Methi Malai Matar Paneer

Methi malai matar paneer is a very popular Indian vegetarian curry served in Indian restaurants. It is an Indian curry made in a cashew-based onion tomato gravy in which methi leaves, green peas, and paneer are simmered.

It is served with rice or Indian bread like naan, roti, and paratha. It is very easy to make restaurant-style methi malai matar paneer at home on the stovetop or in an instant pot.

This is a gluten-free curry and can easily be made vegan by substituting a few ingredients. It can be made ahead of time for meal planning and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for later use.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tip
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Ingredients

Making methi malai paneer recipe requires a few ingredients and Indian spices. The main ingredient that gives this curry a unique flavor is methi or fenugreek leaves. Fresh fenugreek leaves are available in Indian grocery stores. However, you can use dry kasoori methi instead as well. You can also use frozen methi leaves as well.

Paneer or Indian cottage cheese can be made at home in the instant pot or you can use the store-bought one. Divide the paneer into two parts to make paneer cubes cut into the desired size or about half an inch cubes, and the rest is grated using a grater or food processor.

It is best to use frozen green peas which are quick and easy to cook. If you use fresh peas then you will have to cook them longer in the gravy.

The methi malai matar paneer gravy is made of onion, tomato, raw cashew nuts, ginger garlic, and some Indian spices like red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala. Since we blend all the ingredients to make a smooth puree, you can just chop the onions and tomatoes into large chunks.

The methi malai matar paneer curry is creamy in texture because of cashew nuts and heavy cream.

Instructions

It is easy to make methi malai matar paneer in the instant pot or on the stovetop which will require some monitoring.

To make methi malai matar paneer in the instant pot, start the instant pot on saute mode in the normal setting. Once the instant pot liner is hot, add oil followed by ginger and garlic. You can use ginger garlic paste as well. Add the onions and saute for a few seconds until they are translucent. Then add the tomatoes, soaked cashews, and all the spices.

Add a little water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a spatula. Pressure cook on high-pressure mode for 5 minutes followed by a quick release.

Now using an immersion hand blender or a blender like Vitamix, blend the ingredients into a smooth puree. If you are using Vitamix or another blender, allow the mixture to cool down a little and then blend it.

Add the heavy cream, chopped fenugreek leaves, frozen peas a little bit of sugar, and continue to cook in the saute mode until methi is well cooked. Finally, add the paneer cubes and grated paneer to the gravy and gently mix it. Adjust the salt if needed.

To make methi malai matar paneer on the stove top, blend all the gravy ingredients including onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and soaked cashews into a smooth puree.

Next, heat a saucepan on medium heat and add some oil. Once the oil is hot, add the puree and the dry spices. Cook it until it starts releasing oil and this can take up to 5 minutes. Continue stirring intermittently and scraping to the bottom of the pan to avoid it from sticking.

Add the water, salt, and sugar and mix well. Add the methi leaves, frozen green peas, and paneer into the curry and stir well. Cook it for a few minutes until the methi is well cooked and then turn off the flame.

If you do not have fresh methi leaves, you can use kasoori methi and soak it in water for 10 minutes before adding it.

Serving suggestions

Paneer methi malai matar is best served with Indian bread like naan, roti, poori, or paratha. It is served on an Indian platter called thali along with other Indian curries, dals, rice, an appetizer, a dessert, and a drink like Indian buttermilk.

It goes well with plain rice or rice dishes like peas pulao, quinoa pulao, or mushroom pilaf.

Substitutions

Methi malai matar paneer is a gluten-free Indian curry. It can be modified to suit your dietary needs.

• Tofu - if you do not have paneer or if you are looking for a vegan substitute, you can use extra firm tofu.
• Coconut milk - heavy cream gives this gravy a rich and creamy texture, however, to make it vegan, you can use coconut milk instead.
• Spiciness - this curry is mild in spiciness, if you like it spicier, you can add some serrano pepper along with onion and tomato.

Equipment

This instant pot methi malai matar paneer recipe is made in the 6 qt. instant pot. It can easily be made in the 3 qt. instant pot as well.

The gravy is very smooth and you will need an immersion hand blender or a standalone blender like Vitamix to blend it into a fine consistency.

A stainless steel spatula comes in handy to mix all the ingredients and also to deglaze the bottom of the pot.

Storage

Methi malai matar paneer can be made in advance to plan your meals ahead of time. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an air-tight container.

You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. If you are preparing it in a large batch, you can portion it and store it in freezer-safe containers or ziplock bags. When you are ready to serve, you can keep it in the fridge overnight or defrost it in the microwave.

It can be reheated in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the instant pot using the saute mode.

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