Methi (also know as Fenugreek) Malai Chicken is what I cooked yesterday.  This dish is Methi Malai Chicken goes well with roti, parathas and even rice.  The fragrance of the methi leaves that comes out from the dish is superdelicious.  If you don’t like the bitter flavor, it can be removed by mixing salt in methi leaves and setting aside until it leaves moisture.  But if followed with proper technique then the bitter taste from the leaves can be removed.  And when you add Malai (Fresh Cream) in this recipe, the bitterness of methi leave disappears.  The Chicken pieces on the bone is cooked in a methi leaves curry with aromatic masalas. This recipe will make you love it. 

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves – one bunch – cleaned with water.
  • Chicken with bone – 1 kg.
  • Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 2 tbs.
  • Onion – 3 medium size – Grinded to paste.
  • Tomato – 3 medium size – Grinded to paste.
  • Garam masala powder – 1 tsp.
  • Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp.
  • Tumeric powder – Half tsp.
  • Coriander powder – 2 tsp.
  • Cummin seeds – 1 tsp.
  • Ginger and Garlic paste – 2 tbs.
  • Lime juice – 1 tsp.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Fresh Malai (Fresh Cream) – 200 gms.

Method:

  • Take a deep Kadai or Pan.  Fill it with one cup of water and heat it up.  Add half tsp of salt to the water.  Mix well.  Add Fresh Methi leaves to the hot water. Blanch the Methi leaves for 3 to 4 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.  
  • Take a Grinder.  Take only the Blanched Methi leaves and grind it to a thick paste.   Add little methi water if required while grinding. Remove in a bowl and keep it aside.
  • Marinate the Chicken – Clean the chicken and keep it in a bowl.  Add lime juice, pinch of tumeric powder, half tsp of red chilli powder, half tsp of garam masala powder, half tsp of salt, 1 tbs of ginger & garlic paste. Mix them well with the chicken and allow it to marinate for atleast one hour in the Fridge.
  • Take a deep Kadai or Pan.  Heat it up. Add Ghee to it and allow it to melt.
  • Add cummin seeds and allow it to crackle.
  • Add Onion paste and fry it porperly until it turns light brown.
  • Add remaining ginger & garlic paste.  Fry it for another 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add Coriander powder, remaining red chilli powder, garam masala powder, tumeric powder, salt to taste, and mix the well.  Fry the masalas porperly until you see ghee on sides of the kadai.  Add little methi water(stock) to the kadai in order to avoid burning of masalas.
  • Add Tomato paste to the kadai.  Fry it well until the tomatoes are cooked perfectly (the rawness of tomato should go and you see ghee releasing from sides of the kadai).
  • Add marinated chicken to the kadai.  Stir well and cook the chicken until it is half down.
  • Add grinded Methi leaves paste to the kadai.  Mix them well.  Add remaining methi water (stock) to the kadai and mix well.
  • Cover the kadai with a lid and reduce the heat to slow or medium and let the chicken cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Check if the chicken is cooked to perfection.
  • Add Malai (Fresh Cream) to the kadai.  Mix it well. Cook it with lid covered on slow heat for another 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Methi Malai Chicken is ready to be served.
  • Turn of the heat.
  • Serve the Methi Malai Chicken in a bowl and garnish it with fresh cream on it.
  • Enjoy Methi Malai Chicken.
  • Happy Eating.