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Recipe 📖
Fenu means grass and Greek refers to where this grass is grown - Greece. One of the things I like to do when cooking is to recreate restaurant-style dishes in the comfort of my kitchen! Methi Mutter Malai, Palak Paneer, Dum Aloo, Kadai Paneer, Veg Jalfrezi, Mushroom Masala, and Vegan Kofta Curry are some of my absolute favorite dishes not just to order at an Indian restaurant but also to make at home. Creating vegan versions of popular recipes is also my thing. This is why I decided to make this classic Indian Methi Matar Masala dairy-free and gluten-free. Fenugreek leaves are more widely used as compared to their seeds primarily due to their immense nutritional benefits. Seeds are added to spice mixes, idli batter, sambhar, and pickles while the fresh green methi leaves are used in different curry recipes like Methi Matar Malai, Methi Dal, Aloo Methi, Air-Fried Gobi Methi, snacks like Methi Ghavan, and breads. Dried methi leaves( called Kasuri or KasooriMethi) are also used in many Indian preparations. Crushing these dried leaves between your palms before adding them to any dish releases the flavor. This is usually the final step (along with garnish) in a recipe. This green leafy vegetable can be found in any Indian grocery store and is sold in bunches. Look for smaller leaves because they are much better in smell and taste. Clean and wash these leaves thoroughly a couple of times as they contain lots of mud and dirt. The best way to clean them is to immerse them in water multiple times until it is clean and has no muddy residue. Remove the leaves from the stems, carefully. It’s a tedious job but it is totally worth the effort. If you don’t have fresh methi, then you can also use Kasuri methi. Soak them in water for 15 minutes, squeeze out the excess water, and add them to the pan in place of fresh leaves. Reduce the quantity to ¼ cup. Green peas or Matar give this dish a crunch, texture, and a balance of flavor. They even out the spicy and slightly bitter flavors with their natural sweetness. You can use fresh or frozen green peas here. If using fresh green peas, boil them first and then add them to the gravy. Soak frozen green peas in warm water for 10 minutes and then use. Green peas are rich in protein, and vitamins C and E Malai is cream. Since this is a vegan recipe, we are making it without any cream. Instead, we will make cashew cream. You will need raw unsalted cashews for this Indian methi recipe. Aromatics, and spices - you will need ginger, garlic, bay leaf, cumin seeds, green chillies, and garam masala. Poppy seeds or khus khus can also be added to the paste. Onion - White onions are preferred since the gravy is white. But if you have red onions, then boil them in water for 5 minutes and use them. This will tone down the deep color. Flour - Besan or chickpea flour helps in binding the methi curry. Fat - Use vegan ghee, olive oil, or any other vegetable oil in this restaurant-style methi matar masala recipe.
if you want to make it without cashews, then use blanched almonds instead. But if you are allergic to nuts, use melon, sunflower seeds, or makhana cream. You can also give a coal smoke at the end to give the curry a smoky earthy flavor. An alternate way of making this dish is by adding Paneer/Tofu cubes, Sweet corn, or potatoes to this Dhaba-style curry. In fact, the Methi Matar Malai Paneer recipe is a very popular variation of this dish. Â
