MENTHYA MATVADI PALYA

 MENTHYA MATVADI PALYA

Today's recipe is for a dish made with Fenugreek Leaves- which are called Menthe Soppu in Kannada- and lentils.We cook the fenugreek leaves with a ground paste of Bengal Gram/Channa Dal and spices. This dish is popular in my Home State of Karnataka. 

As you know, Fenugreek Leaves have numerous health benefits as detailed in this article in HealthifyMe,

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with Fenugreek Leaves, such as:-

• Menthi Kura Pappu from Andhra Pradesh
• Vendhaya Keerai Sambar from Tamilnadu
• Methiwali Arhar Ki Dal from North India
• Fenugreek Leaves Rolls a snack

By the way, we do not use onions or garlic in making this dish, which makes it popular amongst those who don't use these ingredients in their cooking. 

It is easy to make and is rich in proteins making it a good food choice for diabetics in particular.

Please do try it out and let me know how you liked the Menthya Matvadi Palya.

Ingredients:-

• Menthe Soppu/ Fenugreek Leaves/ Methi Leaves, 3 cups 
• Kadalebele/Bengal Gram/ Chana Dal, 1 cup
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 cup
• Ginger, 1 " piece
• Green Chillies, 5
• Lime Juice, 1 tsp 
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal/ Black Gram, 1 tsp
• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram,  1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Hing/ Asafoetida, 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1
• Oil, 3 tbsp

Method:- 

Remove the fenugreek leaves from their stalks, wash thoroughly and chop them. Keep aside

Wash and soak the chana dal for 2-3 hours

Discard the water and transfer to mixer jar

Peel and chop the ginger

In a mixer jar, grind together the chana dal, fresh coconut gratings, chopped ginger, and green chillies to a coarse paste without adding any water

Transfer the ground paste from the mixer to a flat, round plate and add the chopped fenugreek leaves

Add salt to taste and mix well

Keep this plate in a steamer with adequate water and steam for about 20 minutes on medium heat

Switch off the gas and allow the steamer to cool 

Remove the steamed mixture of dal and fenugreek leaves and crumble/ break it into small pieces using a fork

Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the chana dal and urad dal and saute till they change colour

Next add the turmeric powder, asafoetida, curry leaves, and broken red chilli

Saute for a few seconds

To this add the steamed and crumbled mixture of dal and fenugreek leaves and mix well

On medium heat cook this for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, till the raw smell goes and the Matvadi Palya gets well roasted

Switch off the gas

Finally, squeeze the lime juice on the Matvadi Palya and mix well

Transfer to serving bowl

Serve hot as a side dish with hot steamed rice and saaru

METHIWALI ARHAR KI DAL

 METHIWALI ARHAR KI DAL

It is essential that we have a fair amount of lentils in our daily diets for better health. Spilt Pigeon Peas, is one of the most popular of these lentils in our Indian cooking. It is called Toor Dal or Arhar Dal in Hindi; Togaribele in Kannada; and Thori Dali in my mother tongue, Konkani. Toor Dal is considered to be a great source for proteins, carbs and dietary fibres as detailed in this article in NetMeds. 

Often the simple, comfort foods taste great especially after the festival season when we tend to eat a lot of rich food. 

Today's recipe is for an easy to make dish from North Indian cuisine made with Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Leaves) and Arhar/Toor Dal. I have adapted this from "Methiwali Arhar Ki Dal" from the YouTube video in Sanjeev Kapoor's Khazana. 

We enjoyed this immensely with hot rotis! 

