Methi Paneer Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

Paneer and Methi amalgamate in a very distinctive combination that makes this dish healthy and a delectably rich savory that perfectly harmonizes with spices and flavors. Serve this sumptuous Methi Paneer gravy with hot kulchas, Naan, or rotis, and see how it garners praises from your loved ones.

Prep: 15

Cook: 25

Total: 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: SERVINGS

Calories: 167kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAVY

2 pieces of Moti Elaichi (Black cardamom)
2 pieces of Bay leaves (Tej patta)
3 pieces of Cloves (Laung)
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 medium Onion pureed
1 teaspoon Ginger paste
1 teaspoon Garlic paste
1 small Tomato chopped
¾ cup Tomato puree or freshly grated tomatoes
4 tablespoons Yogurt thick curd
½ teaspoon Haldi (Turmeric powder)
¾ teaspoon Deggi Mirch
1 teaspoon Coriander powder (sukha dhaniya)
1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder

OTHER INGREDIENTS

1 medium bunch of Fresh Methi leaves
⅓ cup Dried Methi leaves (if no fresh leaves available use 1 cup of dried leaves)
250 grams Paneer or Tofu (vegan)

GARNISHES

- - Chopped cilantro leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CLEAN METHI LEAVES

Pluck the methi leaves from their stems and set them in a bowl. Discard the stem. Transfer the leaves to a huge bowl. Fill it up with water and salt (the salt helps to remove any impurities). Stir the leaves around a bit to loosen the lingering dirt or other pollutants.
Allow the leaves to soak in this saltwater for 3-4 minutes. This will help in settling all the dirt at the bottom of the bowl. Now carefully lift all the soaked methi leaves from the top and transfer them to a fresh, clean bowl. Discard the dirt water in which the leaves were soaked.
Now wash the greens thoroughly under running tap water 3-4 times until the water runs clear. Transfer the clean methi leaves onto a kitchen towel to drain off the excess water. Using a sharp knife, coarsely chop methi leaves. Set aside.

COOK PANEER

Thinly slice paneer into rectangles. If using the store-bought one, soak it in water for some time to soften, then cut into slices.
Heat and grease a griddle. Transfer the paneer pieces onto the hot skillet and cook until light brown from both sides.
Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside. Do not cut the paneer slices (in triangles) when hot, as they may crumble into pieces.

PREPARE GRAVY

Combine yogurt, chopped tomatoes, and tomato puree in a bowl.
Stir in all the spices.
Mix until well blended. Set it aside.
Now, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add whole spices, and as they start to crackle, add in ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a minute.
Add onion paste.
Sauté until the onions are light brown in color.
Stir in the tomato mixture.
Cook for 3-4 minutes on a medium-low flame or until the oil separates the masala.
Add in fresh methi leaves and dried methi leaves.
Give it a good mix and cook for additional 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
Add water to the cooked methi mix and bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame.
Cut paneer into triangles and add them to the simmering gravy.
Mix the pieces gently in the methi gravy. Adjust the seasonings and take them off the flame.
Cover the pan and allow the paneer to soak in all the flavors.
Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and pair it with your favorite dal for a complete meal tonight.

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

How to add a smoky flavor to the Methi Paneer?

‘Dhungar’ is the term used in India for the process of smoking food. You can easily lend a smoky flavor to your Methi Paneer too. All you have to do is:

- Heat 2 pieces of charcoal briquettes over the flame until red hot.

- Place the burning charcoal pieces into a small steel bowl or Katori while holding firmly with tongs, and place this bowl in the middle of the dish.

-Drizzle 2 tsp of ghee over the burning charcoal.

-As soon as the charcoal starts giving off smoke, cover the dish with a glass lid. Leave as it is for 6-8 minutes for the dish to incorporate the smoky flavor.

-Lift the lid after 8 minutes and carefully remove the hot bowl.

-Your smoky Methi Paneer is ready to relish! Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

How to reduce the bitterness from methi leaves?

Methi leaves are known for their distinctive bitter taste that is loved by most but also avoided by many. The methi leaves that I buy from the local Indian store are not as bitter as we get in India.

So I rinse them and add them directly to the dish. But if you are reluctant to use methi leaves for their bitter taste, I can suggest a way to reduce its bitterness.

Chop the leaves and toss some salt over them. Mix well and set aside for about 5- 10 minutes. Finally, rinse them thoroughly under running tap water and use them as instructed.

How to make Methi Paneer Vegan?

This is how you can quickly transform your Methi Paneer into its vegan version:

Substitute Tofu for Paneer
Replace butter/ ghee with coconut oil
Add cashew paste instead of curd
Skip adding cream to the ready dish

Nutrition