews. sorry could not reply you earlier, but i hope i have managed to solve your query for future.
Hi…I always follow ur recipe..my husband don’t like meethi..the only dish he likes is meethi malai mutter..which he had in restaurant. .He told me if u really want me to eat meethi thn make this for me..I searched in your blog and found it..nd it turned out to b really amazing…my husband said I never had sucha tasty meethi malai mutter. ..its far better thn restaurant. ..I just added one thing in the recipe I gave coal smoke at the end..tat was my hubby suggestion and it really taste awesome..yummy
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipes..Gid bless you
Welcome Nazia. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing your positive feedback. I usually give charcoal flavor in restaurant style recipes like dal tadka, dal makhani, palak paneer etc. it does add flavor to the dish.
Hello. Is it possible to replace green methi with dried ones? In my country I cannot find green leaves, only dried package. If yes, when should I add them in the recipe?
you can use dried methi leaves in this recipe – about 1.5 tablespoons. just follow the recipe and add dry methi leaves instead of fresh methi leaves.
I tried this recipe last week and it came out really really very delicious. I sent a pic of it to one my what’s app groups and shared your blog with three of my friends. Last month I had tried paneer lababdaar and that also came out very nice.
My husband is very foody and he is very particular about the taste of almost everything that he eats be it Indian, Italian, Mexican or whatever. He is fond of trying different cuisines. I had been checking out and trying a lot of recipes from this blog and must compliment Dassana Amit for sharing almost all sorts of recipes which always came out to be nice and yummy. They are easy, delicious and very well explained and elaborated.
Thank you very much for sharing all these recipes. Keep up the good work! I had been thinking of writing a comment for a long time to commend you and your website but didn’t get chance.
Can you please share some pasta recipes and also some easy and healthy recipes to carry for lunch to the office?
Thanks Jyoti for sharing this positive feedback on recipes. Glad to know that they are helping you. I will try to add some more pasta recipes. There are some more already posted on the website. Will try to add more healthy recipes.
Very nice recipe.love all of your recipes..Made.me learn cooking 🙂
Thanks Ankit
Hi,
Tried it today…
It was tooo yummy.. easy to cook!!
Thanks for this yummy recipe ????????
Welcome Swati. Glad to read your positive feedback.
Wow, tried it today, it was yumm!!!
Thanks Manjiri
hi there,
i am a frequent follower of your food blog. I had a question, how many ppl does this recipe (Methi Malai Mattar) serve?
I need to make if for 30 ppl.
thank you
its for 6 to 7 servings with rotis. also depends if the methi matar malai is served with rice or rotis. you can easily increase the recipe proportionately for 30 people.
This is my “go to” website for Indian recipes and you’ve really improved my cooking!
I just made the palak paneer from your recipe. Love love love it!!!
My daughter has gone from eating 2 chapatis (also your recipe) in one meal to 10!!! I might have to start limiting her chapatis 😀
I have been looking for this recipe for some time and now that I’ve found it, I’ll definitely try it.
Many many thanks
Welcome Joyce. Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing this awesome feedback.
Hiii
I always refer your blog for recipes.earlier I was known for just simple cooking but after going through your site I made kashmiri pulaav, dhokla, garlic bread,cashew pulav my parents started saying she can cook very well .thanks to vegrecipesofindia. I am going to try methi matar malai soon
welcome neha. glad to know that recipes helped in enhancing your cooking skills. thanks for your positive feedback.
Turned out very yum
I tired your recipe really awesome recipe thank you so much ?
thanks VGY for letting us know that the recipe was awesome. happy cooking.
Hi
Really wonderful recipe better than restaurant
I made it today for dinner and I got fantastic outcome
I used your tip the fresh cream of home made
Thanks for sharing this ?
thank you sneha for this lovely feedback. homemade cream always gives good results. thanks also for sharing this. happy cooking.
hello ma’am..I made it today for lunch and it is an amazing recipe.
I made a few changes..I soaked kaju and makhane in milk for overnight and then made a paste..it was amazing…thanks r such wonderful recipes
thanks trisha for the feedback as well as the suggestions. makhane is a very healthy addition. i will also give a try.
Hi Dassana. Here in this recipe I just made a slight addition recently. I dry roasted the onion, cashews, ginger and garlic, chillies and then ground it to a fine paste.
thanks sonal for sharing this variation too. i hope the taste was good.
