Methi Paneer

As a lifelong vegetarian, there are some dishes that always felt off limits because I always saw them served as a meat dish.Its only in the last few years, that I have had my eyes opened to the possibility of really turning any dish in to a vegetarian or vegan one. One of those dishes is this methi paneer. It is just one of many dishes in India where we "jugaad" meat based dishes in to vegetarian delights that we can all partake in.

Try more delicious recipes including Sweet Potato Chaat, Paneer Tikka Masala Rice, Matar ka Nimona(green peas stew), Channa Saag, Matar Paneer, Green Peas Masala, Achari Dahi Bhindi

What is paneer?

Paneer is a non-melting cheese made from mostly cow's milk. Buffalo milk is also used but is not as widely available. It is a mild tasting, almost flavorless cheese. It is widely used as a vegetarian protein source in Northern parts of India. In the last 2-3 decades, it has become popular in pretty much all parts of India.

Paneer is very easy to find in a variety of stores including Whole Foods, Costco and other speciality grocery stores. If you have an Indian grocer close by, they should definitely stock paneer. You can also make paneer yourself if you want to try making some fresh at home. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

If you decide to buy paneer from the store, I recommend soaking it for a few minutes in some warm water before adding to the dish. This will help soften up the paneer and help marinade it better.

Ingredients we need for methi paneer

Paneer - I used around a pound or 400g of paneer for around 4 servings. If you are in the US, my favorite brands of paneer include Gopi, Nanak and Appel.

Methi - Methi is fresh fenugreek leaves. They are small green leaves that is usually sold with the leaves still on the stalks. The flavor is mildly bitter and earthy. I have only ever seen methi being sold in Indian stores. So if you have one close by, they should definitely carry some. Methi leaves need to be separated from the stalks and washed thoroughly. I would also recommend soaking it in some salt water for 15 minutes to draw out some of the bitterness.

You can use the leaves whole or finely chop once they have been cleaned, before adding it to the pan. I used 2 bunches of methi and the leaves came up to around 100g once removed from the stalk.

Onions - I typically use red onions while cooking Indian food. You can sub with yellow/white onions as well.

Tomatoes - I used 2 Roma tomatoes finely chopped

Aromatics - I used 1 ½ tablespoon ginger - garlic paste. Sub with fresh and finely chopped ginger and garlic. I would suggest 3-4 cloves along with 1 inch of ginger.

Whole Spices - We will need cumin seeds and bay leaf

Powdered Spices - We will use powdered turmeric, cumin, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder and Garam Masala.

Green chilis - I used 3 green chilis. I get this from the Indian store and can be subbed with bird's eye chilis. These will be spicy. Hence, I would suggest if you are not used to spicy food, to just start off with 1-2.

Process for making methi paneer

• Separate the methi leaves from the stalks. Wash well and soak in salted water for 15 minutes. Rinse and keep aside. You can also finely chop it before using.
• Heat a pan and add the oil. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Let this cook for 30-45 seconds or until you see the cumin seeds spluttering. Once hot, add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Also add the chopped or slit green chilis. Season with salt and mix well.Cook for a couple of minutes before adding a cup of hot water. The hot water helps cook the spices faster. You can also skip this step and just add room temperature water. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the methi leaves and cook for 5 minutes and add the paneer. Mix well and season with some more salt. Add the Garam Masala and mix gently. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve hot.

What to serve with methi paneer?

Methi paneer can be served with flatbreads like roti/chapati, naan or even rice. If you want to serve with rice, I would recommend making the gravy a little thinner.

You can serve along side with some Indian pickles, raw onion slices, cucumber, radish/daikon. You can also serve some lime wedges, raw green chilis,papads(lentil/rice crackers) as well.

Storage, Reheating and Meal Prep

Storage - Chill methi paneer for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Reheating - Reheat in the microwave or in a pan over the stove top. Add a couple of spoons of water if the paneer feels too dry. If the methi paneer has been frozen, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight if possible.

Meal Prep - You can prep the ingredients besides the paneer and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also prepare the base without the paneer and Garam Masala. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Heat the base in the pan. Add a little amount of water and mix well. Add the paneer, garam masala and some salt. Mix again and let this cook for 5-7 minutes before serving.

Did you try this delicious methi paneer? Let me know by leaving a comment, suggestion or feedback below. You can also follow along on social media at Facebook, Bluesky, Pinterest and Instagram.

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