Vegan Methi Matar Malai | No cream or milk required!
Satvik or no onion no garlic recipes are the rage in Hindu families, especially during the festive season which begins in the Holy Month of Shravan. Some families don’t eat both onion garlic throughout the year as a family tradition while some abstain from it during festivals or fasting. In either case, the abstinence is supposed to drive away thoughts of love, anger, hatred and jealousy (Rajas Gunn in Ayurvedic diet) and drive us towards devotion to God with Tamasic / peace-loving feelings.
Today’s dish is a vegan – no dairy version of the popular Methi Malai Matar (Click here for the low fat version). Which means it has a vegan substitute for the Malai (or the milk cream too). Delicious is an under-statement as we paired it with hot rotis for a very fulfilling meal. Even my mom who generally avoids North Indian gravies due to its masala content loved it a lot. Another No onion no garlic side dish for Roti / Chapati/ Poori is this Railway style Aloo Sabji or this homestyle Aloo – Methi sabji (my mom’s version)
Veganism – A fad or a way of life ?
Veganism as a way of life has caught up with the rest of the world (incl India), but the traditional South Indian gravies – Kuzhambu , Sambhar, chutney, dry curries and flatbreads that are part of the traditional, everyday Sit-down meals in India had just ghee and buttermilk as diary. Paneer / Cheese in a South Indian household was a rarity even till the last 15 years. The (over) production and consumption of Cheese and Paneer has now taken over greens and veggies in households across India and Indian households abroad due to its sheer novelty factor.
I remember when I was blogging, circa 2016 there was this huge Vegan and Gluten Free wave that swept the blogosphere. Extra brownie points were awarded if the dish was vegan and double points if it was Gluten Free as well. When one sits and analyses the traditional hand-me down recipes in any household, it was naturally vegan (and in most cases GF too, which only Hing or asafoetida contributed). Breads with millets like bajra (pearl millet) / Jowar (Sorgum) / Ragi (Finger millet) were naturally gluten free.
Why Veganism?
Some of them choose veganism as a way of life, right till the clothes they wear and the footwear they buy. Most follow it for a health reasons (read “The China Study” to understand why veganism is so popular and critical to go vegan!) . Some follow it to cut out dairy and cruelty products from their lifestyle. Whatever be the reason, veganism is here to stay , and how!! Organisations like Sharan have shown that the transition to Vegan lifestyle needn’t be painful, and many many of their recipes are unbelievably fabulous – one simply doesn’t miss the dairy or the refined products in most of their recommended courses or recipes.
As for me and my family, we have recipes like today’s where it is easy to replace dairy produce with non dairy alternatives ! To each his own, but a beginning must be made !
Other gravies / curries for Roti or rice you may like:
FAQs for this delicious VEGAN methi matar Malai
- Can we use Frozen peas ? Yes fresh or frozen can be used. I prefer to par boil the fresh peas to aid a quick curry
- If not vegan, can we use milk / cream in this recipe ? Yes, by all means please use them separately. Don’t overcook after adding either as it might split
- I have an allergy to nuts – can I use store bought Oat milk ? I haven’t tried with Oat milk, but any nut free vegan milk might work, with a slight difference in taste. Please leave a comment below if you used any store bought milk
- Can I use store bought Almond milk? Yes, you may use unsweetened almond milk.
- Can I use frozen fenugreek leaves ? Yes, use it directly without thawing.
- Can I skip using the garlic / onion in this recipe ? Yes, it would be a satvik recipe with slight variation in taste. You might want to increase the ginger a bit and also add asafoetida into the tempering.
PIN FOR LATER
What are the major ingredients in this Vegan methi Matar Malai
Methi / Fenugreek – use fresh ones for best results
Matar / Green peas – I used fresh. Frozen can also be used
Malai / Cream – read the ingredients and the recipe below to see the substitutes used in place of cream
Oil, salt and spices – you want the fenugreek leaves and peas to shine through, so, keep these to a minimum
Onion, garlic – you can skip this easily without too much difference in the taste
Did you know ?
100 grams of fresh peas has more protein than a whole egg. More reasons to switch to plant based food?
Let’s get to making this vegan Methi matar malai
Vegan Indian Curry with Green peas and fresh fenugreek simmered with minimal spices and oil
Prep time – 15 mins, Cook time – 20 mins, Serves – 4
- 400 g Fenugreek leaves (fresh fenugreek leaves – cleaned, washed and sorted)
- 200 g Peas (Fresh or frozen)
- 3 TBSP almonds (divided use)
- 2 TBSP oil
- 1 medium onion
- 3 green chillies
- 2 pods garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom
- 1 tsp sugar (opt.)