Ingredients:-

• Arhar/Toor Dal (Split Pigeon Peas), 1 cup 
• Methi (Fenugreek) Leaves, 1/2 of a medium bunch
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery, grated, 1 tsp or to taste
• Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Garlic, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Hing (Asafoetida) Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Ghee, 1 tbsp

Method:-

Remove the methi leaves from their stems, wash thoroughly in several changes of water

Finely chop the methi leaves

Chop the garlic 

Grate the jaggery

Wash and soak the arhar dal in a vessel with 3 cups of water for about 2-3 hours

Add turmeric powder to this and keep this vessel in a pressure cooker

Cook for 3-4 whistles or till the dal gets fully cooked

When the cooker cooks remove the cooked dal, mash it lightly 

Add the grated jaggery, chilli powder, salt and 1/2 cup of water

Mix well and bring to a boil

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan and add the chopped garlic and saute till it turns a golden brown and gives off a nice aroma

To this add the asafoetida powder and saute

Now add the chopped fenugreek leaves and saute for 1 minute till they wilt

Add a little salt, (the methi leaves will shrink in volume), mix well and cook for 1 minute 

Next add the cooked and mashed arhar dal, mix well and add water to get the desired consistency 

Cook for 1-2 minutes 

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving bowl

Serve the Methiwali Arhar Ki Dal hot with rotis, naan etc

VENDHAYA KEERAI KOOTU

 VENDHAYA KEERAI KOOTU

I have never lived in Tamilnadu (though many years ago my husband's family lived in Madras, as it was then called) but over the years I have developed a strong liking for dishes from Tamilnadu. 

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find many dishes from this South Indian State, including some of my favourites, such as:-

• Kathirikai Pitlai
• Ven Pongal
• Chettinad Baby Potato Roast
• Vendhaya Dosai

Today's recipe is for a tasty side dish made with Fenugreek leaves/Methi Leaves which are called "Vendhaya Keerai" in Tamil. Fenugreek leaves have been known for their numerous health benefits. 

The dish is called, "Vendhaya Keerai Kootu" and I have adapted the recipe from "Vendhaya Keerai Kootu" in the website Masalachilli. Please note that the yellow coloured Split Green Gram which we know as Moong Dal is called Pasi Paruppu in Tamil. 

It is quite easy to make. We enjoyed this flavourful dish with chapatis and rice. 

Ingredients:-

• Vendhaya Keerai (Fenugreek Leaves/Methi Leaves), a big bunch which yields 3 cups 
• Pasi Paruppu (Split Green Gram /Moong Dal), 1/2 cup
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Grind To A Paste :- 

• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/3 cup
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2

For the Seasoning:- 

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Black Gram Dal ( Urad Dal), 1/2 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies, broken into halves, 2 
• Curry Leaves, a few 
• Coconut Oil, 1 tsp

Method:- 

Remove the fenugreek leaves from their stems, wash them in several changes of water then drain away the water

Roughly chop the fenugreek leaves and keep aside

Wash and soak the moong dal for 15-20 minutes

In a pressure cooker, cook the moong dal along with a little turmeric powder with 1 and 1/2 cups of water for 2 whistles or till the dal gets done. Take care that it does not get overcooked.

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal, mash it and keep aside 

In a small mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings, Byadgi Red chillies, cumin seeds to a smooth paste adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside

Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and add the chopped fenugreek leaves and saute till the fenugreek leaves wilt

Lower the flame, cover and cook till the fenugreek leaves get cooked

To this add the cooked and mashed moong dal, salt to taste and the freshly ground coconut paste

and mix well

Add a little water to get a gravy like consistency and bring to a boil

Lower the flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes

Heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a seasoning pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the urad dal and saute till the dal changes colour

Add the broken red chillies and the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

Pour the seasoning on to the Vendhaya Keerai Kootu

Switch off the gas and transfer the Kootu to a serving bowl

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatis

MENTHI KURA PAPPU

 MENTHI KURA PAPPU

In the early days, I used to think that Andhra food was mainly biryani and salan! As I started blogging and trying out more dishes from different regions of India,  I realized there are so many wonderful dishes from Andhra. Many of them tend to be spicy which we particularly enjoy. 

Since my husband and I like Andhra cuisine, elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes from Andhra, such as:-

• Dondekaya Pachadi 
• Spicy Bhindi Andhra Style
• Pesarattu
• Mamidikaya Menthi Pachadi 

Today's recipe is for an accompaniment for rice and rotis, made with fenugreek leaves (called Menthi Kura in Telugu) and toor dal. This dal is on the thick side. 