Can I have a jain version of this recipe it’s urgent
komal, just skip onion and garlic and make a paste of green chilies, ginger, cashews and cumin seeds. heat oil and add a pinch of asafoetida. then add the paste. there rest of the recipe method remains same. for the main ingredients, use 1 cup methi leaves, 1/2 cup green peas, 1/2 cup fresh cream and 1 to 2 tbsp ghee or oil. add water as required. also use 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 inch ginger and 1 green chili and 1/4 cup cashews.
It’s osm…
Thank u. ☺
thanks mitali.
Hi.. this one was so easy and so awesome..! Really better than the restaurant one!!
Thanks a lot for sharing this.
And the tip to use cold whipped fresh home cream is too good..
thanks a lot for the feedback dr rasika. nice to know 🙂
Hi
3 holidays nd 3 different dishes to experiment nd all were a hit- methi malai mattar, veg handi, fried rice with manchurian, sab plate clean finish,nd nothing remaining to store in d fridge . Just one thing to add — ur website is VERRY ADDICTIVE , Butter paneer masala is SIMPLY SUPERRRRR.
thanx nd God bless U
thank you jaya for all your good wishes and kind words 🙂 god bless you and you are welcome.
so good thank you
thanks vicky.
I tried ur receipi… its yummy
thankyou mital.
I tried, it was awesome. But couldn’t remove methi’s bitterness.
thanks prax. did you add salt to methi and then kept the leaves for some minutes. this helps remove methi’s bitterness.
I have tried so many receipes from ur site n they hv all turned out super..
thanks lovlee for sharing positive feedback.
thanks for the wonderful recipes.. all your recipes are very easy nd delicious too… thank you…
thankyou so much ekta 🙂
Hii…em meenal
Ur recipes r delicious…i hav tried many recipes frm ur site…n really all were delicious…thanku so mch
thank you meenal 🙂
Can we add dried methi leaves in this recipe instead of fresh methi leaves
yes you can. 1.5 to 2 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves should be fine. you can add more if you want more of the methi taste.
What should we use in place of kaju
you could use almond’s instead of kaju. hope this help’s you sweta 🙂
hey!
till now i have tried just one recipe of yours and that is methi matar malai and i must say this is the easiest and the most delicious recipe of this dish on the internet.
i really appreciate it n i hope to try many more recipies of yours.
awesome work. ?
very pleased to know this thankyou so much simran for your kind and positive words. surely try more recipes and share your feedback 🙂
You are simply awesome..
You are foody Google for me…I gained respect in my in law’s house mainly coz of u and ur recipes…they said and I searched your site and ta da…i am a perfect bahu just of u.. God bless u with lots of happiness health and wealth
thats great to know 🙂 thank you very much saloni for your kind wishes. wish you all the best for your future.
Hi Dassana,
Thnx a lot for d recipe.
It came out really well n with ease. Though I tried it for d first time but it was no where less than what v tasted in restaurant. …Thnx again. ..
very pleased to know this garima 🙂 and thankyou so much for trying them.
Dear Amit Dassanaji..I am a big follower of ur site..ur recipes are awesome…I have tried many dishes…and learnt lot of cakes..Thanks a tonne..
thankyou anubha and you are always welcome 🙂
Dear amit.dassanaji i.hv been following your blog n.making the recipes which you explain so nicely..thank you …making methi matar today fr dinner..and in my house too no food is wasted ever.i salutethe thought of giving respect to food.
true geetha 🙂 wasting food is not right instead give to a needy person. thankyou for your kind and positive words.
Hii.. thanks for the lovely recipe.
Since Methi is usually so putting it directly in the onion paste wont give bitter taste to the dish? What do we do to ensure that bitterness of methi doesnt come into the dish?
the slight bitterness of methi leaves is the highlight of this dish. the dish is not very bitter. in india, we do not get very bitter methi leaves. if you do not want the bitterness, then just sprinkle some salt in the chopped methi leaves and leave for about 15 minutes. then squeeze the leaves and add them to the dish.
Hello Dassana
Superb and delicious recipe.
I’m a regular visitor of your site….. and have tried many recipes. The way you write recipes along with pics really makes it very easy to try. Keep it up
thankyou prajakta for your kind and positive words 🙂 god bless you.
Tried this recipe exactly the way it was mentioned. Turned out awesome. Thanks.
glad to know this dipti and you are welcome.
Looks good. Final judgement after trial and comments from the family after dinner.
