Methi Mutter Malai : The Fenugreek Recipe

Hi, its been a real long time that I have done any post on food. Actual I have done only one before this and it was a total disaster. Please don't judge me on that particular post... I do cook decent enough. Don't believe me??? Then do try this Methi Mutter Malai recipe of mine. Till then hold your judgements. 

I had prepared this dish for our yesterday's dinner. I am having a soar throat, so spicy food was off the list. Whats better than creamy non spicy curry. Yes I need curries when I have a throat infection as it helps to swallow food with minimum pain possible. I had Methi (Fenugreek) waiting in my refrigerator for 2 days and I couldn't store it any longer. I was actually wondering why did I even buy it when neither me nor my husband are Fenugreek Fans. 

Anyway Thanks to this recipe we had good quantity of Methi yesterday. I am sure all Indian know how bitter yet health Fenugreek is. People who don't know can check this link: FENUGREEK/METHI

Now... recipe time...

Ingredients: 

Fenugreek/ Methi - roughly chopped : 2 Cups full.  

Green Peas/ Mutter - boiled : 1 Cup

Fresh Cream/ Malai - whipped : 1 Cup

Oil for saute

Sugar and Salt for taste

For Curry:

Onion - chopped : 1 medium sized

Green chillies : 3-4 nos.

Garlic cloves : 5-6 nos.

Cashewnuts : 1/2 Cup

Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon

You can change the quantities of the above ingredients as per your taste and liking.

Pre Cooking Prep:

# Soak the Methi leaves in salt water for 20-30 minutes to get rid of the impurities.

   Then drain the muddy water, wash them under running water and chop them roughly.

# Boil the Green Peas

# Soak Cashewnuts in little water

Method:

Blend Onions, green Chillies, Garlic cloves, Cumin seeds and Cashewnuts (along with the water they were soaked in) into a fine creamy paste. 

In a wok add some oil/ghee(butter) and let it heat for few seconds. Then add to it the paste and saute till it leaves aroma and its sides leaves oil. You will have to keep stirring as it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add little water if the mixture gets to attached with the wok's surface. 

Now add the roughly chopped Methi leaves. And then add some water. Don't go over the board with water. Add only if the paste is too thick to blend with the methi leaves. 

Simmer this for 10 minutes.

Add boiled Peas and fresh cream. Stir this mixture for 5 minutes. 

Now add salt and sugar as per taste. Please keep the sugar's quantity very little as we aren't making sweets here. Half a teaspoon is more than enough.

Saute for a minute or two and its ready to eat.

Sachin ate his share with rotis but I had mine with Moong Daal Rice. It tasted equally YUM... 

Tips:

Try to consume this cooked vegetable ASAP (if you like your food hot and steaming) as am not sure whether its OK to re-heat fresh cream. The cooled-down version also tastes great though. 

Most people use only the leaves of the leafy vegetables, but I take little part of the stems too as they are filled with nutrients. Take maximum part of the stems if you are going to make a paste of or boil your leafy vegetables. 

I have used the stems for Methi Mutter Malai too.

You have to whip the fresh cream well before using it. And please use the cool or chilled cream. NOT THE HOT ONE. 

I have a bowl full of fresh cream sitting in the deep freeze section. So its easy to go for malai recipes whenever I feel like binging on them. This bowl is actually waiting to get converted into ghee (butter). I haven't tried my hands on this process yet, my mom does it for me when ever she visits. I promise I will try it when she visits next and will also surely do a post on it for you all. After all home made stuff is the best, always.