Name: Methi Malai Matar Recipe With Paneer
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil (peanut or avocado); 2 cups chopped onions; 1/4 cup unsalted cashews; 1-2 green chilies; 1- inch ginger (grated); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon oil (peanut or avocado); 1 teaspoon shahi jeera; 1 black cardamom (optional); 2 green cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns; 1- inch piece cinnamon stick; 2 cups chopped methi leaves (fenugreek leaves); 8 oz paneer; 1 cup peas (frozen will do); 1 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional); 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

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Methi Malai Matar Paneer is an unforgettable vegetarian dish made with fresh fenugreek leaves, green peas, and soft chunks of paneer. Learn how to make this methi malai matar meal on the stove in about 40 minutes.

A black bowl of Methi Malai Mutter Paneer on a wooden table with green chilies and a side of naan.

When I got married about 15 years ago I would always make methi matar malai restaurant-style for potlucks. Most folks who ate it loved it, but little did they know that I was not making it from scratch. I was using a pre-made mix from Rasoi magic.

A decade later, with quite a few years of cooking experience under my belt, I no longer use a storebought mix and still manage to make a delicious bowl of methi malai paneer in about 40 minutes. The recipe is really easy and there is no way you can get it wrong. Don’t use a premade mix like me, make it from scratch from the get-go.

What is methi malai matar?

If you have never had methi malai matar before, it is a vegetarian North Indian dish that comprises of a mildly spicy, creamy curry made with fresh fenugreek leaves and green peas topped with heavy cream. With only a hint of spice, this delicious dish makes a perfect curry to serve guests not accustomed to Indian food.

The base curry of methi malai matar is very versatile. For example, in this recipe, I added paneer to make it methi malai paneer but there are other options too. Some replace peas with sweet corn to make it methi malai corn, and of course, there is an option to make it non-vegetarian by adding chicken too!.

Ingredients in Methi Malai Matar with Paneer

The key ingredients in the methi malai matar paneer recipe are –

Methi (fenugreek leaves) is the star ingredient in this recipe and shines through by introducing a hint of bitterness into this dish.
Cashews and onions – When ground together, they form the creamy base of this curry.
Malai (heavy cream) is what gives this dish a rich, creamy taste. I do skip it from time to time to save on calories.
Matar (green peas)
Paneer (cottage cheese) – Paneer makes an excellent addition to vegetarian dishes because it adds protein to the dish.

How to make methi malai matar with paneer

Instructions

To begin, heat a wok or kadhai on medium heat and add oil. Once the oil heats up, add onions, ginger, garlic, chopped chilies, cashews, and salt. Fry until the onions are translucent and soft, for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow this mixture to cool for at least 8-10 minutes.
Once cooled, blend the onion mixture to a fine puree.
Next, add oil to the kadhai and heat. Once it is hot, add shahi jeera. When the shahi jeera starts sizzling, add the green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns to the kadhai.
Fry the spices for about 10-15 seconds and then add peas and methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) along with turmeric powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and let them cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Next, add the pureed onion-cashew mixture, 1 cup of water, and 1 tsp sugar. Mix well and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
Gently stir paneer pieces into the mixture. Let the gravy simmer for 5-10 minutes. Switch off the heat and add fresh cream, if using and stir it in.
Do a taste test and add more salt (if needed).
Serve this methi paneer hot with fresh rotis or naan.

Variations

Use 1/4 cup yogurt instead of heavy cream to the curry base. I do that to mix it up sometimes.
Add about 1 cup of chopped tomatoes along with the onions, fry and puree them to give it a different twist.
Skip heavy cream – I always skip the cream because cashews add enough creaminess to this dish. If you want to make this dish nut-free, skip the cashews and use cream instead.
Add sweet corn instead of paneer to make methi malai corn or skip the paneer to make methi malai matar. And if you want to make it non-vegetarian, you can make this dish with chicken too.
If you are wondering if you can replace fresh fenugreek leaves with the dried version, the answer is yes. Dried kasoori methi are so much more potent than the fresh ones. I would just use 1/4th cup to replace 2 cups of fresh ones.
I normally add a dash of garam masala to most of my north Indian dishes but for this dish, I felt like it didn’t need it because the whole spices were sufficient. You can always add it to give it a new twist.

Notes / tips

One cup of water may sound excessive but this curry soaks up water in no time.
Most recipes call for grinding the onions first and then cooking it. I prefer cooking the onions first, then grinding it because when you cook raw onion paste it takes longer to get the raw taste out.

If you enjoyed this methi malai paneer recipe, here are a few more Indian vegetarian recipes to add more variety to your everyday meal.

Aloo matar – this simple peas and potato curry is perfect for days when you want a fuss-free meal that is easy to make and delicious. Pair it with roti or rice to make it a complete meal.
Matar paneer – Paneer lovers rejoice! Here’s a delicious and creamy restaurant-style matar paneer recipe that you’ve got to check out.
Aloo methi – Aloo methi combines stir-fried potatoes (aloo) with freshly chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) to create an aromatic and flavorful side dish that is best savored with ghee laden rotis.
Palak paneer – Palak paneer (spinach with cottage cheese) combines spinach with cottage cheese to make this delicious meal that goes well with rotis or naan.
Dum aloo – This easy and delicious Punjabi style Dum Aloo gravy is perfect for families who want to savor this lovely dish without spending hours in the kitchen. Leverage your Instant Pot and make it in about 40-minutes.

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Methi Malai Matar Recipe With Paneer

By Anushree Shetty

Methi Malai Matar with Paneer is made with fresh fenugreek leaves, green peas, and soft chunks of paneer. Learn how to make this unforgettable methi paneer recipe on the stove in about 40 minutes.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Cooling time: 5

Total Time: 40

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the gravy

2 tablespoons oil peanut or avocado
2 cups chopped onions
¼ cup unsalted cashews
1-2 green chilies
1- inch ginger grated
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt

For tempering

1 tablespoon oil peanut or avocado
1 teaspoon shahi jeera
1 black cardamom optional
2 green cardamom
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
1- inch piece cinnamon stick

Other ingredients

2 cups chopped methi leaves fenugreek leaves
8 oz paneer
1 cup peas frozen will do
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder optional
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream optional

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