Methi Malai Chicken (Chicken in a cream based gravy with fenugreek leaves)

January 25, 2015 Posted by Shweta Shanbhag

White or cream based gravies are not my forte and hence I generally avoid cooking them. The last 2-3 times that I tried them, they generally turned into something bland which I never wanted to cook again.

However we happened to taste this dish at a new restaurant that has opened at Jubilee Hills called Eat India Company and instantly liked it. Decided to muster up some courage and try this dish. While trying to find the recipe, came across this recipe from Tarla Dalal, so tried making 2 variations of the same base curry with Methi Malai Mutter and Methi Malai Chicken and both turned out awesome.
Here is how I made it.

Ingredients

500 gms of boneless chicken

1 cup of methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)

2 medium tomatoes

3 small onions

4 green chillies

1 inch piece of ginger

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp cashewnuts

2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp shahi jeera seeds.

2 tsp of garam masala

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp of fresh cream

Ghee

Butter

Salt and Sugar

Coriander leaves

Method

Clean and marinate 500 gms of boneless chicken with salt and keep aside for an hour.
Make a paste of 1 small onion, 4 green chillies , 1 inch piece of ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp cashewnuts, 2 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus) in a grinder. User water to get a fine paste. Keep aside.
Blanch 2 medium tomatoes, peel out the skin and grind it to a puree and keep aside.
Take a pan and add 1 tbsp ghee and saute the chicken till it is almost cooked on a medium flame. Cook till almost 80% done and keep aside to rest.
Wash about a cup of methi (fenugreek leaves). Squeeze out the water and chop them finely and sprinkle some salt and keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp of butter in another pan and add 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp shahi jeera seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the methi (squeeze out any excess water) and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the fenugreek leaves and keep aside.
Add 1 tbsp butter in the same kadhai, add 2 grated small onions and saute till translucent.
Add the cashew nut paste and saute for 2 mins. Add the tomato puree and saute for 2 mins.
At this point check the consistency of the gravy. You can cool the gravy and blend it in a mixer if you want a finer gravy.
Add 2 tsp of garam masala powder, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the fenugreek, cooked chicken or 1 cup of green peas(if you are making the methi malai matar), 1/2 cup milk, a pinch of sugar and salt.
Add 2 tbsp of fresh cream and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis.

Category: Curries,non-vegetarian,North Indian

Tagged with: chicken, curry, Methi, peas, white-gravy

3 thoughts on “Methi Malai Chicken (Chicken in a cream based gravy with fenugreek leaves)”

shobha says:

May 7, 2016 at 5:15 am

Hi, I tried this recipe it came out amazing . Thanks for this recipe.

Reply
1. Shweta Shanbhag says:
  
  May 12, 2016 at 4:16 am
  
  Thanks Shobha for stopping by and leaving a comment. Glad you liked the dish.
  
  Reply
Nilofer says:

September 22, 2017 at 7:50 am

Thanks for the recipe.. Came out good. All loved it..

Reply