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.

Creamy Masala Baigan/brinjal

In this recipe i used all that spices which are mainly used in most of the Punjabi sabjis. Its full of different flavors and spices which gives punjabi achhar like gravy to it. It do has a pickle like touch although no pickle used in it. So here is its recipe

Inspired by: Tarla Dalal's Punjabi khana

Serves: 2-3 

Time: 25-30 minutes

Creamy Masala Baigan/brinjal

Ingredients

For Marination:

11/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4 tsp of Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp of olive oil

Salt to taste

For Gravy:

2 Cups sliced baigan (Small Baigan/Brinjal)

and Sufficient oil for frying it

2 tsp fennel powder (saunf)

1 tsp Fenugreek powder (methi)

2 tsp dry mango powder (aamchur)

1 tsp cumin powder (jeera)

1 tsp coriander powder (dhaniya)

1tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp ginger- garlic paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 cup curd (dahi)

1/2 cup fresh low fat cream

Pinch of asfoiteda (hing)

Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing

Recipe:

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients properly that is mentioned above for marination. Marinate sliced baingan with it and keep it aside  for about 15-20 minutes.

In Frying pan pour sufficient oil for frying this marinated sliced baigan. And fry it till light golden brown. keep this aside. Use the same frying pan for its gravy by removing extra oil. Add mustard seed and once it starts spluttering add asfoiteda powder, fennel powder, fenugreek powder, dry mango powder, cumin and coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric-red chilly powder and ginger- garlic paste. Stir it for 5 minutes and keep lading continuously. Now add curd to this gravy and again stir for 2-3 minutes. Add little amount of water about 1/2 cup. Now add fried baigan in this gravy. Simmer the flame at this time. Mix well in gravy. Stir well and let it stand on low flame for about a minute. Turn off the flame and than add fresh cream to this gravy. Make sure to add low fat cream only once you put off the flame,  or else you will see ghee starts running in sides of the pan. 

Garnish the same with chopped corriander leaves.

Serve this with naan or simple home made tawa roti.