This is quite easy to make and I would recommend you give it a try! I am sure you will like it!!

Ingredients:-

• Menthi Kura ( Fenugreek Leaves), 2 cups
• Toor Dal / Arhar Dal, 1 cup
• Tomatoes, medium- sized, 2
• Green Chillies, 3
• Onion, medium-sized, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig
• Dry Red Chillies, broken into halves, 2
• Garlic Cloves, 6-8
• Ghee/ Oil, 1 to 1 and 1/2 tbsp  

Method:-

Remove the fenugreek leaves from their stems, wash them thoroughly and roughly chop them. Keep aside

Chop the onion and tomatoes

Slit the green chillies

Peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves

Wash the toor dal and transfer to a vessel , add the chopped tomatoes and slit green chillies

Pressure cook this in adequate water for 3-4 whistles or till the dal gets cooked

Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal and tomatoes, lightly mash it with a ladle and keep aside. 

Heat ghee/oil in a thick-bottomed pan and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the cumin seeds, and when they sizzle add the curry leaves and the broken red chillies and sauté for a few seconds

To this add the lightly crushed garlic and sauté till it gives off a good aroma

Now add the chopped onion, mix well and sauté till it becomes translucent

Add the fenugreek leaves, turmeric powder, and salt and sauté till they wilt

Next add the cooked dal and tomato mixture and mix well

Add water as required and bring this to a boil  

Lower the flame and let it simmer for a few minutes

Switch off the gas and transfer to serving bowl

Serve the Menthi Kura Pappu with rice or rotis

METHI DAL

METHI DAL

Today's recipe is made with Fenugreek Leaves, called Methi in Hindi, Menthe Soppu in Kannada and Methye Bajji in my mother tongue, Konkani. . This is a popular ingredient in many dishes in our Indian cuisine. Apart from their taste, methi leaves have numerous health benefits.  

These leaves have a slightly bitter taste which some people don't much care for. We like to use the methi leaves as they are but if you are averse to the bitterness, you can apply some salt on them, keep aside for 10-15 minutes and squeeze out the juice which gets rid of the bitterness. 

Elsewhere in the blog, you will find recipes for dishes made with methi leaves, such as:-

• Methi Paneer
• Fenugreek Leaves Rolls
• Methi Mutter Pulao

Recently we had Methi Dal, a tasty side dish made with fenugreek leaves and Tur Dal. This dish can be made with any other dal too, like Masoor Dal or Moong Dal. Since I had cooked Tur Dal readily available, I chose to use this, saving time in the bargain. 

This healthy and tasty side dish goes great with both rice and rotis. 

Ingredients:-

• Methi ( Fenugreek) Leaves, chopped, 1 cup
• Cooked Tur Dal (Split Pigeon Peas/ Arhar Dal) , 2 cups
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Dried Red Chilli, broken into halves, 1
• Asafoetida, 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Garlic Cloves,  4-6
• Medium-sized Onion, 1
• Green Chillies, slit, 2
• Tomato, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp, or to taste
• Kitchen King Masala, 1/4 tsp- optional 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp 

Method:-

Remove the methi leaves from their stems and wash them thoroughly, chop and keep aside

Finely chop the onion and tomato

Slit the green chillies

Peel and chop the garlic cloves

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the cumin seeds, and when they sizzle add the asafoetida, broken red chillies, and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this add the chopped garlic cloves and sauté till it goes off a good aroma and turns slightly golden in colour

Next add the finely chopped onion and the slit green chillies, mix well and sauté till the onion becomes translucent 

Add the finely chopped tomato , mix well and cook till it becomes mushy

Now add salt, turmeric powder, and chilli powder, mix well

To this add the chopped methi leaves, mix well and cook till the methi leaves wilt 

After the methi leaves have wilted,  add the cooked Tur Dal, mix well 

Add the required amount of water depending upon the consistency you desire 

Bring this to a boil, then lower the flame, mix in the Kitchen King Masala and allow it to simmer for 5-7 minutes 

Switch off the gas and transfer the Methi Dal to a serving bowl

Serve hot with either rice or rotis. 

