Methi matar malayi paneer | Cottage cheese cooked in a creamy sauce with fenugreek leaves and green peas

This Methi Malayi Paneer recipe, I have got it from a Dhaba in Delhi at a place called Saket. It was a very small Dhaba at the corner and  its Adraki Dhaniya Paneer and this Methi Malayi Paneer were outstanding! They used to make this dish with a lot of Cream but here I have tried it with yogurt and milk combo  with some corn flour to make it low fat. With just one tea spoon of cream for that extra finish, this recipe calls for a treat every time I make it.  An easy yet rich recipe… 🙂  A real Party dish though this one is, try it before hand so you get to know the right consistancy

 

What you need?
1 cup Paneer cubes
1 cup Green peas, boiled
1 cup chopped Coriander
2 tbsp of Kasuri Methi
1/2 cup of yogurt
1 cup Whole Milk
1 tsp Double cream
1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp each Salt, black pepper, red chili powder and turmeric
1 tsp Oil
2 green chilies, chopped
1 tsp Cornflour

How to make?
Heat oil in a pan and fry ginger-garlic paste in it till brown, Add onion and green chilies and saute for 3-4 min. I like the onion to be properly fried in curries, specially for this recipe. It enhances the taste of the dish many folds.
Add spices and cook covered for a min so that onion absorb the flavors. Add paneer and peas. Cook covered for 5-6 min stirring in between.

Now, add cornflour to the yogurt and pour in this mixture to the pan. This is done to avoid curdling of yogurt while mixing with gravy. Keep the flame low and simmer for 8-10 minutes untill its properly blended with the spices. Add Kasuri Methi and chopped Coriander and combine everything together.
Add milk and stir well. Bring it to boil and then simmer for 8-10 minutes stirring in between. This should form a thick gravy by now.

Check the spices and adjust acc to taste. Turn off the flame.
Just before serving, spread double cream on top and let it sit covered for 2 min. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Notes: 
I have used green peas in this recipe. You can totally avoid them and increase the quantity of paneer.
Usage of double cream is also optional and can be omitted.
Lots of coriander enhances the flavour of this dish, hence be generous with fresh greens here

Another recipe which combines Paneer with the green leafy vegetables is this
Pudina paneer – Cottage cheese cooked with spinach, coriander leaves and mint.