Mattar Methi Malai Mushroom. Can you say that five times fast?
It’s the language of my dreams. Pun totally planned. You know, because tongue twister is about food… and I speak the languages… that you use to taste food?
Jokes are really not that funny when you have to explain them …
Not only is the title of this recipe a tongue twister (hehehe: pun), it’s also a pretty good alliteration (4 m’s! Mmmm… double pun!): Mattar methi malai mushroom.
Why did I name this mattar mushroom methi malai dish? Because it’s the tastiest alliterative tongue toner ever? No… mainly because it is made with mushrooms, green peas (mattar), fenugreek leaves (methi) and coconut cream (malai).
Now that I’ve been talking for what seems like an eternity about the words that make up the title of this recipe, let me describe the actual dish.
What does mattar methi malai with mushrooms taste like?
It’s a rich, creamy and hearty dish, full of flavor. Mushrooms add a meaty quality to the dish and peas are just kind of a pop in your mouth. Dried fenugreek leaves, also known as kasoori methi, add a slightly sweet, slightly bitter, and slightly nutty flavor to the dish. Fenugreek leaves are nowhere near as bitter as fenugreek seeds – so don’t replace them! The leaves have a truly unique flavor – I consider them the secret ingredient to making Indian curries taste ‘restaurant quality’.
Tip for adding fenugreek leaves: rub them in your hands before adding them to the curry. Crushing them releases more flavor.
Ingredients
▢ 3 tablespoons of oil, divided
▢ 1 onion
▢ 3 cloves of garlic
▢ 1 inch of minced ginger
▢ 2 8-ounce packages of button mushrooms, sliced
▢ 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
▢ 1 teaspoon of garam masala
▢ 1 teaspoon of salt
▢ 1 teaspoon of paprika
▢ ½ teaspoon of turmeric
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ ⅛ teaspoon of cardamom
▢ ½ cup of fresh or canned tomato puree is good
▢ 1 cup green peas
▢ 1 small handle kasoori methi
▢ 1 cup of coconut cream *
▢ Cilantro for optional trim
Instructions
- Add the onions, ginger and garlic in a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside for now.
- Over medium heat, put 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan.
- Then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 7-8 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft. Set the mushrooms and the water they release aside in a bowl.
- In the sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the blended onion mixture that you set aside earlier, then sauté for 10 minutes or until the onions are cooked through.
- Add the spices and for 30 seconds, stir it to help toast the spices. Then pour in the tomato puree and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the peas, kasoori methi, mushrooms and coconut cream. Stir until the cream dissolves completely.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve.