VENDHAYA KEERAI SAMBAR

VENDHAYA KEERAI SAMBAR

In many households in South India, the consumption of rice is considerable as it is the staple food. Hence, sambar, the versatile accompanying gravy/curry made of lentils and vegetables is equally popular. It is used with rice as also with items like idli, dosa, vada, etc.

There are different types of sambar. For example, elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Mixed Vegetables Sambar, Radish Sambar, and Thakkali Kulambu.

The name for today's sambar comes from fresh fenugreek leaves being called Vendhaya Keerai in Tamil. This recipe has been adapted from Methi Sambar/ Vendhaya Keerai Sambar from the well-known blog, Subbu's Kitchen.

It tasted delicious and I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• Fenugreek Leaves, (Vendhaya Keerai), 1 cup
• Baby Onions, 15-20
• Toor Dal ( Split Pigeon Peas), 1/2 cup
• Tamarind, lemon sized, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Oil, 2 tsp

Grind Together:

• Byadgi Red Chillies, 8
• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Channa Dal, ( Bengal Gram), 1 tbsp
• Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Baby Onions, 3
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Pluck the fenugreek leaves from their stems and wash thoroughly. Roughly chop them and keep aside.
Wash and cook the toor dal in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles or till the dal is cooked.
Once the cooker cools, remove the cooked dal and mash it immediately, and keep aside
Soak tamarind in warm water for about 10 minutes and extract the juice. Keep aside

Heat oil in a small pan, and when it gets hot, on medium flame, add red chillies, coriander seeds and channa dal
Fry till the dal turns golden brown and the chillies become crisp

Allow this to cool and transfer to a small mixer jar
Grind the above roasted ingredients along with coconut gratings and 3 baby onions to a smooth paste using just the required amount of water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add curry leaves and fry for a few seconds

Now add the 15-20 baby onions and fry for a couple of minutes

Add a little water and cook the onions on medium/low flame for about 2 minutes

When the onions are half-done, add the roughly chopped fenugreek leaves and a little salt. Mix well

Sprinkle some water and cook the fenugreek leaves and onions completely 

When they are cooked, add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, and salt (remember you have already added a little salt earlier)
Mix well and boil the mixture till the raw smell of the tamarind goes

Then add the mashed toor dal and stir well

Add the ground paste which you have prepared (of chillies, dal, coconut gratings and baby onions) and mix well
Lastly, boil the sambar and simmer for 2-3 minutes on medium flame
The vendhaya keerai sambar is ready to be served

CARROT METHI PACHADI

CARROT METHI PACHADI

Today's recipe made of Carrots and Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Leaves) along with lentils and spices is from the State of Andhra Pradesh. Ths "pachadi" is nothing but a kind of semi-dry chutney. I liked this recipe as it does not call for the use of coconut. We enjoyed this both with rice and rotis.

I must thank my friend Shamala Bhat for pointing out this recipe in a cookery group in which we are members. This has been adapted from Carrot Methi Pachadi in the popular web site Sailu's Food.

The sweetness of the carrots offset the bitterness of the methi leaves and the use of lentils gives the chutney a crunch. I hope you will like it as much as we did.

Ingredients: 

• Grated Carrots, 2 cups
• Methi Leaves (Fenugreek Leaves), loosely packed, 1 cup
• Urad Dal (Split Black Gram Dal, 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram), 1 tbsp
• Jeera (Cumin Seeds), 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
• Garlic Flakes, 5
• Green Chillies, slit, 2
• Grated Jaggery, 1 tbsp, 
• Salt, to taste
• Lemon Juice, 1 tbsp
• Oil, 3 tsp

For Seasoning:-:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/ 2 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 8-10
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and grate the carrots and keep aside

