This dish is from the Punjabi cuisine made from methi (fenugreek leaves), mutter (peas) and malai (fresh cream). It is a creamy dish because of the cashew paste cream and milk that will be used in the recipe.
It is made from fenugreek leaves which have a bad rap because of its bitter taste. But the cream and peas cut down the bitterness in this dish. So you can enjoy all the benefits of this nutrition green vegetable without the bitter note 🙂 Fenugreek is good for diabetic patients, lowering cholesterol, cures bowel problems, and prevents colon cancer…to list few of its benefits.
This is one of the favorite dishes in our family as it is sweet with a silky spicy after note. You will find it in restaurants as red gravy also. But personally, it tastes best in the white unmodified form.
Ingredients:
Fenugreek leaves (methi): 2 cup (cleaned and finely chopped)
Green peas: 1 cup (par boiled)
Dry fenugreek leaves: 1 tsp
Fresh cream: 3 tbsp
Milk: 1 and ½ cup
Sugar: 1 tsp
Oil: ½ tsp
To grind
Onion: 1
Green chilly: 1-2
Cashews: 10
Almonds: 10
Ginger: 1” piece
Cloves: 2
Cardamom: 2
Cinnamon: 1” piece
To temper
Butter: 2 tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Method:
Rinse the leafy vegetable well and chop it finely. The tender stems can also be used. Soak it in salt water for few minutes to minimize the bitter taste.
Par boil the peas and have it ready.
Grind all the ingredients listed under “grind” to a fine paste with very little water. (Note: Soak the cashews and almonds for an hour before grinding. Peel off the skin of the almond after soaking).
Heat ½ tsp oil and fenugreek leaves for some time with little salt. The vegetable will shrink and decrease in quantity.
Once it is cooked, transfer it to a bowl.
Heat butter in the same pan and add cumin seeds.
Once they splutter, add the ground paste and cook for some time on a slow flame stirring all the time.
When the gravy gets to a thicker consistency, add the sauted fenugreek leaves and green peas and milk.
Cook for 6-8 mins on a medium flame. If the gravy thickens beyond your liking, add milk to get it to the desired consistency.
Add fresh cream, sugar, dried feneugreek leaves (crushed in the palm of your hand). Mix well and cook on low flame for 2-3 mins.
Done!
It goes well with naan or roti.
Instead of cashews, you can just use almonds or substitute it with melon seeds or cucumber seeds for a healthier version.
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