Methi Malai Paneer

4.91 from 41 votes

Methi malai paneer is a creamy, mildly sweet gravy with hints of bitterness from methi leaves. It is made with Indian cottage cheese a.k.a paneer, fenugreek leaves, cream in a flavorful onion tomato curry base.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 348kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

for masala paste

2 medium onions or 175 grams onions or 1.5 cups chopped onions
1 small tomato or 50 grams tomatoes or ¼ cup chopped tomatoes
1 inch ginger, chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
5 to 6 small garlic cloves, chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 or 2 chopped green chilies or 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
10 to 12 cashews or 2 tablespoon cashews - chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon oil

other ingredients

200 to 250 grams Paneer (cottage cheese) - cut in cubes or squares
1 cup tightly packed fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) - about 40 grams methi leaves or 2 tablespoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
½ teaspoon Garam Masala
¾ to 1 cup water - i added 1 cup water
¼ cup fresh cream
2 tablespoon oil
salt as required

Instructions

First pluck the methi leaves. Then rinse them very well in water. Chop them finely and keep aside.

making masala paste

In a pan or kadai heat oil. Add cumin seeds.
Stir and saute till the cumin seeds change color and splutter on low heat.
Now add chopped onions.
Stir very well and saute them on a low to medium heat till they become light brown stirring often.
Then add chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped green chilies and chopped cashews. Saute for 10 to 15 seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
Add chopped tomatoes. Mix well and saute the tomatoes till they soften on medium-low heat stirring often. Switch off the heat once the tomatoes soften. Set the pan aside.
When this onion-tomato mixture cools down, add it in a grinder or blender jar. Add about ¼ to ⅓ cup water and grind or blend to a fine smooth paste. Keep aside.

making methi malai paneer

In the same pan, now add 2 tablespoons of oil.
Add 1 cup tightly packed finely chopped methi leaves. Stir and saute the methi leaves till they wilt and soften on low heat.
Next add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and coriander powder.
Mix and stir the spice powders with the sauteed methi leaves.
Now add the ground onion tomato paste prepared earlier. Stir and mix very well.
On a low heat saute the entire mixture for 7 to 8 minutes. Keep on stirring so that the masala does not stick to the pan.
When you see some oil releasing from the sides, then add ¾ to 1 cup water.
Stir again very well. Now add salt as per taste.
On a low to medium heat simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add ¼ cup light or low fat cream. Instead of light cream you can add 2 tablespoons of whipping cream or heavy cream.
Stir the cream very well with the rest of the gravy.
Add paneer cubes and garam masala powder. Switch off the heat.
Now add ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar. Add sugar as required.
Mix very well. Check the taste of gravy and add salt or sugar if needed.
Serve methi malai paneer garnished with some grated paneer with tandoori rotis, naan or chapatis or paratha. This creamy gravy also goes well with jeera rice, saffron rice or Kashmiri rice.

Notes

Use homemade soft paneer for best results. For frozen paneer follow the package instructions to defrost the paneer.
Only use the leaves and not the stems of fenugreek.
This recipe can't be scaled because of its complexity.
Instead of cashews you can add almonds.

Nutrition