Time and servings
Time and servings
About
Methi Chaman is a creamy paneer curry with fresh fenugreek leaves. This recipe stays simple and kitchen-friendly. You temper cumin, ginger, and green chilli in hot ghee or oil. Next, you add onion and tomato and cook until soft. Chopped methi goes in and turns fragrant. Cashew paste and cooking cream build a smooth body. Paneer cubes simmer gently and absorb the sauce. Spices stay warm and balanced. The sauce looks bright green when you blend part of the greens. Every spoon feels rich and tasty. Many North Indian gravies use a tomato and onion base. Methi Chaman places fenugreek at the heart of the flavour. The gentle bitter note defines the curry. Cooks trace its origin to Kashmir kitchens. Roadside dhabas serve it hot with tandoori roti. Naan also pairs well with a hearty meal. Jeera rice or mild pulao completes the plate. Palak with methi creates a brighter green version. Home cooks treat it as a premium menu item. The same recipe also works for daily chapati and roti meals. Fun Fact:In Kashmiri kitchens, “chaman” refers to paneer and marks many festive dishes that celebrate dairy.
Ingredients
for puree:
- 3 cup water
- 1 bunch methi / fenugreek leaves
- ½ bunch palak / spinach leaves
- 4 green chilli
for curry:
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp cumin / jeera
- 1 back cardamom
- 5 cloves
- 2 pods cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf / tej patta
- pinch hing / asafoetida
- few seeds methi / fenugreek
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp fennel powder / saunf powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cream
- 30 cube paneer / cottage cheese
- ½ cup paneer / cottage cheese (grated)
- 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed)
Instructions
- firstly in a large kadai heat 2 tbsp mustard oil and saute spices.
- further add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp fennel powder, ½ tsp ginger powder, ½ tsp sugar and ¾ tsp salt.
- saute on low flame till the spices turn aromatic.
- now add prepare methi palak puree.
- cook for 3 minutes stirring continuously.
- furthermore, add 1 cup of water (leftover water from methi palak)
- adjust consistency by adding water as required.
- now add 2 tbsp cream and mix well.
- also, add 30 small cubes paneer and ½ cup grated paneer.
- mix well and simmer for 5 minutes.
- now add 1 tsp kasuri methi and mix well.
- finally, serve methi chaman with garlic naan / roti.
Step-by-step
1
Firstly, boil 3 cups of water and blanch 1 bunch of methi and ½ bunch of palak.
2
Blanch until the leaves turn dark in colour.
3
Drain off the water. Use the leftover water while preparing the curry to adjust the consistency.
4
Now transfer the blanched methi-palak to a blender.
5
Add 4 green chillis and ½ cup cold water. Adding cold water helps to retain the bright green colour.
6
blend to coarse paste. keep aside.
7
Now in a large kadai, heat 2 tbsp mustard oil and saute 1 tsp cumin, 1 back cardamom, 5 cloves, 2 pods cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, pinch hing and a few seeds methi.
8
further add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp fennel powder, ½ tsp ginger powder, ½ tsp sugar and ¾ tsp salt.
9
saute on low flame till the spices turn aromatic.
10
Now add prepared methi palak puree.
11
cook for 3 minutes stirring continuously.
12
furthermore, add 1 cup of water (leftover water from methi palak)
13
adjust consistency by adding water as required.
14
now add 2 tbsp cream and mix well.
16
mix well and simmer for 5 minutes.
17
now add 1 tsp kasuri methi and mix well.
18
finally, serve methi chaman with garlic naan / roti.
Video
Tips
Methi Chaman combines paneer, fresh methi, and cream. The curry tastes rich and is simple to make.- Methi Prep: Blanch chopped methi for one minute and squeeze well.
- Paneer Softness: Soak the paneer cubes in warm, salted water for 5 minutes.
- Green Colour: Blend half the sautéed methi with a few palak leaves for a bright colour.
- Creamy Texture: Add cooking cream and cashew paste off the heat and mix gently.
- Dhaba Secret: Temper with ghee, kasuri methi, and garam masala before serving.
Notes
- Firstly, blanch the palak and methi well, else the raw flavour will remain.
- Also, use just crumbled / grated paneer if you do not prefer cubes of paneer.
- Additionally, this is no onion, no garlic recipe. However, you can add if you prefer.
- Finally, the methi chaman recipe tastes great when prepared with a 1:½ proportion of methi and pakak ratio.
Original recipe by Hebbar’s Kitchen: https://hebbarskitchen.com/paneer-methi-chaman-recipe/