Name: Methi Matar Malai
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Fenugreek Leaves, methi, washed, chopped and bitterness removed; ½ cup Green Peas, boiled; ¼ cup Fresh Cream, malai; 1 Onion, roughly chopped (for boiling); 6 Cashews, soaked in warm water; 1 Green Chili Pepper; ½ tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; ¼ tsp Garam Masala; ¼ tsp Sugar, to balance the slight bitterness; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; ¾ tbsp Cooking Oil; ½ cup Water

55 mintotal

40 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Fabricate the White Base: In a saucepan, boil the roughly chopped onions, soaked cashews, and green chillies in a small amount of water for 10 minutes until completely soft. Drain, cool slightly, and process in a blender into a flawlessly smooth, silky white puree.
10 min
Heat a small quantity of the cooking oil in a pan. Add the squeezed, chopped methi leaves and pan-roast them for 3-4 minutes until they shrink, darken, and dry out completely. Remove and set aside.
3–4 min
In the same cooking vessel, heat the remaining oil. Drop in the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter and flavor the oil.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté briefly. Immediately pour in the prepared white onion-cashew paste.
Cook this rich paste on low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes. It demands constant stirring to prevent the cashews from scorching, cooking until it thickens and begins to exude oil.
5–7 min
Season the thickened base with salt, sugar, and garam masala. Mix thoroughly to dissolve.
Fold the roasted methi leaves and pre-boiled green peas into the masala. Add sufficient warm water to adjust the consistency to a rich gravy, and bring the pan to a gentle simmer.
Turn the heat right down and stir in the fresh cream gently. Once the cream is in, do not let the curry come back to a hard boil or it will split.
Allow to rest on minimal heat for 2 minutes to homogenize, then turn off the stove.
2 min
Serve warm.

How to tell it's done

Expect a staggeringly smooth, velvety, and subtly sweet white-golden gravy densely populated with soft, sweet green peas and deeply savory, dark green fenugreek leaves.

Getting it right

Tip

Boiling the onions prior to blending is mandatory; it entirely neutralizes their pungent raw bite, ensuring the resulting white gravy remains sweet, opulent, and delicately perfumed.

What to serve it with

A sophisticated dish that pairs exquisitely with soft Garlic Naan, flaky Lachha Paratha, or hot, puffed Phulkas.

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