Methi Malai Paneer (Restaurant Style)
User Reviews
4.9
96 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
25 mins
-
Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
348 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Methi Malai Paneer (Restaurant Style)
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Methi Malai Paneer features paneer cubes cooked in a creamy, spiced tomato-onion gravy with fresh fenugreek leaves. The dish balances the earthiness of methi and mild sweetness of cream with fragrant spices and cashews, resulting in a smooth, comfort-food style curry.
Description
The recipe begins by preparing a masala paste from sautéed cumin-seeded onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cashews, and tomatoes, blended with water into a smooth mix. This forms the flavorful base of the curry. Fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves are finely chopped separately and added to the cooked sauce, lending their characteristic slightly bitter, herbal flavor.
Paneer cubes are stirred into the creamy masala along with turmeric, red chili, coriander powders, garam masala, cream, and water to create a rich yet balanced curry. Cooking gently allows the paneer to absorb the flavors without breaking down. The resulting texture is a smooth, velvety sauce with soft paneer bites and fresh methi aroma.
This dish pairs well with Indian breads like naan or roti and can be served as a main course. Using fresh soft paneer improves the dish's texture, and the recipe cautions against scaling up due to its delicate balance of ingredients and preparation steps.
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Ingredients
for masala paste
- 2 onion or 175 grams onions or 1.5 cups chopped onions, medium
- 1 tomato or 50 grams tomatoes or ¼ cup chopped tomatoes, small
- 1 inch ginger chopped or 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
- 5 to 6 garlic chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, small cloves
- 1 or 2 green chili or 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies, chopped
- 10 to 12 cashews or 2 tablespoon cashews - chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
other ingredients
- 200 to 250 grams paneer (cottage cheese) - cut in cubes or squares
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves fenugreek leaves) - about 40 grams methi leaves or 2 tablespoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves, tightly packed, fresh
- 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 neutral cooking oil generic cooking 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 the best texture; defrost frozen paneer as per package instructions if using.
- Incorporate only fenugreek leaves, avoiding the stems for optimal flavor.
- Due to the recipe’s complexity, scaling the quantities is not recommended.
- Almonds can be substituted for cashews if preferred.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
348kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
12g
(4%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
28g
(43%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
43mg
(14%)
Sodium
645mg
(27%)
Potassium
126mg
(3%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
290IU
(6%)
Vitamin C
6.5mg
(7%)
Calcium
487mg
(49%)
Iron
1.8mg
(10%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 348 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 348kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 43mg | 14% |
| Sodium | 645mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 126mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 290IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 6.5mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 487mg | 49% |
| Iron | 1.8mg | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
96 reviews
Excellent
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