March 12, 2024

Creamy Paneer Methi Malai – Flavorsofmykitchen

Paneer Methi Malai is a rich, creamy and flavorful curry with so much flavors. You are familiar with Methi Malai Matar. This is just like that but little different because of the flavors are added in here.

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What is Paneer Methi Malai?
What are the Ingredients?
How to Make Paneer Methi Malai?
Serving And Storage Suggestion?

Paneer Methi Malai is made of creamy gravy and packed with spices with fenugreek leaves (Methi) and matar (green peas). It is spicy, with hints of sweetness of green peas and little bit of bitterness of Methi. I am so obsessed with North Indian Food. But, I always wanted to make it home and give it to my version. I love any paneer dishes. So, this is technically a methi malai matar but I like paneer and my kids too so, I made my way by my taste.

I tried this recipe first time to my local Indian restaurant. It was just so amazing and i wanted to make the same as that restaurant. I made this recipe few times and trust me it tastes so good just as that local restaurant I tried. The original Paneer Methi Malai has Paneer in cubes. But when I tried in restaurant that curry had shredded Paneer and I wanted to make that same way.

What is Paneer Methi Malai?

In Paneer Methi Malai, Malai means cream. Heavy cream is used in this curry to make it rich and creamy. This recipe is based off a rich and creamy gravy made of onions, tomatoes, cashews, spices, methi, peas and paneer. If you want a break from the same curry recipe, then try out this luscious recipe! Me and my family loves Paneer Makhhanwala, Paneer tikka masala. So this dish is similar to these dishes yet little different.

You might like something like these.

What are the Ingredients?

Paneer: In this recipe paneer is required and you can use homemade paneer or store bought paneer too. You can use the cube paneer or you can shred them. I like shredded paneer in this recipe.
Methi: Methi is a key ingredient in this recipe. You can use fresh methi or frozen.
Peas: This curry is similar to Methi Malai Matar so yes we need peas. You can use frozen or fresh.
Spices: There some whole dry spices use like cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bay leaf. Other regular spices using as well like garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric and salt.
Cream: You can use any cream or malai whatever available for this recipe. As this recipe has cream name so cream is must.
Tomatoes And Onions: Tomatoes and onions are using to make the gravy.
Cashews: Cashews i always use for any Indian curry. This gives creamy rich look of the gravy.
Ginger Garlic: Ginger garlic you can use chopped or paste. I usually use chopped so it grind well with tomatoes and onions.
Butter or oil: You can use butter as well or oil.

How to Make Paneer Methi Malai?

To Make Paneer Methi Malai, First we will prepare the gravy. In a pan add some oil. Add dry whole spices like cardamom, bay leaf, clove and cinnamon. Add cumin seeds and once it starts spluttering add asafetida. Then add roughly chopped onions. Saute this until they leave raw smell and become translucent. Add roughly chopped ginger, garlic and slit green chilies. Cook this for another few minutes.
Now add chopped tomatoes to this and cover it. Add cashews into this as well and let these cook for few minutes. Once everything cook well, turn the heat off and let it cool down.
While the veggies are cooling down, prep for Methi. If you are using fresh methi, get it ready ahead of time. In a pan add some oil and add chopped fenugreek leaves. We are sauteing this because it will leave the bitterness of this Methi. We don’t need to cook methi that much. Once it’s done, turn the flame off.
Now make gravy of the veggies we prepared. In a blender jar transfer onion and tomatoes. (you can remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick). Grind in smooth paste. The gravy is ready and you can sieve it or just leave as it is.
In a same pan (in which we cook methi), add some butter. I like to add little bit of oil too. Add turmeric, red chili powder, punjabi garam masala and cumin-coriander powder. On small heat cook this spices for 1 minute. Make sure it won’t burn out.
Add prepared gravy to this pan carefully. Stir this gravy carefully. Add salt to taste. Add cooked methi and boiled peas into this.
Cook this for few minutes and add 1/2 cup of cream. Let it simmer for few minutes. Add 1 tsp of sugar into this.
Finally add shredded Paneer into this. Add kasuri methi. Let it cook for few minutes.
After 5 minutes turn the flame off and serve this delicious Paneer Methi Malai with Naan, rice.

Serving And Storage Suggestion?

Paneer Methi Matar Malai tastes best when served hot with any Indian flat bread. It can also be served on a side with pulao or biryani. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro for a vibrant, restaurant style curry. Leftover curry can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a day, reheated before serving.

Creamy Paneer Methi Malai – Flavorsofmykitchen

5 from 1 vote

Recipe by Shruti Naik Course: MainCuisine: Indian

Servings

People

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup Ghee or Butter
2 tsp oil
1 bay leaf
2 cardamon pods
2 cloves 1tsp cumin seeds
1/2 stick of cinnamon
1 onion – roughly chopped
2 green chilies – roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic – roughly chopped
1/2 inch ginger nub
1 large tomato – roughly chopped
1/4 cup cashews
2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp garam masala
3 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/3 heavy cream
1/3 cup frozen peas
1 bunch methi – chopped and rinsed
2 tsp dried fenugreek
1 cup grated paneer
salt to taste
1 tsp Sugar

Directions

To Make Paneer Methi Malai, First we will prepare the gravy. In a pan add some oil. Add dry whole spices like cardamom, bay leaf, clove and cinnamon. Add cumin seeds and once it starts spluttering add asafetida. Then add roughly chopped onions. Saute this until they leave raw smell and become translucent. Add roughly chopped ginger, garlic and slit green chilies. Cook this for another few minutes.
Now add chopped tomatoes to this and cover it. Add cashews into this as well and let these cook for few minutes. Once everything cook well, turn the heat off and let it cool down.
While the veggies are cooling down, prep for Methi. If you are using fresh methi, get it ready ahead of time. In a pan add some oil and add chopped fenugreek leaves. We are sauteing this because it will leave the bitterness of this Methi. We don’t need to cook methi that much. Once it’s done, turn the flame off.
Now make gravy of the veggies we prepared. In a blender jar transfer onion and tomatoes. (you can remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick). Grind in smooth paste. The gravy is ready and you can sieve it or just leave as it is.
In a same pan (in which we cook methi), add some butter. I like to add little bit of oil too. Add turmeric, red chili powder, punjabi garam masala and cumin-coriander powder. On small heat cook this spices for 1 minute. Make sure it won’t burn out.
Add prepared gravy to this pan carefully. Stir this gravy carefully. Add salt to taste. Add cooked methi and boiled peas into this.
Cook this for few minutes and add 1/2 cup of cream. Let it simmer for few minutes. Add 1 tsp of sugar into this.
Finally add shredded Paneer into this. Add kasuri methi. Let it cook for few minutes.
After 5 minutes turn the flame off and serve this delicious Paneer Methi Malai with Naan, rice.

Recipe Video

Notes

If you want to make Vegan, skip Paneer. Instead of heavy cream use cashew paste or any plant based milk.
IF your gravy is thick, you can add little bit of water and adjust spice level accordingly.
Frozen Methi is also a great shortcut option for this recipe. Make sure to rinse it before cooking it in the pan for a little bit to release the moisture.