Recipe Of Methi Malai Chicken

Methi Malai Chicken is an Indian desi aromatic delicacy, in which chicken pieces are cooked with whole spices and fresh fenugreek ( methi ) leaves. The whole idea of adding fresh cream gives that much needed palatable, creamy , rich flavor.

Being a hard core non vegetarian , every now and then I have to prepare chicken in different styles for our meals, so here at times while making Methi Malai Chicken , I make sure the gravy remains white, as I make a lot of chicken recipes in red gravies, so just to differentiate it in look wise , I always keep it white gravy. But there is no rule that the gravy should look white, you can prepare it, in a different way too which might have a reddish color to your gravy as I have given a detailed recipe of the VARIATION  too. 

Actually in Methi Malai Chicken, fenugreek leaves should be approximately 2 cups but as my hubby is not too keen to have methi bhaji, I always have to opt for 1 cup instead of 2, but at least I am happy that by adding it with chicken , he can not ignore methi, as it gives a scrumptious taste to the gravy.

I Love Methi Malai Chicken, as incorporating green leafy vegetables is really essential in our daily diet and on top of that methi leaves  are my favorite too, what better one can ask for ? An aromatic , creamy taste with such simple ingredients, makes our daily meals , very special. You got to make it, to believe it...! so here is my Recipe of Methi Malai Chicken.....

INGREDIENTS: 

FOR MARINATION : 

500 gms chicken ( with bones) 

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 tsp garam masala powder 

salt 

FOR CURRY : 

2 cups Fenugreek leaves  

3-4 green chilies chopped 

1 onion chopped 

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

2 tsp coriander powder 

1/4 cup fresh cream 

1/2 tsp garam masala powder ( increase or decrease the no of tsp as per your preferences) 

1/2 tsp black pepper ( increase or decrease the no of tsp as per your preferences) 

few methi dana ( fenugreek seeds) 

1 bay leaf 

2-4 cloves 

1-2 cardamoms 

1 inch cinnamon 

6-7 blanched almonds

7-8 cashew nuts

salt as per taste 

oil / ghee 

METHOD: 

1. Wash , clean and add chicken in a large bowl, marinate it with salt, ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder and whisked yogurt for 2 -3 hours, cover it with lid and keep in refrigerator. ( make sure you prick the chicken with fork or if the pieces are huge then make small slits on each chicken pieces with the help of a knife, so that the marinate penetrates deep inside the chicken pieces giving it more better taste ) 

2. For the fenugreek leaves, remove the methi leaves from each stem, one by one , and wash it 3-4 times to get rid of any dirt. Drain and keep aside on sieve.

3. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator. Grind almonds and cashews in a food processor by adding little water and keep aside.

4. In a kadhai , add little ghee and all the whole spices , fry for 1-2 minutes, add green chilies and fry for a minute again.

5. Now add the chicken, fry for 3-4 minutes on high flame, add cashew and almonds paste and fry again for a minute, now slow down the flame, cover and cook the chicken.

6. Until the chicken is being done, on the other side , in a fry pan drizzle some oil , add 1 chopped green chilies and chopped onions, fry until they turn brown in color.

7. Now add, fenugreek leaves, sprinkle some salt, turmeric powder ,coriander powder and fry on slow flame for 4-5 minutes. 

8. Add this fenugreek masala to the chicken, add 1 cup of water to the same pan , stir and add to the chicken again ( this procedure is to ensure to add all the left over masala that has stuck to the pan)  

9. Now add, pepper powder and garam masala powder, adjust salt and let it simmer on low flame until the chicken has done completely. 

10. Add fresh cream, stir and serve hot with tandoori naan or chappati/ parantha with lemon wedges and raw onion rings.

NOTE: 

• Add green chilies as per your preferences.
• I have added only one cup of fenugreek leaves as my hubby is not too fond of it, but best if you add 1 1/2 - 2 cups.
• I have added green chilies in both, while frying chicken and sauteing fenugreek (methi ) leaves , but if you do not wish to , just add in either of one, preferably in chicken.
• I have added 5-6 Green chilies, while stir frying the chicken as my family loves spicy and tasty food, if you wish, reduce the number as per your choice.
• I always marinate my chicken a night before preparing the dish, you can marinate for 3-4 hours or overnight , it totally depends on you.

Methi Malai Chicken ( VARIATION) 

You can make the gravy in another way too, the procedure is same till the chicken is being cooked, when you add onions and green chilies in pan, add 1 peeled and chopped tomato , and fry until they become soft ( add 1/2 cup water if needed but take ripe tomato, so that it gets soft quickly, now add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, little red chilly powder.Roast the masala and add to the chicken gravy , mix well, sprinkle little garam masala powder and pepper powder, cover and cook on low flame until the chicken is completely done , add cream , stir and serve hot with tandoor naans or lachedar paranthas / chapati, lemon wedges and raw onion rings.

NOTE: This variation of Methi Malai Chicken gravy shall be on dark reddish color and not white color.

In this variation, if you feel that pepper adding too much of hotness then skip it, same goes for the green chilies, adjust the chilies in either one , while cooking the chicken or stir frying the fenugreek ( methi ) leaves.

PREPARATION TIME: 40 -50 Minutes.

SERVES: 3 Persons.