Methi Malai Matar | Methi Matar Malai

Saturdays are meant for sambhar and aviyal at my place. Its falls in the comfort food category for us. And we have never complained eating it week after week. In fact we get that Saturday feel only when it is the duo. But lately I have been experimenting and its mostly on Saturdays. And so sambar and aviyal has taken a back seat. We make kaarakulambus, we make vegetable pulaos but of everything we make soft fluffy pooris and some delicious side dishes like this methi malai matar to go with the pooris.

Remember the homemade frozen peas that I did sometime back. Well, I podded them, stored them and then I had a solid 2 kg pack. I have been using fresh(...frozen) peas wherever I can. I add them to my tomato rice, my broken wheat upma, my vermicelli biryani and it completes the dish. And then there is this creamy methi malai matar. I have been making this for quite sometime now and we totally love it with pooris.

On a happier note, Munchkins is learning things faster. He has started uttering words, it was his own name the other day and 'baby' yesterday. Not that he hasn't talked anything till date. He says appa(father), amma(mother), thata(grandfather), nana(don't need) and kaaka(crow) but his own name, this was the first time. He is quite a learner. He knows how to hold a pen and has started scribbling around on papers. Whenever he gets a pen, he searches for a paper, yeah he knows that papers are meant for pens. I am making notes of everything and have saved his very first 'writing'.

~*What U Need*~ Peas - 1 cup Dried Kasoori methi - 3 tbsp Onion - 1,chopped finely Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Green chilli - 1, chopped finely Milk - 1 cup Cashews - 5 Cream - 2 tbsp(optional) Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp Chilli powder - 1 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Oil - 1 tbsp Salt - as required

How I Made it:
Soak cashews in milk for 15 mins and then grind the cashews to a smooth paste, keep aside. Boil peas until soft and keep aside.

Heat oil, add cumin, ginger garlic paste, green chillies and fry for a minute.

Then add onions and fry till slightly browned. Add the cashew paste and fry it for 2 mins. Add the spice powders, salt and mix well. Add the milk and cook till u see bubbles by the side.

Add the cream and allow to boil. At this stage the gravy will start thickening. Add boiled green peas. Crush the kasoori methi leaves with ur hands. Adjust gravy consistency by adding water, simmer for some time and remove from flame.

Serve hot with naans/chapathis/rotis/pooris.

** My Notes:
** You can use dried peas too. Just pressure cook till soft.
** If you want the gravy to be super rich then use half cream and half milk.
** You can also grind the onions and use.