Methi Malai Paneer (Restaurant-Style Paneer Curry)

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.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Curries, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 351kcal

Author: Geetha

Equipment

1 Blender/Grinder
1 Deep bottomed pan/Saucepan

Ingredients

1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 teaspoon = 5ml

For Masala Paste

½ tablespoon oil
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
2 cardamom
½ inch cassia
6-7 black peppercorn
1 large (or) 165 gms onion chopped
¼ cup (or) 33 gms cashews
⅓ cup (or) 115 gms yogurt

For Curry Sauce

2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
salt as required
55 gms frozen methi (fenugreek leaves)
3 tablespoons cream
250 gms paneer cut into 2 cm x 2 cm pieces
½ cup water

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a pan, add 1 bay leaf, 2 cardamom, 3 cloves, 6-7 black peppercorn, ½ inch cassia and sauté for few seconds until fragrant.
½ tablespoon oil, 3 cloves, 2 cardamom, ½ inch cassia, 6-7 black peppercorn
Now add 1 large (or) 165 gms onion, ¼ cup (or) 33 gms cashews and sauté for 2 minutes or until onions turn soft.
1 large (or) 165 gms onion, ¼ cup (or) 33 gms cashews
Turn off the heat and let the onion and spice mixture to cool down to room temperature.
Meanwhile, in the same pan heat 1 tablespoons Oil and sauté thawed 55 gms frozen methi (fenugreek leaves) for a couple of minutes. Transfer cooked methi to a bowl.
½ tablespoon oil, 55 gms frozen methi (fenugreek leaves)
Transfer cooled onion mixture to a grinder, add ⅓ cup (or) 115 gms yogurt and grind it to a smooth paste. Do not add water while grinding.
⅓ cup (or) 115 gms yogurt
Heat 1 tablespoons Oil and a 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan.
2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon butter
Add ½ teaspoon cumin and let it sizzle.
½ teaspoon cumin
Now reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste and sauté for few seconds. Be careful as the ginger garlic paste splutters all around.
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Add ½ teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons chilli powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder, stir for few seconds until the dry spices blend well in oil. Keep stirring at low heat to avoid burning the spices.
½ teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons chilli powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder
Now mix in ground paste, ½ cup 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.
salt, ½ cup water
Now add 250 gms paneer cubes, 3 tablespoons cream, mix until well combined.
250 gms paneer, 3 tablespoons cream
Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.
Serve piping hot paneer curry with naan or rice.

Notes

Fresh Methi: If you are using fresh methi to make this paneer methi malai recipe, then ensure to eliminate the bitterness of methi before you use it. To remove bitterness, place the chopped methi leaves in a bowl of salted cold water, let them sit for 15 – 20 minutes and then discard the water and blanch them.

Cooking Paneer and Cream: 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 cover the pan with a lid and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The heat of curry is sufficient to cook paneer.

Paneer: The quality of paneer determines its texture and softness. 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 it in a bowl of warm salted water for 5 minutes before adding in the curry.

Ginger Garlic: You can use fresh ginger and garlic if you don't have a pre-made paste. Saute and grind them along with the onion and whole spices.

Yogurt: Fresh yogurt lends a nice taste and texture. If you are using a bit old or too sour yogurt, just add a tsp of sugar to tame the sour taste.

Nuts: Almonds and/or melon seeds could be substituted for cashews.

Spices: You can use garam masala or curry powder instead of whole spices if that'swhat you have on hand and you don't have any South Asian or Indian stores nearby to buy whole spices.

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