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Methi Matar Malai Recipe (Creamy & Rich)
4.8 from 143 votes

Methi Matar Malai Recipe (Creamy & Rich)

Methi Matar Malai is a creamy curry combining chopped fenugreek leaves and green peas cooked with a spice paste made of onion, cashews, cumin, garlic, ginger, and green chilies. The dish is enriched with light cream and a hint of sugar, resulting in a rich and mildly spiced sauce that complements the slight bitterness of fenugreek and sweetness of peas. The recipe includes steps for cooking the peas and fenugreek carefully to balance flavors and texture.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 203 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the curry paste
  • ⅓ cup onion 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 neutral cooking oil or ghee, generic cooking oil
  • 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
    Cup of Yum
  1. Begin by preparing the ingredients. First rinse the fenugreek leaves thoroughly in water. Drain the water completely and then chop the leaves.
  2. Meanwhile cook the green peas. Though fresh green peas taste best, you can use frozen peas too.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. In a grinder jar or blender, add cumin seeds, chopped onions, cashews, garlic, ginger and green chilies.
  8. Blend or grind to a fine and smooth paste without adding any water.
  9. 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
  1. Heat ghee (clarified butter) or oil in a pan or kadai.
  2. When the ghee melts or becomes lightly hot, add the ground paste.
  3. Sauté the paste for 6 to 7 minutes on a low to medium-low heat until you see the fat separating from the sides.
  4. 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.
  5. You will see the paste coming together and becoming glossy. Do not brown the paste. 
  6. 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
  1. Add in the chopped fenugreek leaves and sauté further for 2 to 3 minutes. 
  2. 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.
  3. Simmer the gravy for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir at intervals. 
  4. Add the boiled peas and cream. Stir and mix to combine.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. If the consistency looks too thick for your liking, add a bit of water to thin the consistency slightly.
  8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve Methi Matar Malai hot or warm with naan, paratha or roti.

Notes

  • To lessen fenugreek leaves' bitterness, sprinkle them with salt, let rest 15 minutes, then squeeze and rinse before cooking.
  • Both fresh and frozen green peas can be used; ensure they are boiled or steamed until tender before adding to the curry.
  • If using homemade malai or clotted cream, refrigerate and whip it until smooth and soft before adding for best creamy texture.
  • Packaged light cream does not require whipping before use.
  • Adjust curry consistency with reserved green pea cooking water as needed.
  • For a vegan alternative, substitute coconut cream or use almond paste/flour, noting that coconut cream may impart a coconut flavor.
  • To prepare Jain-friendly version, omit onion and garlic, make a spice paste from green chilies, ginger, cashews, and cumin, and add a pinch of asafoetida before the paste.

Nutrition Information

Serving 4g Calories 203kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 33mg (11%) Sodium 309mg (13%) Potassium 150mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 323IU (6%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin B12 1µg (42%) Vitamin C 10mg (11%) Vitamin D 1µg (5%) Vitamin E 1mg Vitamin K 9µg Calcium 258mg (26%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 19µg Iron 2mg (11%) Magnesium 35mg (9%) Phosphorus 84mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 203

% Daily Value*

Serving 4g
Calories 203kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 309mg 13%
Potassium 150mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 323IU 6%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin B12 1µg 42%
Vitamin C 10mg 11%
Vitamin D 1µg 5%
Vitamin E 1mg
Vitamin K 9µg
Calcium 258mg 26%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 19µg
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 35mg 9%
Phosphorus 84mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.