Hi Dassana,
I’m hooked on to your site. Your recipes have helped me become a better host and imbibe variety in my cooking. Thank you for sharing these pictorally as well. This recipe is super hit.
welcome sunita. glad to know this. thanks for sharing positive feedback.
Great recipe. Delicious different awesome.
Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work.
God bless you!!!
thanks nilesh.
Hi,
Love all your Recipes for cooking and i try new thing each time its just great you are very talented 🙂
Just a quick question any possible chance i can use Dried methi instead of fresh one. 🙂
thanks vikas. yes you can use. add 1/2 to 1 tbsp.
Hi… Can we add paneer to this curry.
yes you can add paneer.
I tried this recipe and the result was awesome..Exact like the restaurant..I like the way u post the recipes..Step by step and with pictures..And simple to understand..Please do not change your pattern..Thanks a ton..
welcome simran. nice to know this. i will keep the recipe presentation same as it helps the readers.
Awesome…it was really helpful to me..
thanks shreya
methi matar malai was very good and authentic restaurant style i am very happy to get a best teacher this is my fourth or fifth reciepe in two weeks and all are getting awesome results thanks a lotttttt and god bless
welcome vallari. good to know this. thanks for sharing your sweet feedback.
Super hit
My kid just love this sabji
thanks khanjan for sharing positive feedback.
Excellent receipe.
My kid just love this sabji
thanks khanjan
Hi Dasanna…. Superb receipee i don have cream right now can u pl suggest substitute for cream
thanks sahana. you can use khoya (evaporated milk) but the consistency and taste of the recipe will be different. 1/2 cup grated khoya will be fine.
Awesome recipe… Keep it up…….
thanks amruta
Its delicious … Yummm yummm …..yummmyyy.. Love it.. Thanks
welcome kavita. thanks for sharing positive review.
Excellent!!!thanks!!!
welcome urmi
Thanks Dear .. Gona Try tomorrow 🙂
welcome puja
Hi I like all your recipes.. 🙂 This recipe looks yumm.. i really wana try this . But i don’t want to use cream that is being mentioned coz ma husband dont like it.. Can i use plain curd instead of cream? or else anything else to substitute cream?
thanks. in this recipe cream is essential. curd will give a slight sour taste and thus the taste will change completely. instead of cream, you can add khoya or mawa. but then don’t add 1 cup. 1/2 cup grated khoya will be fine.
Gr8 recipe. I really like it. I use same as u recommend. Everyone like it
thanks pradnya
Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe dassana.
It tastes yummy….
My husband loved it…
welcome minal. glad to know this.
Thanx a lot dassana! Ur recipes are really helping me lot specially d pictorial way it had been given! I m in Australia n hardly cook at my home in India bt by following your recipes nw I can call myself a good chef! Really every dish turns out a perfect blend of everything! Thanks!!!
welcome anjali. glad to know this. thanks for sharing your positive feedback on recipes.
Looks yummy.
Am trying it today.
Just a thought.
Cashew paste is the one that makes it stick.
Onion paste fries better n faste without cashew.
It can be added later.
thanks Radhika. if you use non stick pan or heavy bottomed pan then the cashew paste does not stick. you can give a try to the way you are suggesting.
Hi, very simple n accurate recipe. Tried it twice and it turned out perfect. Thanks a lot! 🙂
welcome swati
Hey Dassana
I am all smiling after making this recipe. Thanks a ton..my husband really enjoyed it…
welcome swati. glad to know this.
Thanks
welcome charchita
Hi Dassana,
My husband and I (well, myself and my husband’s content belly) are big fans of your site! I was wondering, is there an alternative to using fresh cream to make this recipe more healthy (perhaps substituting yogurt?) Given that the cashews are fattening, I imagine that the cream does even more damage to the waistline. :-\ Thanks!
welcome jaya. there is not alternative to fresh cream. but you can add khoya (evaporated milk) but the consistency and taste of the recipe will be different. but it will taste good. don’t add curd as it will give a slight sour taste to the gravy. this gravy is sweet.
Dassana,
I m a 16 year old and like to cook different recipes every weekend,so today I tried your M3 recipe,and it was awesome,my family members couldn’t stop to lick there fingers.
Thank You.
Will try more recipes from your blog.
welcome shantanu. good to know that you are taking interest in cooking. good creative hobby which helps in the long run. yes do try more recipes.
