Methi Matar Malai is a creamy and luscious Indian curry that's prepared with fresh green methi leaves, matar, and malai. This is a vegan version of the popular recipe. Here cashew nut cream is used which makes it even more palatable! Trust me, you will not miss the malai at all! Try this easy restaurant-style meal at home and surprise your loved ones with this classic Indian sabzi. It can be made in just 30 minutes!
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What is Methi Matar Malai
Methi means fenugreek, matar means green peas and malai means cream in Hindi. This North Indian vegetarian sabzi or curry is known for its combination of a mildly sweet, spicy, and slightly bitter taste. Traditionally, methi malai matar is white and made without tomatoes, turmeric, or chilly powder. Instead, onions and cashews form the base of the gravy. This makes the methi curry not just a visually appetizing dish but also extremely delicious and the slight bitterness gives the dish a unique taste. Indians make this dish during winter mainly because that's the harvest season for green peas and methi.
Fenu means grass and Greek refers to where this grass is grown - Greece. One of the things I like to do when cooking is to recreate restaurant-style dishes in the comfort of my kitchen! Methi Mutter Malai, Palak Paneer, Dum Aloo, Kadai Paneer, Veg Jalfrezi, and Mushroom Masala. are some of my absolute favorite dishes not just to order at an Indian restaurant but also to make at home. Creating vegan versions of popular recipes is also my thing. This is why I decided to make this classic Indian Methi Matar Masala dairy-free and gluten-free.
What are fenugreek leaves
Fenugreek or methi is used in Central (Turkish & Egyptian) and Asian cuisine. In Indian cuisine, we use this aromatic plant in seed and leaves form. Wondering what the leaves taste like? Methi leaves have a light, sweet aroma with a mild, grassy, nutty, and slightly bitter flavor (if consumed raw) with notes of celery and fennel. Methi is low in calories and contains many powerful antioxidants which have great health benefits. It's also rich in iron and vitamin K. Methi has been proven to reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation.
Fenugreek leaves are more widely used as compared to their seeds primarily due to their immense nutritional benefits. Seeds are added to spice mixes, idli batter, sambhar, and pickles while the fresh green methi leaves are used in different curry recipes like Methi Matar Malai, Methi Dal, Aloo Methi, Air-Fried Gobi Methi, snacks like Methi Ghavan, and breads. Dried methi leaves( called Kasuri or KasooriMethi) are also used in many Indian preparations. Crushing these dried leaves between your palms before adding them to any dish releases the flavor. This is usually the final step (along with garnish) in a recipe.
Why make this
- It is a flavorful and creamy restaurant-style curry
- Is made without milk, malai, or cream
- Vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free
- Not a tomato-based gravy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Great way to include more plants in the diet
- The recipe is easily scalable
Ingredients needed 🧾
Fresh green fenugreek leaves or methi are preferred in this Dhaba-style recipe. However, you may use frozen methi. If doing so, then use ⅓ to ½ cup of frozen methi and also thaw them very well and squeeze all the water from them before using. Then chop and add them to the sabzi. There is no need to blanch them first.
This green leafy vegetable can be found in any Indian grocery store and is sold in bunches. Look for smaller leaves because they are much better in smell and taste. Clean and wash these leaves thoroughly a couple of times as they contain lots of mud and dirt. The best way to clean them is to immerse them in water multiple times until it is clean and has no muddy residue. Remove the leaves from the stems, carefully. It's a tedious job but it is totally worth the effort.
If you don't have fresh methi, then you can also use Kasuri methi. Soak them in water for 15 minutes, squeeze out the excess water, and add them to the pan in place of fresh leaves. Reduce the quantity to ¼ cup.
Green peas or Matar give this dish a crunch, texture, and a balance of flavor. They even out the spicy and slightly bitter flavors with their natural sweetness. You can use fresh or frozen green peas here. If using fresh green peas, boil them first and then add them to the gravy. Soak frozen green peas in warm water for 10 minutes and then use. Green peas are rich in protein, and vitamins C and E
Malai is cream. Since this is a vegan recipe, we are making it without any cream. Instead, we will make cashew cream. You will need raw unsalted cashews for this Indian methi recipe.
