Methi Malai Mutter

Methi malai mutter figures in my husband's list of most favourite dishes. So when my cousin, Aruna, gave me this recipe I tried it immediately. I have made it several times after that with some minor changes here and there. What I liked best about the recipe is that there's no 'malai' to be added, and the milk gives a creamy texture.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions

4 to 5 garlic cloves

3 to 4 green chillies

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 pinch of nutmeg powder (optional)

1 tsp cumin/ jeera powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 bunch (about 2 cups) methi leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
2 tsp maida
2 cups milk (room temp)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp lime juice (see note)
Salt to taste
Oil

Method :
Roughly chop onions, garlic and green chillies. Wash and coarsely chop methi leaves and coriander leaves.
Heat oil. Saute onion, garlic and green chillies for a few minutes till onion turns brownish. Allow to cool. Transfer to a blender. Add all the powders and blend into a smooth paste (without water).
In the same pan, heat 1/2 tsp oil and saute methi leaves and coriander leaves for 3 to 4 minutes. Add it to the above paste and blend for 6 to 8 seconds.

[In the original recipe, you roast all the above mentioned ingredients together and blend them together into a smooth paste. However, I like to see little specks of methi and coriander leaves in the curry so I roast them separately and pulse them with the onion paste. If you don't like the taste of tiny methi leaves, blend together into a smooth paste].

Heat 2 tsp oil in a deep-bottomed pan. Add maida and stir till oil and maida mix well, making sure no lumps form. When the mixture changes colour slightly, add the ground paste and roast for a minute. Add milk little by little and mix. [Add 1/4 cup milk at a time, mixing well with each addition]. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes till the mixture boils, keep stirring so that the paste doesn't stick to the bottom.

Add green peas and cook for a few minutes. Add salt to taste, sugar (to remove bitterness of methi) and juice of lemon. [ Note - I actually hesitate to use lemon juice because I'm scared it'll curdle the milk. I mentioned it here since it's included in the original recipe].

Add cubes of fried paneer if desired. Goes well with chapati, tandoori roti, naan or jeera rice.  

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