Pluck the methi leaves from their stems, wash well and pat dry. Keep aside.
Grate the jaggery and keep aside
In a thick-bottomed non-stick kadhai heat 1 tsp of oil and when it gets hot add the garlic, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and mustard seeds. Fry on medium heat till the dals change colour, become golden and give off a good aroma. Transfer to a plate and keep aside. *Since I used Roasted Byadgi Red Chillies, I have not added red chillies in this step for roasting
In the same kadhai, add 1 tsp oil, fry the slit green chillies and the grated carrot for about 3-4 minutes till the rawness of the carrot goes. Remove and keep aside.
Next add 1 tsp oil and the methi leaves and saute for about 3 minutes till the methi leaves wilt
Remove to a plate and allow it to cool
Grind the mixture of dals, garlic and spices and roasted red chillies to a coarse paste without adding any water
To this add the sauteed carrot and methi, along with grated jaggery and salt
Grind once again using the minimum water required to get a coarse semi-dry chutney
Finally, season the chutney with mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves
Pour the seasoning to the chutney, add the lemon juice and mix well

METHI PANEER

METHI PANEER

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) is popular in most Indian vegetarian homes. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for the easy to make Paneer Burji, an interesting starter Garlicky Chilli Paneer, and the traditional favourite Matar Paneer.  Methi ( Fenugreek Leaves) again is quite popular as it lends a nice flavour to any dish. This article in the Health Site speaks of its many health benefits. You may like to see recipes for a Konkani favorite Methi Sanna Polo, and the Gujarati snack Methi Theplas.

Today's Methi Paneer uses both of the above ingredients and goes very well with rotis, naans and the like. This recipe is adapted from Methi Paneer from Indian Healthy Recipes.

Ingredients:

• Paneer, 200 gms
• Ginger, chopped, 1 tsp
• Garlic, chopped, 1 tsp
• Onions, medium sized, 2
• Tomato, large sized, 1
• Salt, to taste
• Red Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp 
• Cashewnuts, 5-6
• Methi (Fenugreek) Leaves, chopped, 3/4 cup 
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera) 1/2 tsp
• Cardamoms, (Elaichi) 2
• Oil, 5-6 tsp

Preparation:

Wash the methi leaves in several changes of water. Drain and chop the methi leaves.
Cut the paneer into cubes
Chop the onions
Finely chop the tomato

Method: 

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, add 2 tsp of oil when it gets hot add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute till they give off a nice aroma
Add the chopped onions and saute till they turn golden in colour
Next add the finely chopped tomatoes, a little salt, and saute till the tomatoes become soft
To this add the chilli powder, garam masala and the cashewnuts
Fry for a couple of minutes then remove from the stove and allow it to cool
Once it cools, transfer to a small mixer jar, add a little water and blend it to form a puree. Keep aside.
In the same kadhai, add 1 tsp of oil and saute the methi leaves for 2-3 minutes or till they wilt
Add the cubed paneer and saute for 2 more minutes and keep aside
Heat 2 tsp of oil and when it gets hot add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the cardamom
Next add the ground onion-tomato puree and mix well
Add water as required to get a gravy like consistency
Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. Add salt as required and mix well
Lastly add the sauteed methi and paneer that was kept aside
Cook on medium flame for another 2-3 minutes
Serve hot with rotis or naans.

SPROUTED MOONG & METHI CHILA

SPROUTED MOONG & METHI CHILA


Green Moong Beans also known as Whole Green Gram are "loaded with nutritional health benefits" , especially so when they are sprouted. We use them fairly often in my house. You will see recipes for Sprouted Moong Salad, Sprouted Moong Curry, and Healthy Moong Chaat, elsewhere in this blog.

Today's dish is adapted from the recipe for a nutritious snack from Gujarat called Sprouted Moong & Methi Chila from the legendary Tarlaji Dalal. The recipe given below is for making 6 chilas.

Ingredients:

• Moong Sprouts (Whole Green Gram),  1 and 1/2 cups
• Green Chillies, roughly chopped, 4-5
• Ginger, roughly chopped, 1/2 " piece 
• Fenugreek Leaves (Methi) roughly chopped, 1/2 cup
• Besan (Bengal Gram Flour), 1 and 1/2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for tempering and making the chilas
• Cumin Seeds, (Jeera), 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, (Hing), 2 pinches

Method:

In a bowl, mix together the moong sprouts, chopped green chillies, and ginger with 3/4 cup of water.