Aromatics, and spices - you will need ginger, garlic, bay leaf, cumin seeds, green chillies, and garam masala. Poppy seeds or khus khus can also be added to the paste.
Onion - White onions are preferred since the gravy is white. But if you have red onions, then boil them in water for 5 minutes and use them. This will tone down the deep color.
Flour - Besan or chickpea flour helps in binding the methi curry.
Fat - Use vegan ghee, olive oil, or any other vegetable oil in this restaurant-style methi matar masala recipe.
How to make it 🔪
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To make the paste
- Add cashews to a bowl of hot water. keep for 5 minutes. This will clean them and also give a nice creamy white color to the curry.
- Drain the water, allow them to cool, and add them to a blender.
- Also add roughly chopped onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies.
- Blitz to make a smooth and creamy puree by adding water or any dairy-free milk.
To prep for the curry
- Heat a pan and once it's hot, take it off the flame. Roast the chickpea flour (Besan) in the hot pan for 30-45 seconds. Be careful to not burn it. It should slightly change color. Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside.
- Bring water to a boil and then add methi leaves to it. Submerge the leaves fully in water and let them boil for 2 minutes. Adding salt is optional.
- Do not overcook these leaves as they will lose their color. Transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold water immediately. Let it rest there for 2 minutes. This process is called blanching and it helps reduce bitterness from the fenugreek leaves.
- Chop them roughly and keep them aside for now.
To prepare the curry
- Heat vegan ghee or oil in a pan, temper cumin seeds, then add the bay leaf. Add the ground onion paste to the pan. Cook it for 2-3 minutes or till the raw smell of onion and garlic goes away. Chef Tip - Keep scraping the sides and the bottom of the pan as it cooks.
- Then add roasted gram flour/besan/chickpea flour to the pan and mix. This helps to bind the gravy together. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Mix using a whisk till the water blends well with the mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add the green peas, garam masala, salt, and sugar (it reduces the bitterness of methi) to the mix and give it a stir. Add water and stir it together. Cook it for 3-4 minutes.
- Lastly, add the chopped methi leaves to the pan. Mix it all together with the gravy and continue to cook for another minute or two. Take it off the flame.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Serve this easy vegan Methi Mutter Malai curry warm with any Indian bread (naan, roti, chapati) or steamed rice. Alternatively, you can also serve this vegan curry with cauliflower rice, or alternate grains like quinoa. Serve this at weekend brunches, family dinners, or even pack it in lunch boxes if you are in the mood to indulge. You can prepare this delicious North Indian curry for your family and friends on special occasions and festivals or for any potlucks or get-togethers.
Top recipe tips 💭
The spice level can be adjusted based on the number of green chillies used. Add 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds (Khus Khus) when making the cashew-onion paste to enhance the curry's flavor and texture. Cardamom can also be added along with cumin seeds. The white gravy is supposed to be thick and creamy. But you can adjust the consistency based on your preference.
if you want to make it without cashews, then use blanched almonds instead. But if you are allergic to nuts, use melon, sunflower seeds, or makhana cream. You can also give a coal smoke at the end to give the curry a smoky earthy flavor. An alternate way of making this dish is by adding Paneer/Tofu cubes, Sweet corn, or potatoes to this Dhaba-style curry. In fact, the Methi Matar Malai Paneer recipe is a very popular variation of this dish.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Blanching them as shown in the recipe helps remove the leaves. If you don't want to blanch them, you can also sprinkle some salt over the methi leaves and keep them aside for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out all the water from them by pressing them with your hand. This trick also works.
If you are not vegan, then add fresh cream or khoya instead of cashew cream. Half and half, yogurt, or evaporated milk can also be added as a low-fat substitute for cream. You can also add cubes of paneer and make paneer methi malai.
Yes. Use ⅓ to ½ cup of frozen methi and also thaw them very well and squeeze all the water from them before using. Then chop and add them to the curry. There is no need to blanch them first.