Yummy recipies ….truly dasanna I did try few recipies and trust me all were damn good …thank u
welcome malini
I like all of ur recipes a lot…moreover the way of writing and presenting makes it very simple. Most of the time recipes are implemented successfully. Thanks.keep posting
welcome prajakta. thanks for sharing your positive feedback. it helps to know that we are on right track.
Hi Dassana,
Wish u n ur family Happy new year… I am planning to make this receive tonite for dinner but don’t have fenugreek leaves with me is there any other alternative for it. as I am getting very lazy 😉 to go n buy methi from market.. please suggest.
Thanks
Deepti 🙂
hi deepti. fresh fenugreek leaves taste best. but you can also make with kasuri methi. i think 2 to 3 tbsp of kasuri methi should be fine.
Delicious! Good way to get kids to eat methi.
thanks ss
Thanks, very delicious easy dish.
welcome soma
I tried this twice and was indeed delicious ..exactly what i was looking for.
thanks patsham for sharing positive feedback.
Its really an easy recipe. But i’ve query didn’t we required to fry the fenugreek???
no need to fry the fenugreek in this recipe.
I tried this recipe and followed each step,it results awesome.
thanks amrita for sharing positive feedback.
Hi Dassana
Would like to try this recipe tonight but don’t have malai can i use sour cream instead?
shernaz, you can use, but the taste will change. it won’t be taste.
Hi dassana,
yet another wow recipe 🙂 i made this for dinner along with naan without yeast last night for dinner 🙂
if it were possible and not rude, i would have burped online. Loudly. With my family 🙂
smiling reading your comment nivedita 🙂 good to know 🙂
Thank you so much Dassana!! It is really simple and easy to make. I did not have fresh cream so I used milk instead. It didn’t make much difference..
Thanks to your recipe, it turned out to be really delicious! My husband just loved it! 🙂
welcome priyanka. glad to know this.
Such an easy and perfect recipe seriously. In fact I felt the hardest part was picking the methi leaves instead
thanks shasyaa. i agree plucking methi leaves is always time consuming.
I tried many times results was very good
thanks poonam
I followed exactly the same procedure as you have told but it came out to be disaster since methi was too bitter and I couldnt even taste it.. Could you at least suggest what should I do now? This is the first recipe from this website which came out that bad 🙁
the bitterness of methi leaves vary. if the methi leaves are bitter, then first rub salt over chopped methi leaves. keep for 15 minutes. then squeeze the methi leaves. this way the bitter juices are released. you can also rinse the methi leaves in water. the extreme bitterness of methi leaves has spoiled the taste. this curry is pleasant and sweet with just a hint of bitterness. many readers have tried this recipe with success. now you cannot do anything. but just remember that next time you want to make anything with methi, then do this method to get rid of the bitterness.
I made this for lunch and it was yummmy!!!
i reduced the quantities of cashews and added a lot less of cream, and instead of water added milk!!
and still it turned out soooo creamy and rich!!! 😛 😛
Thanks for the recipe!!!
Made my dad really happy! 🙂
welcome palak. good to know.
Hi Dassana,
I have made this so often and it comes out great every single time. It’s a really good recipe! I soak the cashews for an hour before grinding them because I noticed it gives a smoother texture to the gravy. I normally use the cream that I get after boiling milk but was wondering if Amul will give better results since it is smoother and thicker. What do you think?
thanks preeti. soaking cashews does help in giving a smooth texture. if the blender is very good, then there is no need to soak the cashews. amul cream will give a nice smooth and thick consistency. with the malai, the consistency will not be that smooth, if you add it straight away. however, if you whip the malai in a blender till smooth, then the results are richer than amul cream. since amul cream is low fat and the malai is full fat. the gravy will be more richer.
Makes sense. The thought of whipping malai first and then adding it never crossed my mind. I will surely do that next time. Thanks 🙂
welcome preeti
Despite adding salt while washing the dish turned out bitter. Sauteeing the leaves earlier would be a better idea
hufrish, ohh… on some occasions methi leaves are very bitter. on most occasions, the method of adding salt works. may be the methi leaves that you got were too bitter. next time when you try this and they are bitter then saute them before.
HI , Ur recipe was awesome but i want to just know can we also add paneer with meethi and matar
yes you can add paneer in this recipe.
Can I use milk instead of cream in this recipe
smita, you can use the milk but consistency of gravy will be thin and the taste will also change a lot. best taste comes with cream.