Transfer this to a mixer and blend it to form a smooth batter

Move this back to the bowl and add the chopped fenugreek leaves, besan, and salt.

Mix well to form a smooth batter and keep aside.

In a small non-stick pan, add 1 tsp of oil and when it gets heated add the cumin seeds

When they sizzle, add the asafoetida and mix well

Pour this tempering onto the batter and mix well

Heat and grease a non-stick tawa (griddle) 

Pour a ladleful of batter on the tawa 

Spread the batter evenly to make a circle of about 5" diameter to make a chila

Cook the chila first on one side till it becomes golden brown than, flip and cook the other side likewise by pouring oil on the edges of the chila

Repeat with the remaining batter to make more chilas 

Serve the chilas hot with mint chutney and a little curds.

PANEER METHI CHAMAN

PANEER METHI CHAMAN

As at home we are fond of Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for various dishes made out of Paneer such as Paneer Jhalfrezi, Paneer Chettinad, and Paneer Makhmali.

Recently, I tried out one more paneer dish which came out very well. This was Paneer Methi Chaman, adapted from the recipe by Master Chef Tarlaji Dalal. In this dish which is from Punjab, we make liberal use of greens like palak ( spinach), and methi ( Fenugreek leaves).

I chose not to deep fry the paneer cubes. Instead I lightly tawa fried them giving them a hint of golden brown. Likewise, I  did not add fresh cream (2 tbsp) as recommended in the original recipe.

Ingredients:

• Paneer, 1 cup, cut into 1 " cubes
• Spinach, (Palak), chopped, 4 cups
• Fenugreek Leaves, (Methi), chopped, 2 cups
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves ( Kasuri Methi), 1 tsp
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera) 1 tsp
• Onions, chopped, 1/4 cup
• Asafoetida, (Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, (Haldi),a pinch
• Chilli Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Ginger-Green Chilli Paste, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Garam Masala, 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash the spinach and fenugreek leaves thoroughly and chop them.

Add the chopped spinach and fenugreek leaves to boiling water and blanch them for 2-3 minutes. Immediately run them under a stream of cold water to help retain their green colour

Drain the water and puree the chopped spinach and fenugreek leaves in a mixer. Keep aside.

Add oil to a pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes till they get a tinge of golden brown. Flip them and lightly fry the other side too. Keep aside

Roast the dry fenugreek leaves in a pan till crisp. Keep aside

Heat oil in the kadhai and add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the chopped onion and saute till they turn golden brown

Add the asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger-green chilli paste

Next add the prepared puree of spinach and fenugreek leaves

Add the roasted kasuri methi and fry for a few minutes

Add salt to taste, and mix well

Now add the shallow fried paneer cubes, and garam masala powder
Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes

Serve hot

SAAG CHOLE

SAAG CHOLE

I like to make dishes out of chickpeas as they go well with rotis. In this blog, you will find recipes for Kadhai Chole, and Pindi Chole.

I was delighted to come across this dish made of chickpeas, cooked with spices, spinach and fenugreek leaves. This is from the Thermalchu blog, from where I have adapted this recipe for Saag Chole .

It is a very nutritious dish with the inclusion of greens cooked with chickpeas. We enjoyed having this with rotis.

Ingredients:

• Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas), 1 cup
• Palak, (Spinach), 1 cup
• Fenugreek Leaves ( Methi leaves), 1 cup
• Onion, 1
• Tomato, 1
• Green Chillies, 3
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Amchur Powder ( Dry Mango Powder), 1/4 tsp
• Coriander-Cumin Powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp, or to taste
• Garam Masala Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1 tbsp, for garnish

Method:

Wash and soak the chickpeas for 8-10 hours or overnight. 

