Indian Matar Methi Malai
Green Peas and Fenugreek in Cashew Cream Gravy
Posted By Savita
Matar (Green Peas) Methi (Fenugreek) Malai (Cream) is a comforting main course packed with goodness of greens and is very mild sweet and creamy. Indian Fenugreek leaves are bitter are very aromatic and often used in Indian cooking as dry spice or fresh in many main-course dishes.
Dry fenugreek leaves are very potent and used in small quantity to enhance the flavor of many Indian curries.
To reduce bitterness of fresh leaves, leaves are often blanched or shallow fried. I personally prefer blanching leaves in salted water for Matar Methi Malai. Further to match sharp taste of these healthy greens, various sweet and creamy elements are added like in this recipe I have used sweet green peas and cashew cream gravy.
If you don't find fresh fenugreek, feel free to use just dry fenugreek leaves or spinach or kale for this recipe and in-fact, I sometimes make this dish without fenugreek, just sweet-peas simmered in creamy rich gravy, very rich, comforting and delightful.
Serve it with Indian style Roti or Naan and enjoy easy Indian dinner at home.
Ingredients
- 1 Fenugreek (bunch fresh methi leaves blanched in salted water)
- 1 Cup Green Peas (Frozen Sweet Green Peas or if using fresh, boil or steam till tender)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Milk (½ cup milk mixed in 1/2 cup water)
- 1 Yellow Onion (small white onion or yellow onion)
- 2 tbsp Heavy Cream (Optional but recommended)
- 1/2 Cup Cashew
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1-2 Hot Green Pepper (small)
- 1 inch Ginger (1 inch fresh root of ginger)
- 1 tbsp Fenugreek (Kasoori Methi)
Directions
-
1. Soak cashews in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add chopped white onion, green chili, ginger and saute till onions are tender. -
2. Use a blender or grinder to make paste of cooked onions and cashews. -
3. Melt butter in a heated pan, add cumin seeds and fry till cumin is fragrant (30 sec). -
4. Transfer the ground pasty mixture of onion and cashews to the pan and stir to combine. -
5. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook stirring until mixture leaves sides of the pan (6-7 minutes). Make sure to keep stirring or mixture will catch on the base of pan. -
6. Add frozen peas, blanched fenugreek leaves, dry fenugreek leaves, salt, black pepper and stir to combine. -
7. Now add milk mixed with water, increase heat and bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat and simmer till gravy thickens and reduce to half. -
8. Finish with 1-2 tbsp heavy cream, cook for 2 more minutes and then remove from heat. Serve hot with Naan Bread or Roti.
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