Palak or spinach can be used instead of methi leaves. Feel free to use any other leafy greens and recreate this recipe. Remember to garnish the curry with dried fenugreek leaves at the end. However, the taste of fenugreek leaves gives this curry its own unique flavor.
Dried Kasoori methi leaves can be used if fresh methi is not available. Dried Kasuri methi is much more potent than fresh leaves. so use just ¼ cup. Soak the dried fenugreek leaves in water for 10 minutes and then add them to the curry at the end.
If you want to make Jain methi matar malai, you will have to skip adding onion, ginger, and garlic. Instead, grind vegan plain unsweetened yogurt along with asafoetida, cashews, poppy seeds, and green chillies. You can also add tomatoes and change the color of the gravy from white to red.
You can prepare this in advance. It stays well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Methi Mutter Malai will thicken as it cools because of the cashew paste. When reheating add water and salt accordingly to get the desired consistency. You can also freeze this fenugreek curry for 2-3 months.
Follow the steps to make the paste and curry prep as mentioned in the recipe card. Then turn on the Instant Pot. First add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, and green peas. Saute for a minute. Add the ground paste on top of the peas. Do not mix the paste with the peas as the paste can get burnt if it touches the bottom of the pan. Add 1 cup water along the sides of the instant pot vessel. Then add the methi leaves, spices, and salt.
Cook in manual high for 6 minutes. Release the pressure manually after 5 minutes. Add water/coconut milk/almond milk to make it loosen the gravy and finish it off with crushed kasuri methi and garam masala.
More Vegan Curries
Recipe 📖
Methi Matar Malai (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
To prepare the curry
- 2 tablespoon besan
- 10 oz methi leaves
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- Salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
To make paste
- Add cashews to a bowl of hot water and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water, allow it to cool and then add them to a blender.
- Also add roughly chopped onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies.
- Blitz to make a smooth and creamy puree by adding water.
Prep for the curry
- Heat a pan and once it's hot, take it off the flame. Roast the chickpea flour in the hot pan for 30-45 seconds. Be careful to not burn it. It should slightly change color. Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside.
- Bring water to a boil and then add methi leaves to it. Submerge the leaves fully in water and let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Do not overcook these leaves as they will lose their color. Transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold water immediately. Let it rest there for 2 minutes.
- Chop them roughly and keep it aside for now.
To prepare the curry
- Heat oil in a pan, temper cumin seeds, then add the bay leaf. Add the ground onion paste to the pan. Cook it for 2-3 minutes or till the raw smell of onion and garlic goes away. Chef Tip - Keep scraping the sides of the pan as it cooks.
- Then add roasted gram flour/besan/chickpea flour to the pan and mix. This helps to bind the gravy together. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Mix using a whisk till the water blends well with the mixture. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add the green peas, garam masala, salt, and sugar to the mix and give it a stir. Add water and stir it together. Cook it for 3-4 minutes.
- Lastly, add the chopped methi leaves to the pan. Mix it all together with the gravy and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Take it off the flame.
- Serve this fenugreek leaves curry warm with any Indian bread (naan, roti, chapati) or steamed rice.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
Veena says
What is Makhana cream?
Priya says
It's cream made with foxnuts.
Veena Azmanov says
I always love this dish. LOve the creamy texture and the vegetarian option to it.
Rebecca says
this looks so delicious! I'm loving how vibrant the green peas are!
Toni says
I loved it! So creamy and delicious!
Jessica Formicola says
I made this for dinner last night and it was a total hit! Thanks so much for sharing!
Chris Collins says
I'm definitely going to be re-creating this delicious curry! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
wearenotmartha says
This looks awesome!! Fenugreek is one of my favorite spices (I love it on bacon), so I know i'd love this 🙂
Sues
juliajolliff says
I have never had this-but it looks great! Creamy and comforting.
Catherine says
This looks so creamy and delicious! Would love to try it 🙂
Garlic + Zest says
I seem to be having a problem getting my spoon through the screen. Are you having the same problem? This looks heavenly!
Beth Neels says
This looks like the perfect comfort food!
amrita says
look at the creamy texture...just awesome