Methi Matar Malai is a rich and creamy curry made using fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) and green peas. It pairs beautifully with naan or lachha paratha. Try this restaurant-style recipe in the comfort of your home (gluten-free).
Here are some more Methi recipes that you can try – Aloo Methi, Methi Paneer, Baingan Methi, Kashmiri Methi Chaman, and Gajar Methi.
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About This Recipe
Rich, creamy, sweet, and very slightly bitter Methi Matar Malai is the dish if you are looking to make something unique for a special occasion or a festive meal.
It is a perfectly balanced North Indian curry where the bitterness of methi (fenugreek leaves) is balanced with sweet matar (green peas) and malai (cream).
This vegetarian and gluten-free curry comes together in just 30 minutes and once you make it at home using my easy and simple recipe, you will never order it from a restaurant again.
Keep in mind that this is not your everyday curry. It is rich and heavy and apt to make for special days when you are not counting your calories.
This methi matar malai recipe serves 4-5 people but you can easily double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients
You will get all the ingredients to make this curry at any Indian grocery store.
Fenugreek Leaves (Methi) – Try to use fresh fenugreek leaves (fresh methi leaves) to make this curry but if it’s not available you can use frozen leaves as well. Kasuri methi can also be used in case fresh or frozen leaves are not available.
If using Kasuri methi, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes to rehydrate the leaves. Squeeze and add it to the gravy.
Notes – Rich in Iron, methi, or fenugreek leaves helps in reducing cholesterol, lowers the risk of heart disease, helps in losing weight, and improves digestion. So try to include methi in your everyday diet and eat it as often as possible.
Green Peas (Matar) – Use fresh or frozen green peas. Frozen peas can be used directly but if you are using fresh green peas, cook them until they are tender before adding them to the curry.
Note – Freeze green peas when they are in season to use them throughout the year using my simple recipe.
One great substitute for green peas to use in this curry is steamed sweet corn kernels, it tastes delicious too.
Heavy Cream – This adds richness and creaminess to this dish. Replace it with milk to make the curry lighter. You can also use malai (fresh cream) in place of heavy cream. Just blend it in a blender to make it smooth.
Ground Masala Paste – To make the base of curry, we will make a ground masala paste using onions, fresh ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, fresh tomatoes, and green chillies.
Other Ingredients – Other than the above-mentioned ingredients, you will also need some basic ingredients like vegetable oil, green cardamoms, cinnamon, salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder, sugar, and lime juice.
You can add a little turmeric powder to get a bright yellow curry.
How To Make Methi Matar Malai
Preparation
Start by cleaning the methi leaves. Discard the hard stems as they are bitter in taste and keep the leaves and soft tender stems. Wash the leaves 2-3 times with water to get rid of any mud. You can add 1 teaspoon vinegar or baking soda to the water while washing the leaves to get rid of any insecticides. Now drain the leaves well and measure 2 cups of packed leaves. Chop the leaves finely using a knife.
Note – Chopping the leaves finely is important as we are not going to puree them later. If they’re too big in size, they won’t feel good while eating.
Cook 1 cup of green peas in water until tender if using fresh peas. If using frozen, just rinse with water.
Slice the onions and chop ginger, garlic, green chilies, and tomatoes.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Cook The Methi Leaves
Heat 5-6 cups of water in a large pot over high heat.
When it comes to a boil, add chopped methi leaves and peas and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the water and run the leaves under tap water in a colander to stop the cooking process. Drain and keep aside.
Cook The Other Ingredients
Heat 3 cups of water in the same pot over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add 1 cup of sliced onions, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, ½ cup cashew nuts, ½ cup chopped tomatoes, and 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies, and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain and keep aside.
Make The Masala Paste
Add the boiled onion-tomato mixture to a blender along with ¼ cup water.
Blend to make a smooth paste. Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.