Wash the palak leaves and chop them

Wash and chop the methi leaves

Chop the onion, tomato, and green chillies

Cook the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles or till done, and keep aside

In a small pan, dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds, powder it once it cools and keep aside

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and when it gets hot add the chopped green chillies and onion and saute till the onion turns golden brown

Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes

Next, add turmeric powder, roasted coriander-cumin powder, chilli powder, amchur powder and garam masala powder. Stir to prevent the spices from getting burnt

Add the chopped tomato, salt, and cook till the tomato becomes soft

Now add the cooked chickpeas, chopped palak and methi leaves and a little stock of the cooked chickpeas. Mix well.

Cook till the palak and methi leaves get done and are well-blended with the chickpeas 

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, and serve hot with rotis.

MENTHE SOPPU BATH (FENUGREEK LEAVES RICE)

MENTHE SOPPU BATH ( FENUGREEK LEAVES RICE)

We make different types of rice in South India. Often these are made using cooked rice, which is readily available at home, which saves time as well. In this blog, for example, you will find recipes for Maavinkayi Chitranna, using Raw Mangoes; Nellikayi Chitranna, using Gooseberries, and Coriander Leaves Rice using Coriander Leaves.

Today's dish 'Menthe Soppu Bath" is made using Fenugreek Leaves which we call Menthe Soppu in Kannada. "Bath" is a word for rice as in the more famous Karnataka dishes like Bisibele Bath and Vangibath.

This recipe is adapted from Savi Ruchi which specializes in Karnataka cuisine.

Here I have used store bought MTR brand Vangibath Powder but you can make your own at home as well. I have also used frozen green peas which save me more time than using fresh green peas and having to cook them,

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice, 3 cups
• Menthe Soppu ( Fenugreek Leaves), 1 cup, tightly packed
• Frozen Green Peas, 1/3 cup
• Turmeric Powder, a pinch
• Tamarind, marble sized ball
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Vangi Bath Powder, 1 tbsp

For the Seasoning:

• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Peanuts, 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• Red Chilli, broken, 1

Method:

Remove the fenugreek leaves from their stems and wash them
Finely chop the fenugreek leaves and keep aside
Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of warm water and extract the juice. Keep aside
In a kadhai, heat 1 tsp of oil and when it is hot add the finely chopped fenugreek leaves.
Saute on medium heat till they are half-cooked and shrink in size
Add the frozen peas, turmeric powder and the tamarind extract. Mix well.
Add jaggery, salt and vangi bath powder. Mix well.
Continue to cook on medium heat till the mixture thickens
Now add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps and the rice is evenly and well coated with the fenugreek leaves mixture
Next, prepare the seasoning with the ingredients mentioned under "Seasoning" in the order in which they are listed
Pour this on to the Fenugreek Leaves Rice and mix well

CORN METHI PULAO

CORN METHI PULAO

Pulao is often made in Indian homes for which we  usually use long grained Basmati rice. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for the aromatic Mint Pulao, the multi-coloured Panchranga Pulao, and the nutritious Matki Pulao.


This Corn and Methi Pulao is adapted from the recipe of the legendary Tarla Dalal. As described by Tarlaji, the "sweetness of corn and the innate bitterness of the methi complement each other well in this pulao."

It turned out to be delicious and I would recommend it as another variety of pulao you may add to your collection.

Ingredients:

• Long grained Rice (Basmati), 1 cup
• Black Peppercorns, 2-4
• Cinnamon, 1/2 " piece
• Cloves, 2
• Cardamoms, 2
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 1/2 tsp
• Onion, sliced, 1/2 cup
• Fenugreek leaves, ( Methi) chopped, 3/4 cup
• Sweet Corn Kernels, 1/2 cup
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Butter, 1 tbsp.
• Oil, 1 tbsp.
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh curd, for serving along with pulao

Method:

Wash the rice and soak it for 20-30 minutes as is customary for basmati rice. Keep aside
Heat the butter and oil in a pressure cooker. Once it is heated, add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms
Saute for 1/2 a minute
Add the sliced onions and saute for 1 or 2 minutes
Next add the chopped fenugreek leaves, corn kernels and saute for 1 minute
Now add the rice and 2 cups of hot water, salt, turmeric powder, green chillies, and stir well
Cook till the second whistle.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid of the pressure cooker
Serve the pulao hot with fresh curds or raita of your choice.