This recipe turned out absolutely awesome. Not really hard to cook and my family couldn’t stop licking their fingers. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
welcome rahul
Hi. Thanks for the recipe. I made this today and it was delicious. Its actually a very simple recipe which requires no masalas at all. Amazing. Thanks again 🙂
welcome reema
hi Dassana……today i wanted cook something for my wife…… i searched for recipes…..cooked methi mutter malai as per ur instructions….my wife loved it……thanks alot….u are too good.
welcome ashay. do try more recipes.
wud b trying ds tonight… 😀
hii dassana…u r jusssst awesome…..love all of ur recipes vch i’v tried…..m a big fan of food n u…. like all mums my mom is a gr8 cook….n 2nd one is debatelessly just u..thnx keep d good wrk going..
hi prerna
thanks for this sweet comment. yes, i agree all mums are great cook and its a honour if you rate me second after your mother.
keep visiting the blog and leave your feedback or suggestions.
happy new year in advance.
dassana
And the recipe turns out to be awesome as always !! thank you !! 🙂
welcome tilika. glad to know that you liked the recipe.
The tasty gravy sure would keep the bitterness of methi away 😛 😛 Good to have finally found a blog wherein the recipes always turn out to be good … 🙂
thanks tilika
Hey I forgot to put sprinkle salt when chopping methi … What should I do to avoid the bitterness of methi? 🙁
nothing can be done. just hope that the methi leaves are not very bitter. mostly the ones that we get in india are not very bitter.
Same pinch !! 😛 Thanks once again !! Will let you know how the recipe turned out!! 🙂
sure 🙂
Thanks for the advice … I never compromise on taste so I went to the shop and purchased Amul fresh cream !!! 😀 Is 200 ml of cream sufficient ??
me too 🙂 yes it will be sufficient. the recipe calls for 1 cup which of cream which is approx 240 ml of cream. so i think 200 ml will be fine. if the methi leaves are bitter, than just sprinkle some salt on chopped methi leaves. mix well and allow to stand for 15-20 mins. then rinse the leaves well and use the methi leaves. you can cut down methi leaves to 1.5 cups.
I have been trying out your recipes and all of them have become awesome !! 😀 😀 Today came across this (methi matar malai) recipe of yours, wanted to know if I can skip adding cream … 🙂
Thanks Tilika for Appreciating the recipes. Cream is an essential ingredient in this methi matar malai recipe. If you don’t want to add cream then whole recipe has to be changed drastically and i don’t know how it will taste. e.g. you have to reduce the fenugreek leaves and increase the cashew quantity for making the paste.
Can I skip the cream??
If I don’t have cashews, what other nut can I use ? Also can I just skip the kaju ? Do u think it will alter the taste ? Thanks.
you can use almonds instead of cashews. the taste would be different, but you will get the creaminess that is required in this dish. don’t skip the cashews. use almonds instead.
ive always loved sweet gravies…and this is one of my fav…we tried this at home but ours was always dark green and runny. 🙁 with the winters knocking the door, ill surely try this at home…i also once had a similar dish in a restaurant called methi chamannnwhich had paneer meaning chaman in kashmiri….thanks 4 the recipe and once again lovely pics.. 🙂
welcome tanvi. will like to hear your feedback on this version of methi matar malai… whenever u make it
Tried this simple today..very easy.only changes I made in my recipe is I added methi,palak and mint leaves 1/4 cup each…was different in taste.
Like your many recipes..wonderfull..!
thanks madhu for sharing your variation. welcome
Tried others but u r gravy recepie turned out excellent !!! 🙂
we can use paneer instead of or alongwith peas…tastes great!!!
yes neha, we can add paneer. in that case the recipe will be called methi paneer malai. i have seen some restaurants serving this version too.
hi dassana
thnx i tried it was niceeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!
it tasted just like restaurant style yummy!!!!
i just made few changes like while making the onion paste i added curd to it and i added amchur powder with salt and sugar at the end. and for methi leaves you can soak them hot salty water and then in cold water!!!!
thanks piyu and also thanks for the tips on methi leaves.
Hi Dassana,
This is the first time I prepared Methi matar malai. I took tips from your’s and some other blog… and the result was awesome. Will Share what ever pics I have taken…
Your blog looks good and interesting and i like the way you explain small things like not wasting food:)
Sohni.
thanks sohni. will see your post soon.
Thx a ton for the recipe..I made it yest and it turned out to be awesome… gr8 stuff..
thanks deepa.
it tastes awesum just tried it.!!! thanx
thanks shikha.
