Methi Malai Paneer – Cottage cheese and fenugreek leaves cooked in a creamy, luscious and mildly spiced curry sauce. This restaurant-style paneer curry gets ready in less than 30 minutes.
This recreated popular paneer curry is certainly healthier and tastier too. Next time you feel the need for the feast from your local take-aways, try making this curry instead, I bet you won't regret!
Rich malai methi paneer makes a perfect crowd-pleaser dish at potlucks, family gatherings or any curry night events. This curry is often called with other names such as malai paneer, methi paneer, malai methi paneer.
The mild and creamy texture are the two major factors to entice kids to enjoy this curry without any fuss. Although the ingredients list seems long, the cooking process is simple and most of the ingredients used in this recipe are pantry staples of an Indian kitchen. You have to make a trip to the shop to buy paneer, methi and maybe cream.
This restaurant-style paneer dish pairs well with Naan, paratha, Jeera Rice, Coconut Rice or just plain steamed rice.
Methi Malai Paneer Recipe Variations
You may use dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) if frozen or fresh leaves are not available. Soak dried fenugreek in water for 5 minutes and use it.
Fresh fenugreek leaves can be substituted for frozen leaves.
For a vegan version, substitute cream with cashew or coconut cream, yogurt with non-dairy yogurt and paneer with tofu.
You can skip both cream, yogurt and use ⅓ cup almonds. Soak almonds in hot water for 20 - 30 minutes, peel the skin and blend it to a smooth paste. Ground almonds lend a great flavour and creamy texture to the curry.
Few green chilies can be blended along with onion and spices.
Watch how to make creamy and delicious Methi Malai Paneer
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More Paneer Recipes here:
Pineapple stuffed Paneer Tikka
Methi Malai Paneer (Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry)
Ingredients
1 cup = 250ml ; 1 tbsp = 15ml
For Masala Paste
- ½ tbsp Oil
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Cardamom
- ½ inch Cassia
- 6-7 Black peppercorn
- 1 large (165 gms) Onion chopped
- ¼ cup (33 gms) Cashews
- ⅓ cup (115 gms) Yogurt
For Curry Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- ½ tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 2 tsp Chilli powder
- 2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- Salt as required
- 55 gms Frozen Methi (fenugreek leaves)
- 3 tbsp Cream
- 250 gms Paneer cut into 2 cm x 2 cm pieces
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns, cassia and sauté for few seconds until fragrant.
- Now add onion, cashews and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions turn soft.
- Turn off the heat and let the onion and spice mixture to cool down to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in the same pan heat 1 tsp oil and sauté thawed methi (fenugreek leaves) for a couple of minutes. Transfer cooked methi to a bowl.
- Transfer cooled onion mixture to a grinder, add yogurt and grind it to a smooth paste. Do not add water while grinding.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil and a tbsp butter in a saucepan.
- Add cumin and let it sizzle.
- Now reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few seconds. Be careful as the ginger garlic paste splutters all around.
- Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, stir for few seconds until the dry spices blend well in oil. Keep stirring at low heat to avoid burning the spices.
- Now mix in ground paste, water, salt and sauteed methi. Turn up the heat to medium, close the lid and cook for 10 minutes or until oil floats on top of the curry.
- Now add paneer cubes, cream, mix until well combined.
- Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
- Serve piping hot paneer curry with naan or rice.
Video
Notes
Ingredients
Masala Paste: Whole spices cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cassia, black peppercorn are used to infuse aromatic flavours to the curry. Onion, yogurt and cashews helps to thicken the curry sauce and provide a creamy texture.
Dry spices: Basic spices turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder are used here. You don't really need any unusual or rare spices to make this curry.
Other ingredients: Oil, butter, ginger garlic paste and adequate water.
Instructions
Cook whole spices, onion and cashews.
Grind onion masala and yogurt to a smooth paste.
Saute thawed frozen methi.
Stir in dry spices on low heat.
Add masala paste, water, salt, sauteed methi and cook for 10 minutes.
Finally, add paneer cubes and cream.
Enjoy piping hot methi paneer with roti or rice.
Tips & Tricks to make perfect Methi Malai Paneer
If you are using fresh methi then ensure to eliminate bitterness before you use them. To remove bitterness, place the chopped leaves in a bowl of salted cold water, let it sit for 15 – 20 minutes and then discard the water and blanch it.
Once you add paneer and cream do not cook for long. Just simmer the curry for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Cooking paneer longer makes it hard and chewy. The alternative best option is to turn off the heat, mix in paneer, cream then close the pan with a lid and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The heat of curry is sufficient to cook paneer.
The quality of paneer determines the texture and softness of paneer. Fresh homemade paneer is the best option to use in this recipe. If you are using a store-bought paneer then make sure it is fresh and not expired. To keep store-bought paneer soft, cut it into cubes and soak in a bowl of warm salted water for 5 minutes before adding in curry.
Note
You can use fresh ginger and garlic if you don't have a pre-made paste. Saute and grind them along with onion and whole spices.
Fresh yogurt lends nice taste and texture. If you are using a bit old or too sour yogurt, just add a tsp of sugar to tame sour taste.
Almonds and/or melon seeds could be substituted for cashews.
More Curry Recipes here:
-
- Green Peas Masala with Coconut
-
- Vegetable Chettinad
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this creamy and delicious restaurant-style paneer curry. I love to get feedback from readers.
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It looks so yummy and very tempting. Your pictures tempted me to makes this curry. Happened to have some Methi leaves and Paneer in stock. I am going to try this recipe today. With all these spices and yogurt, It must have been very flavorful.
It indeed is a very delicious Malini. You must try this recipe I'm sure your family will love this dish. I can't wait to know how it turned out for you.
I love the use of frozen methi. I have always wanted to try a recipe with it and this will be a great one to try. My boys would love this subzi. So creamy and delicious.
Yes, Sandhya I didn't expect the curry to turn out so delicious the first time I tried with frozen methi. I'm sure this creamy and mildly spiced curry will surely entice your boys 🙂
OMG. mouthwatering and creamy methi malai paneer. Looks absolutely scrumptious. wish to pick up the bowl and have it with roti.
Thank you so much Narmadha 🙂
Methi malai paneer is one my favourite dish in paneer. I used Kasuri methi, I love the idea of using green methi leaves in it.. Will use this idea next time. This looks so tempting, I must say ??
Yes do try with green methi Jolly, it totally adds a delicious flavours to the dish.
The combination of methi malai and paneer sounds so good. We always make methi malai matar and adding creamy paneer is a lovely idea instead of matar.
Drooling ? ?
Thank you Lataji for stopping by, do try and let me know how you liked this version.
Such a tempting and delicious curry! I can eat just this curry with absolutely no accompaniments. I have always made methi malai matar next will try paneer.
I so agree with you Archana, this curry is so delicious that sometimes I end up serving myself more curry just to enjoy few spoonfuls on its own. I would love to know your feedback when you get to try this recipe.
That is such a creamy and delicious looking paneer curry. My family LOVES paneer and this would be a nice variation to the other dishes I make. Thanks for sharing this restaurant style recipe.
I'm glad you find this recipe helpful and thank you for stopping by Pavani 🙂
This looks so delicious. I love the combination of Paneer and methi, it adds such a nice smoky flavor to the dish. I am hungry now.
Even I love paneer and methi combo Vandana, wish I could serve you this dish!
Love how creamy the gravy is. Would love to enjoy this tempting methi malai paneer with some hot rotis. Looks just too inviting.
Thank you so much Mayuriji.