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How to make Vegan Methi Matar Malai:
- Soak almonds in hot water for 20 mins. Drain the water, peel and make a smooth paste with it adding additional hot water.
- Wash and cut the Methi leaves finely.
- Shell the fresh peas from the pod or bring frozen peas to room temperature.
- In a pan, add oil, sizzle the cardamom, ginger , cinnamon stick and cumin seeds.
- In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger and saute till onions turn pink.
- Remove the onion mixture to a blender jar, Cool and puree with the almonds .
- Now in the same pan, add the remaining oil.
- Add the Methi leaves, green chillies , sauté for 2-3 mins till Methi slightly wilts.
- Now add the salt, pinch of sugar and the cashew paste . Reserve 1/4 portion of the onion-almond paste for later.
- Add 1/2 cup of hot water and gently simmer in low for 6-7 mins till raw smell disappears
- Now add the frozen peas, garam masala and gently simmer again with the remaining almond paste
- Adjust salt and spice
- Let the gravy thicken a bit, about 4-5 mins
- Switch off stove , serve hot with rotis or steamed rice.
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Vegan Methi Matar Malai | No Milk or Cream required
Equipment
- saute pan
- Ladle
- Wet Blender
Ingredients
- 400 g Fenugreek leaves fresh fenugreek leaves / methi leaves – cleaned, washed and sorted
- 200 g Peas Fresh or frozen
- 2 TBSP Almonds divided use
- 2 TBSP Oil
- 1 Onion large, sliced thin
- 3 Green Chillies
- 2 pods Garlic pods
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 inch Ginger
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds jeera
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 tsp sugar opt.
Instructions
- Soak almonds in hot water for 20 mins. Drain the water, peel and make a smooth paste with it adding additional hot water.
- Wash and cut the Methi leaves finely.
- Shell the fresh peas from the pod or bring frozen peas to room temperature.
- In a pan, add 1 TBSP oil, sizzle the cardamom, ginger , cinnamon stick and cumin seeds.
- In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger and saute till onions turn pink.
- Remove the onion mixture to a blender jar, Cool and puree with the almonds .
- Now in the same pan, add the remaining oil.
- Add the Methi leaves, green chillies , sauté for 2-3 mins till Methi slightly wilts.
- Now add the salt, pinch of sugar and the cashew paste . Reserve 1/4 portion of the onion-almond paste for later.
- Add 1/2 cup of hot water and gently simmer in low for 6-7 mins till raw smell disappears
- Now add the frozen peas, garam masala and gently simmer again with the remaining almond paste
- Adjust salt and spice
- Let the gravy thicken a bit, about 4-5 mins
- Switch off stove , serve hot with rotis or steamed rice.
I love methi malai mutter but never make it at home. I am bookmarking this recipe and will definitely try it when I buy fresh methi sometime soon . Nice use of almonds to give the creaminess instead of using heav cream .
Thank you ! Do try and let me know how you like it. This can be made without onion-garlic too without too much difference in taste.
Methi Matar Malai is a huge favourite at our place, but I always make it with dairy milk. Your vegan version is interesting! Love how creamy and delicious it looks. ????
thanks Priya.
This is a fabulous recipe.though I don’t practice veganism actively, I love the concept pf not harming another and live by it. Almonds so sound great in this recipe.
Yes, thank you Seema. We can start somewhere right ?
Love methi malai matar. This vegan version is a must try as it definitely is much healthier than the one with cream. Encouraging to know that 2 tbsp of almonds results in so much creaminess.
yes mayuri, Thank you . even we were encouraged by the creaminess that onions + almonds can give to this dish,
Methi malai matar looks absolutely delicious and flavorful. Never tried it at home. Now I have a tried and tasted recipe. Can’t wait to try.
Thank you. do try Sujata – surely you would like it
Vegan Methi malai Matar looks scrumptious. It is so rich and creamy with Almonds. One of the most favourite dish at my place . This curry without milk cream is full of flavors. Can’t wait to try it Kalyani.
THanks PReethi. Please do try and let me know
we love Methi matar malai and I try and make it during the season at least once in a month. I think I will try making this vegan version. Looks absolutely yum.
thanks archana. do try it sometime