It’s Vry easy recipe.I definitely try dis
Really thanks for the photos which gives me a tension free recipe.
thanks anjali.
can i add groundnuts in place of cashews….
one more query….what can be added in place of tamrid in date tamrid chutney…if someone has to avoid it due to ayurvedic treatment….
adding grounds nuts will give its distinct taste and may not go well in this dish. you can however add some almonds and muskmelon seeds/magaz paste instead of cashew nuts.
since it is tamarind dates chutney, there is nothing you can substitute with tamarind. just make a sweet chutney made from dates and jaggery and add some amchur to make it little sour.
hi.. this is ambika here… i want to know how to preserve malai at home for cooking… when i store it emits a smell.. how do i preserve it without the smell and how exactly do i use it??
dear ambika, there was a time i would also store malai at home and then make butter and ghee from it. but now i don’t 🙂
i would store them in the freezer. the malai would not smell even after thawing it. i would keep collecting the fresh malai that floats on top of boiled milk every day in a air-tight container in the freezer. after some 20-25 days, i would have enough malai to make butter or ghee at home.
when you want to use for icing on cakes or muffins, then just remove the required amount you want. then whip it in the mixie till the cream becomes smooth and gets some soft peaks.
if using for some curries or gravies like paneer makhani or dal makhani, then just whip till the cream becomes smooth.
I have to admire your passion for cooking. I have looked at tons of sites for recipes, but this one i had to comment on. Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes and the pictures really help.
thanks ritika.
I made this yesterday,,,turned out toooooo goooood. thanks a ton!
welcome jas.
I am doing good with your recipes and finally i tried your recipe yesterday and i wanted to try maria’s recipe also so i clubbed both the ingredients and it was awesome to taste. When i made the paste it became pink due to the colour of onion and i was a bit depressed but there was no raw taste either. But thankfullly it came out as in the picture and enjoyed with parathans and kheer. Did not have cream so i clubbed it with thick milk and a bit of garam masala. Thanks a lot dassana.
take care bye
sunita
thanks sunita for making the recipe and then sharing your experience. its for readers like you that make blogging such a joyous work. as my appreciation for all my readers i will be soon hosting a give away.
Is fenugreek seed is fine instead of leaves. If its okay, then how much should be added?
dear dhaly, you cannot make the methi matar malai recipe with fenugreek seeds. if you can get dry fenugreek leaves also known as kasuri methi, you can make this recipe. if you stay outside india, in the asian or indian stores you should be able to get packed dry fenugreek leaves. if using the dry fenugreek leaves, then you can add around 5-6 tbsp of it.
very nice photography….
thanks bhargavi…. nice to know you liked the photographs.
i havent had methi malai matar in soooo loong.. i should just skip the cream and make it. coz i am sure it will still taste heavenly.. yours is making my mouth water.
We dont waste anything too.., i used up all of my hard breads when i was trying glutenfree baking, and made those into crackers or chips:) plus you cant anyway giveaway open stuff to people here. so as well use it.
thanks richa. the methi malai matar can be made without cream and i am sure it will taste good.
i usually end up adding left over breads to the cutlets or tikkis i make.
Ditto me too a strong believer of not wasting food and teach my kids the same almost daily :). This dish looks really yummy and perfect for formal dinners….I haven’t tried this one yet Dassana, will make it someday, bookmarked it …
yes, this dish is perfect when one is having guests at home or for formal dinners.
I admire your frugal use of food, “recycling” leftovers into parathas, for example. I wish we all did this. I don’t even like peas, but will have them all spring — I’m looking at that cashew paste though.
thanks sharyn. even i wish we all reused the leftovers in food. in india though, left over food is given to animals like cows, dogs, cats, and sadly sometimes even to very poor people.
nice pic..gonna make it this sunday for lunch..
I make this every winter. I am not usually a fan of this dish because how rich it feels but I make it for guests and everybody loves it 🙂
i know its a rich recipe….. but once in a while its alright to indulge 🙂
I’m dissappointed it’s very bitter! Don’t know where I went wrong ! I did follow ure instructions but its so bitter! Crestfallen indeed!
the methi you used is very bitter. actually the recipe is not bitter. since the methi we get in india, is not very bitter. a suggestion is to add salt to the leaves and mix well. let the methi leaves sit for about 20-30 minutes. then squeeze the methi leaves. the bitter juices are released this way.rinse and then add to the recipe.