Methi Malai Paneer

Suppose you feel like having something creamy and paneer together. This recipe would be the perfect one for you. Methi Malai Paneer is a creamy paneer dish with fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves. A delicious paneer recipe that can be eaten with flatbreads or even rice for lunch or brunch. This dish can be expanded on by adding green peas making it a methi malai matar paneer.

What should you know about Methi Malai Paneer?

Methi malai paneer literally means fenugreek, cream, and Indian cottage cheese. On the other hand, the English version is too simple and does not do justice to the dish. It is a popular North Indian dish seen in restaurants, parties, and get-togethers. It’s a delicious, aromatic, and simple recipe.

The curry gravy is smooth, mild, and gently sweet, composed of onions and cashews. The fenugreek leaves add a note of bitterness without being overbearing. The soft paneer cubes give the usually smooth gravy a lot of texture.

I’ve observed that using roasted cashews enhances the flavor of the curry. So, if possible, use roasted cashews in this recipe.

Notable Ingredients at a Glance

Paneer – I have used 250 gms of full cream paneer cut into cubes. You can use low-fat paneer or any kind of paneer available near you.

Fresh cream – The fresh cream adds a creamy texture to the dish. Instead of fresh cream, you can also use cashew paste. Cashew paste will add more taste to the gravy.

Spices: The spices here are the real game-changer; hence make sure you add all the spices in the right proportion. You’ll need two bay leaves, 1-inch cinnamon, 4 cardamoms, 3-4 cloves, 1 teaspoon of jeera, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, and the essential spice for this recipe, fresh or dried fenugreek leaves, approximately 200 grams of it.

Tomato: Tomato will add an acidic sweetness to the recipe. You will need two medium-sized tomatoes pureed.

Green Chili: Add 2-3 green chilies by splitting them lengthwise.

Oil: You can use any kind of neutral oil, as per your preference. I sometimes use butter just to skip the oil. It tastes good in butter as well, you give it a try.

How to prepare Methi Malai Paneer?

First, if you are using fresh methi leaves, separate the leaves from the stem and thoroughly wash them under running water. If you are using store-bought dried methi leaves or previously dried ones, this step will not be required.

Take a Kadai or wok and heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices by lowering the flame; otherwise, the spices will burn. Start by adding bay leaves, followed by whole garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves). Stir for a while, then add the jeera and green chilies.

Now add the tomato puree and salt. Cook until all of the water from the tomatoes has evaporated. You should see oil collecting around the edges of the puree in the Kadai. You can add in the garam masala powder now.

At this point, add the methi leaves and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat. It will take about 2 to 3 minutes to cook the methi leaves. When the methi leaves are tender, add the paneer cubes. Combine everything thoroughly.

Finally, add the cream and allow it to simmer for a minute. Add a few granules of sugar to balance the taste.

Your methi malai paneer is now ready to be served. Garnish it with some ginger julienne and serve with any flatbreads of paratha.

Some expert tips for preparing Methi Malai Paneer

• If feasible, use roasted cashews in this recipe. If you have raw cashews, roast them in a pan or in the oven before using them in the recipe.
• If desired, you can use extra cream in this recipe; my methi wasn’t particularly bitter, so 2 tablespoons sufficed. If the methi you’re using is bitter, you can add extra.
• If you’re using frozen paneer, soak it in warm water for 30-45 minutes before using it in the recipe.

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