Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds (jeera) in it. Roast them for a few seconds till they start to crackle.
1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Add chopped onions to the pan and saute for a couple minutes.
2 Medium Sized Onions
Also add a paste of ginger garlic and green chillies.
2 Green Chillies, 1 Inch Ginger, 4-5 Garlic Cloves
Fry the mixture till it turns golden brown in color.
Add finely chopped or pureed tomatoes to the pan.
2 Medium Sized Tomatoes
Cook the mixture till the raw aroma of tomatoes goes away.
Soak cashews and almonds in warm water for around 20 minutes. Then grind them to a smooth paste and add them to the gravy.
7-8 Cashew Nuts (Kaju), 4-5 Almonds (Baadam)
After the gravy is cooked, let it first cool down and then make a fine smooth paste of it in a blender.
In the same pan as earlier, add fenugreek leaves (methi) and fry them for a minute.
1 Cup Methi (Fenugreek Leaves)
Add the gravy paste to the pan and mix it well with the fenugreek leaves.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt and sugar (optional) to the gravy and mix well.
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi), 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder), 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 Teaspoon Salt, 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
Now add some malai or whipping cream to the gravy. You can also add some water to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
1/4 Cup Whipping Cream
When the gravy is sone, add paneer cubes and let them cook for 3-4 minutes till they become soft.
250 Gram Paneer
Methi Malai Paneer is ready. Garnish with coriander leaves and paneer gratings and serve it hot with any Indian bread or rice.