Methi Paneer is a traditional Indian recipe with a simple basic gravy. Paneer or Indian Cottage Cheese did not actually originate in India. There are many theories to believe. Some believe that it was originated in the ancient Persian region and brought to India by the Mughal rulers, while others believe that the technique of breaking the milk in acids was introduced to Bengalis by Portuguese during the colonialism of India in the 18th Century CE.

Coming to the other main ingredient – Methi or Fenugreek, also did not originate in India. The word fenugreek is derived from French word fenugrec which itself is derived from the Latin word faenugraecum, faenum Graecum which literally translates to Greek Hay. Methi is very good in general and also for people with chronic disorders such as Diabetes. Methi also helps in appetite control, lower cholesterol levels, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Today, India is the largest producer of Methi leaves.

Below is my recipe of methi paneer. Hope you like it.

Serves	2
Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Onion Medium roughly chopped – 2
2. Tomato Medium chopped – 1
3. Garlic Cloves chopped – 4-5
4. Fenugreek Leaves (Methi) – 200 gms
5. Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer) cut into cubes – 200 gms
6. Oil – 3-4 tbsp
7. Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
8. Red Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp
9. Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
10. Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp
11. Salt to Taste
12. 1 – 2 cup water

Tip: Paneer and red chilli powder can be more or less as per your taste and preference.

Method:

1. Add 1 tbsp oil into a pan on medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add roughly chopped onions and chopped garlic to it. Sauté onions till it turns translucent.
2. Once the onion is translucent, add the chopped tomatoes to it.
3. Once the tomatoes are cooked, turn off the heat and keep it aside.
4. Add 2 tbsp oil into a pan on medium flame and shallow fry paneer cubes till it has some brown texture on sides. Don’t turn it brown. Once done, keep the paneer aside.
5. In the same oil that was used for paneer, add methi leaves, and sauté for about a minute on medium heat and then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masal powder and salt.
6. Meanwhile, grind the cooked onion tomato mixture in a mixer to form a thick paste.
7. Add the onion tomato paste in the pan and cook till you see oil separately on top of the mixture.
8. Add the fried paneer pieces and mix well.
9. Then add 1-2 cups water as per the required thickness of the gravy and cook for about 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
10. Turn off the heat and serve hot with Roti or Rice of your choice.