Methi Matar Malai

Before I proceed, I promise this will be the last in cream series, at least for a while, since I have run out of cream and not planning to buy any soon.

This is one of the dishes you find in the entree section of any Indian restaurant. Though this is a different version, it essentially includes all basic elements - methi or fenugreek leaves, matar or peas and malai or cream. It can be eaten with rotis or rice.

This dish was pretty challenging, literally. When we went to Indian street, my husband almost picked up ready mix of this dish, thank god I saw it. It doesn't make difference to him if it is home cooked or store bought. Men and their way of thinking is too simple in these things. Anything that can be eaten during meals is all they need. No matter where they come from or how much effort you put in making them :) Anyways, he challenged me to make it restaurant like, at home, and then he wouldn't buy anymore ready dishes. And guess who won it :) Moi!

In other news, all these recipes are making my mom angry. Yes, she is, since my dad demands her to prepare these every time they come to know I have posted a new recipe in my blog. He loves rich foods and he is a heart patient with diabetes. According to him, never regret about eating something when you actually can eat it with your own teeth. Lols! he never likes any healthy food. On the hind side, my father-in-law eats only healthy food (well most of the time).

So we as children (at least to them) are mixed breed. We enjoy anything we eat and are adjusted to all kinds of food, Vegetarian food.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients to grind:

• 3 tbsp cashew nuts soaked in water for 30 mins
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 inch grated ginger
• 3-4 garlic pods grated
• 1/4 onion chopped roughly
• 1 tomato de-seeded
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 cloves
• 3-4 cardamom pods
• 4-5 black pepper corn
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 3/4 onion finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 cup green peas
• 2 cups chopped fenugreek leaves (add salt to chopped leaves and keep it for 10 mins and drain to remove bitterness)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt as needed

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients with little water given under to grind section.
• In a sauce pan, add oil and let it heat, once hot, add cumin seeds and let it crackle.
• Add onion and fry until translucent.
• Then add peas and fry for 2 mins and then add fenugreek leaves and fry for another 5 minutes.
• To this add the ground masala and add water to get curry consistency and bring it to boil.
• Add cream slowly giving a gentle stir simultaneously and then add milk to it.
• Add in sugar and then salt and check for taste. Serve hot.