Methi Matar Malai

A Very easy to make Methi Matar Malai, a Punjabi Sabji with creamy flavor. Fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves and Green Matar (Peas) is mixed with blend of spice and cream for gravy. Many recipes calls for sugar in the Ingredeints to cut Methi's bitterness. But here i made it without sugar as i like a little bitter taste of Methi in this...(though i have mentioned sugar measures in my ingredients list but its optional and is totally up to you).

Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients:

3-4 cups Fresh Chopped methi leaves (Fenugreek Leaves)
1 medium onion sliced
1/3 cup green matar (peas)
1/3 cup Cream

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tbsp olive oil or any other oil
10 cashews soaked in water for 15-20 minutes & finely paste
2 tsp green chilly paste
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of asafoetida powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powderl
Salt to taste
1 -2 tsp sugar (optional - i don't add sugar as i like little bitter taste of methi in sabji)

Recipe:

• In a wok or kadai, heat Ghee (Clarified butter) and oil. Add Mustard seeds, as soon as it splutters add pinch of asafoetida powder and sliced onion with pinch of salt. Saute onions until soft.

• Now add Fresh and chopped Methi leaves and Green Matar (Green Peas) to it. 

• Pour about 1/4 cup of water, cover the lid and let Methi and Matar cook on low flame for about 10 minutes or until methi and matar both is cooked.

• Open the lid, add cashew paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chilly paste, Red chilly powder, turmeric powder, Cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. (If using sugar than add at this time). Cook further for few minutes.

• Now add Cold beaten cream. 
• Stir & mix well.(Add water if required, a little)

• Cook for few more minutes and turn the flame off...
• Garnish it with Cream and serve hot with Naan or Plain Paratha.

Punjabi Rajma Masala (Kidney bean curry)

Very often i make Punjabi rajma masala. And is always a hit everytime...Rajma is a famous North indian vegetarian dish having rajma (red kidney beans) in thick gravy. Gravy is nothing, but a blend of indian spice with tomatoes and onion paste. Rajma Masala is either served with naan, or simple tawa roti or with rice. Most of the time i serve it with rice and accompany it with boondi raita or cucumber raita.
Do check its recipe below...

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Rajma soaked in water 6-8 hours (red kidney beans)

For Gravy:
2 Onion puree (1 large and 1 medium-small)
1 large tomato puree
1 tsp garlic paste (about 3 pods)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp green chilly paste
11/2 tsp khas khas soaked in 1 tsp water for about 10 minutes and finely paste
1  tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp black cardomom powder (remove its seeds and crush it)
1/2 tsp cloves powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp dry mint leaves powder (can use fresh one too, just paste it)
1 tsp dry methi leaves (dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
3/4 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp aamchur powder (dry mango powder)
1 tsp Saunf powder (Dry fennel powder)
3/4 tsp methi powder (Dry fenugreek powder)
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
Salt to taste
1 bay leaf
pinch of Hing (asafoetida powder)
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)


Recipe:

• Pressure cook soaked rajma (red kidney beans) with water.
• Once cooked, do not drain its water, use the same while making gravy.
• In a deep kadai or wok, heat oil and ghee with whole cumin seeds,and mustard seeds. As as it splutters add pinch of Hing powder (asafoetida powder), bay leaf and onion puree. Saute until light pink with little salt. 
• Now add tomato puree with all the spice powders mentioned above.
• Add Rajma water to this mixture, about 1/2 cup. Simmer it on low flame and let it cook for about 5 minutes with its lid covered.
• After cooked, add rajmas in to this gravy with its remaining water.
• Again cook furthur for about 10 minutes on a low flame, or until you get nice thick gravy.
• Garnish it with fresh Coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, sliced onion rings and with grated cucumber raita.