AVAREKALU MENTHYA AKKI ROTTI

AVAREKALU MENTHYA AKKI ROTTI

This dish from Karnataka is one type of Akki Rotti (featured elsewhere in this blog) with the fragrance of fenugreek leaves (Menthya Soppu in Kannada) and Avarekalu (Hyacinth beans).

As you know the Avarekalu season is ending soon, so I made this dish. The addition of the Avarekalu makes this dish more filling as well as tasty. The averakalu has first to be deskinned. To do this, soak it in water for 3-4 hours. Then remove the outer skin by pressing the bean between the thumb and index finger.

 Ingredients:

• Akki Hittu, (Rice Flour), 2 cups
• Deskinned and Cooked Avarekalu ( Hyacinth beans), 1/2 cup
• Menthya Soppu ( Fenugreek leaves), finely chopped, 1/2 cup
• Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Grated coconut, 2 tbsp
• Hing (Asafoetida), a pinch
• Atta, (Wheat flour),1-2 tbsp
• Green Chillies, 3-4 , or as per taste
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for roasting the rottis.

Method:
Grind the grated coconut and the green chillies together in a small mixer jar with very little water till the green chillies are fully crushed.
In a bowl, mix this coconut-chilli paste along with rice flour, chopped onion, a pinch of asafoetida, chopped fenugreek leaves, cooked avarekalu and salt.
Knead this to a soft dough by adding some warm water and a little atta for binding the dough.
Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and pat them to make rottis. This is best done by applying a little oil on to a plastic sheet and patting the dough evenly using your fingers to form a round rotti.
Heat the tawa and when it is hot, hold the plastic sheet with the patted rotti in one hand and peel off the plastic sheet with the other and place the rotti on the tawa.
Drizzle enough oil to roast it to a golden brown.
Flip and roast the other side as well.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice

ALOO AND METHI SUKKE ( METHIYE BAJJI SUKKE)

ALOO AND METHI SUKKE ( METHIYE BAJJI SUKKE) 

My husband and children have always been fond of our Konkani dish Methiye Bajji Sukke. This dish of potatoes and fenugreek (methi)  leaves has been a favourite of the family over the years. I learnt this from my mother years ago and still make it from time to time. In

In this dish the bitterness of the fenugreek is balanced by the sweetness of the potatoes. In addition, the pleasant aroma of the cooked methi leaves and potatoes adds to it's appeal as does the coriander seeds in the coconut-based masala. 

If you have boiled potatoes readily available, this saves time in making this dish. 

A "sukke" is a dish which can be had as an accompaniment to the meal with rice as well as with rotis.

Ingredients:

• Methi, (Fenugreek leaves) chopped, 2 cups
• Boiled Potatoes, medium-sized, cut into cubes, 3
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Onions, chopped, 2
• Coriander seeds, 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1/2 to 3/4 cup
• Red Chillies (Byadgi), 4- 5
• Tamarind, size of a marble
• Cooked Tuar Dal, 1/4 cup
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash the methi leaves thoroughly and chop them. Keep aside.
Chop the onions. Keep aside.
In a little oil, roast the red chillies till they become a little crisp. Also separately roast the coriander seeds till you get a good aroma and the colour changes to a golden brown. Keep aside.
Grind together coconut gratings, roasted red chillies, tamarind, and the roasted coriander seeds to a masala of chutney consistency, adding just the required amount of water. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai on medium heat
Add the mustard seeds, when it splutters add the chopped onions and fry till they become translucent
Now add the chopped methi leaves and mix well
Cook on medium/low heat by keeping the kadhai covered. Stir from time to time,  sprinkling very little water, till the methi leaves are done,
Add the boiled potato cubes and salt
Now add the ground masala and the cooked dal. Mix well and cook for a few minutes more till they are well blended and the excess water evaporates
Serve hot.

Tip: Adding cooked Tuar Dal enhances the taste of this dish