Sunday, September 21, 2014

Methi Matar Malai


This recipe is dedicated to my big sister. As all big sisters should be, she is my biggest cheerleader. This is one of her favorite dishes that she has requested. This is a super easy version of the recipe (especially for her), so no need to slave over the stove!  

Methi Matar Malai roughly translates to peas in a creamy fenugreek sauce. It is a restaurant favorite in India but strangely, I never see on the menu in Indian restaurants here in NZ. It is a beautifully flavorful, creamy and nutty dish. I use Kasuri Methi (i.e dried fenugreek leaves) in this dish and I believe that this ingredient should come with a warning label. Most recipes call for the kasuri methi to be crushed in your hands before adding it into the dish. This is a bad idea. Your hands will smell like methi for the rest of your life! Instead, I recommend using the back of a spoon to gently crush it in a small bowl before adding it into curries. 

Yield: Serves 3-4

Prep Time: 15 Minutes + Overnight Soak

Cook Time: 20 Minutes


Methi Matar Malai
Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients


1 and ½ cup Green Peas
3 Tablespoons Kasoori Methi
3 tbsp Oil
1 Can Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 pinch Hing (asafetida)
1 tbsp Yoghurt
12-14 Cashews
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 Onion
½” Ginger
1-2 Green Chillies
1 Black Cardamom
1 Green Cardamom
2-3 Cloves
½” piece Cinnamon
Salt, to taste

Method


  • Coarsely pound the black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon together
  • Soak the Cashew and poppy seeds in enough hot water to cover

  • Slice the onions and sauté them in a tablespoon of oil till they caramelize

  • Grind to paste the onion, ginger, sugar, green chillies, cashew and poppy seeds along with the water that they were soaked in. I am using a Ninja for this purpose. You can get yours here


  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, the powdered spices and asafetida.

  • Once the spices start sputtering, add the onion mixture and cook till the oil starts to separate, stirring to take care that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn

  • Add the yoghurt and cook for about 5 minutes

  • Add peas and kasuri methi



  • Add evaporated milk to thin the mixture and let it come to a boil and thicken if needed

  • Add salt to taste
If you store this dish in the refrigerator, it will thicken quite a bit. Add some milk and thin it out a bit before you reheat.

Enjoy!

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