Make The Curry
Heat 4 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add 3 whole green cardamoms and a 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick and fry for 3-4 seconds. You can crush the cardamoms and cinnamon lightly for a more intense flavor.
Add the onion-tomato paste to the pan and fry for 3- 4 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring while frying.
Now add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, and cook for a minute.
Add 1 cup of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cooked methi and peas to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add ½ cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon sugar and cook for a minute.
Add 1 teaspoon lime juice and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if required.
Garnish with heavy cream swirls. Serve hot with naan or laccha paratha.
Frequently Asked Questions
Methi leaves have a slight bitterness which is natural but sometimes they are very bitter and difficult to eat. In that case, mix the chopped methi leaves with 1 teaspoon salt and keep them aside for 10 minutes. The leaves will release some water. Squeeze the leaves and use them in the cooking. The bitterness will not be there anymore.
To make a vegan version, you can just skip heavy cream from the recipe. To add creaminess you can add extra cashew paste or even coconut cream or coconut milk at the end.
If you don’t prefer to use onion and garlic in your recipes, you can just skip adding them to this curry and make a Jain-style methi malai matar. It tastes delicious without these two ingredients too.
Serving Suggestions
Methi Malai Matar tastes great with almost every Indian bread such as Tandoori Roti, Naan, Missi Roti, Tawa Parathas, or Phulka.
You can also serve this creamy curry along with Steamed Rice, Jeera Rice, Matar Pulao, or any other lightly spiced Pulao.
I like to serve it for my festive meals along with Dal Makhani, Jeera Rice, Boondi Raita, and Roti.
Storage Suggestions
Methi Malai Matar will last in the refrigerator for about a day or two.
If you want to store it for 3-4 days, don’t add the cream and store it in an airtight container. Add the cream after reheating it.
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Recipe Card
Methi Matar Malai Recipe (Fenugreek Green Peas Curry)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely chopped methi (fenugreek leaves)
- 1 cup frozen matar (green peas) (if using fresh peas, cook them in water until tender.)
- 1 cup sliced onions
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- ½ cup cashew nuts
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 whole green cardamoms
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions
Cook The Methi Leaves
- Heat 5-6 cups of water in a large pot over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add chopped methi leaves and peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the water and run the leaves under tap water in a colander to stop the cooking process. Drain and keep aside.
Cook The Other Ingredients
- Heat 3 cups of water in the same pot over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add onions, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, tomatoes, and green chilies and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
Make The Masala Paste
- Add the boiled onion-tomato mixture to a blender along with ¼ cup water.
- Blend to make a smooth paste.
- Scrape the sides of the blender a few times while blending.
Make The Curry
- Heat vegetable oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add whole green cardamoms and cinnamon stick and fry for 3-4 seconds. You can crush the cardamoms and cinnamon lightly for a more intense flavor.
- Add the onion-tomato paste to the pan and fry for 3- 4 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring while frying.
- Now add salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, and garam masala powder, and cook for a minute.
- Add 1 cup water and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cooked methi and peas to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add heavy cream and sugar and cook for a minute.
- Add lime juice and mix well. Check for salt and add more if required.
- Garnish with heavy cream swirls. Serve hot with naan or laccha paratha.
Divya Shivaraman
Wow super rich and creamy dish…love the way you swirled that cream on top
Anupa Joseph (Palaharam)
Perfect curry to have with chapathi
Sheetal
Hi … tried this recipe for dinner … my family loved it … will be coming back for more recipes … keep up the good work 🙂
msnehamathur
Thnx for trying Sheetal
Hadley
This was delicious! THANK YOU! Made the vegan version, using homemade coconut heavy cream—tasted just like what we order from our local Indian restaurant. Served with saffron rice. Yum! Thank you, thank you! Will definitely be making again (and probably doubling the recipe)!
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear the recipe worked for you 🙂
Shampa
I was looking for methi matar mala recipe for a long time. Today I have seen the video and I loved it. Looks very tasty. I am going to make it. Thank you for sharing