 leaves, green peas, and a creamy sauce typically crafted from malai (milk solids) or fresh cream.){kind=link}
The popular Punjabi dish, Methi Matar Malai, features a delightful blend of fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, green peas, and a creamy sauce typically crafted from malai (milk solids) or fresh cream. This savory delight pairs exceptionally well with Rumali Roti, also known as “handkerchief bread” in India. This thin, delicate flatbread is rolled out to resemble a handkerchief and cooked on a hot griddle or tava. With this simple recipe, you can effortlessly create the perfect restaurant-style Punjabi combo of Methi Matar Malai and Rumali Roti in the comfort of your home. Do try this!
For methi matar malai
- Firstly, in the sabji, I take methi and green peas in a proportion of 2:1. I also sauté green peas and methi leaves separately in ghee, which helps cook both ingredients to 80-90% and retain their green color in the sabji.
- Secondly, for a creamy texture in the curry, I add homemade malai to the sabji. Alternatively, you can use fresh cream. Also, after adding malai, keep the flame on low to prevent curdling.
- Lastly, Methi Matar Malai tastes great when served hot with rumali roti or tandoori naan.
For rumali roti
Firstly, I made roti using a combination of maida and wheat flour for the dough. Adding wheat flour to the dough is optional; you can make roti using only maida (all-purpose flour).
I kneaded the roti dough with lukewarm milk instead of water because kneading dough with milk keeps the roti softer for a longer period. It’s essential to knead the dough thoroughly; otherwise, the roti might turn out chewy.
I cooked the roti on a tawa, although traditionally, it’s cooked on a kadai. Cook the roti over medium-high flame while continuously flipping it; as it is very thin, it takes very little time to cook.
Finally, rumali roti tastes great when served hot.
Recipe video
Methi matar malai recipe | methi matar malai sabji | rumali roti on tawa | thali recipe
Ingredients
For methi matar malai
- 2 cup methi leaves
- 1 cup green peas
- 3 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp +1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2-3 cardamom
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 dry red chilli
- Pinch of hing
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 green chilli
- 1 inch ginger
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 7-8 soaked cashews
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1.5 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- ¾ cup hot water or as required
- ½ cup malai
- 1 tsp kasoori methi
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Some coriander leaves
For rumali roti
- 1.5 cup maida - all-purpose flour
- ½ cup wheat flour
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oil
- ¾ cup luke water milk or as required
Instructions
Making Methi Matar Malai:
- In a pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 1 cup of green peas and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium flame until the peas slightly soften. Transfer them to a bowl.
- In the same pan, add 2 cups of chopped methi leaves and a pinch of salt. Sauté and then remove into a bowl.
- In a blender, combine 2 chopped tomatoes, 1 green chili, 1-inch ginger, 5-6 garlic cloves, and 7-8 soaked cashews. Grind into a smooth paste without adding water. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a pan. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon, 2-3 cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf, 2 dry red chilies, and a pinch of hing. Sauté the spices.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn slightly golden brown.
- Reduce the heat, add ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1.5 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1.5 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, and some hot water. Sauté the masala until the oil separates from the sides.
- Add the previously prepared tomato paste and salt. Cover and cook the gravy until the oil separates from its sides.
- Stir in the green peas and methi leaves. Mix well.
- Pour in ¾ cup of hot water and mix gently. Cook the sabzi on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of malai, 1 tsp kasoori methi, and ½ tsp garam masala. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat and add 1 tsp lemon juice and some chopped coriander leaves. Mix thoroughly.
- Serve the Methi Matar Malai with rumali roti and salad.
Making Rumali Roti:
- In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup wheat flour, 1.5 cups maida, salt, sugar, and oil. Mix well.
- Gradually add ¾ cup lukewarm milk while kneading to form a very soft dough.
- Transfer the dough to a tabletop, sprinkle some oil, and knead well using the stretch and fold method for 5-10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, drizzle oil over the surface, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare a saltwater mixture by mixing salt and water in a bowl.
- Heat an iron tawa or roti tawa over high heat. Once hot, sprinkle salt water over it to create a non-stick coating.
- To make the rumali roti, take a portion of the rested dough, form it into a roundel, coat it with refined flour, and roll it out.
- Apply some ghee on one rolled roti, place another rolled roti on top, stick them together, and roll it out as thin as possible.
- Place the roti on the hot tawa. Cook for 10-15 seconds on each side until tiny brown spots appear.
- Once cooked, remove the rumali roti from the tawa.
- Your super soft and thin rumali roti is ready to be served with Methi Matar Malai.
Notes
- Sauté green peas over medium flame until they are 80-90% cooked and become soft.
- Sautéing methi leaves in ghee helps retain their green color in the sabzi.
- Sautéing masala in oil gives a good color and flavor to the sabzi.
- You can use fresh cream instead of malai.
- After adding cream, do not cook the sabzi for an extended period.
- Knead a soft and stretchy dough for rumali roti.
- Continuously flip and cook the roti over medium flame.