Soya Methi Malai

Soya Methi Malai in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1.5 cups Methi leaves, finely chopped (plz see imp tip no. 1)
3/4 cup Soya Chunks
1/2 cup Green Peas (Frozen)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
For tempering: 1 tbsp Oil, 2 pinches cumin seeds, 1/ 8 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp ginger-green chili paste, 1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp Kitchen king masala
1/4 to 1/2 cup Heavy cream
Salt to taste
For Garnishing - 2 tbsp Chopped tomato

Method:
1) Wash and finely chop methi leaves. Soak soya chunks in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain the hot water and add cold water. Leave it for 2 minutes and then squeeze soya chunks to remove all the water. Roughly chop them.
2) Heat oil in Kadai. Add cumin seeds, saute for 5 seconds and then add ginger-green chili paste. saute for 10 seconds. Now add onion, turmeric, red chili powder and 2 pinches of salt. Suate until onion becomes translucent.
3) Add green peas and cook for couple of minutes. Now, add soya chunks and methi leaves. Stir for 2 minutes. Add kitchen king masala. Cook till moisture in methi leaves evaporates. Do not cover while cooking. Check the salt and adjust the spices.
4) Turn the heat to low. Add heavy cream as much as required. Stir continuously to prevent curdling. Keep the flame low.
After adding cream, do not boil too much. There are chances of curry getting spoiled.
Serve hot with Chapati, or any other Indian bread.

Tips:
1) To reduce bitterness of fenugreek, soak the chopped fenugreek into cold salt water for 10 minutes. Then squeeze and use. But, soaking in water, methi loses its nutritional value to some extent. Hence, use this method only if you can't bare the bitterness. (the bitterness reduces a little after adding cream)
2) Soya granules can be used instead of soya chunks.
3) green peas give a sweetness to the curry. However, its an optional ingredient. The curry can be prepared with fenugreek and soya chunks.
4) Incase, if kitchen king masala is not available, use garam masala.

Paneer Methi

Paneer Methi in Marathi

Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 big bunch of Methi, washed and picked
150 gram paneer, small cubes (Tip)
1 small onion, sliced lengthwise
1 medium tomato, medium cubes
1/2 inch ginger
3 to 4 big garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2-3 Black pepper
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 cup cream (Tip)
Tempering: 1 + 1 tbsp Oil, pinch of turmeric
1 tsp Coriander powder
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat 1 tbsp oil into a pan. Add black pepper, ginger, garlic and onion. Saute till onion turns translucent. Add tomato and cook till tomato becomes mushy. Let this mixture cool down. Puree without adding water.
2) Finely chop methi leaves. Heat oil into a pan. Add turmeric and methi leaves. Also add 2-3 pinches of salt. Cook uncovered until water content of methi leaves evaporate.
3) Now add tomato- onion puree and yogurt. Stir well and cook for few minutes. Add little more salt and coriander powder.
4) Turn the heat to low (Tip). Add paneer and cream. Also add some water to get the desired consistency. Cook for few minutes.
Serve hot with Chapati, Naan or any Indian bread.

Tips:
1) When using store bought paneer, cut them into cubes and immerse into hot water. Drain the water after 2 minutes. This way, paneer becomes soft.
2) Incase, the cream is unavailable, mix 1/2 cup milk powder to 1/4 cup water without any lumps.
3) Do not add cream when flame is high. High flame will curdle the cream (when mixed with salt).

Aloo Methi

Aloo Methi in Marathi

Time: 30 to 40 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped Methi leaves
1 medium Potato, (peel and cut into medium cubes)
1 small onion, finely chopped (around 1/2 cup after chopping)
1 small tomato, pureed
For tempering:- 1.5 tbsp oil, 2 pinches mustard seeds, 1 pinch cumin seeds, 1 pinch hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric
2-3 green chilies, slitted lengthwise
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Tomato Puree - Immerse the tomato into a water-filled glass bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes. Then drain, puree and strain.
2) Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric and green chilies. Saute for few seconds. Add onion and cook 50 %. Then add potato cubes (Tip 1). Mix well, cover the pan and let the potato cook. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking.
3) Add tomato Puree and cook over high heat. Stir until tomato puree reduces and becomes very thick.
4) Now add chopped methi and 2-3 pinches of salt. Do not add too much salt as methi will shrink after sauteing. Stir over high heat.
5) Once methi reduces in size and water content in methi almost evaporates, reduce the heat and cook for couple of minutes. Add salt at this moment (only if required).
Serve hot with chapati.

Tips:
1) Boiled potato can be used to save time. In that case, follow the same steps except add boiled potato cubes at the end.
( tempering + Add onion and cook completely + Add tomato puree and cook until thickens + Add methi leaves and wait till the it shrinks + add potatoes cook for few minutes)
2) This sabzi tastes good without any spices. However, spices may be added as per your choice (garam masala, coriander - cumin powder).
3) Onion can be substituted by Garlic paste. Use 1 tsp garlic paste.

Fenugreek Laddu Methi Laddu

Fenugreek Laddu in Marathi

Time: approximately 2 hours
Yield: 25 medium laddus

Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat flour
2 cups Soybean flour
1 cup Cashew powder
1 cup Dry dates powder
1/2 cup Almond powder
1/2 cup Pistachio powder
2 cups Dry coconut, grated and roasted
50 gram Dink Powder (Edible Gum)
50 gram Fenugreek seeds
2 to 2 and 1/2 cup Jaggery, grated
Approximately 1/2 kg Ghee

Method:
1) Heat a pan nicely. Then turn off the gas. Roast the fenugreek seeds for few minutes. Ground the roasted fenugreek to fine powder.
2) In a deep bowl, take around 2 cups of warm ghee. Add fenugreek powder and Dink powder. Mix and beat the mixture for around 15 minutes. Do it alternate days for about 8 days. Beating fenugreek along with the ghee helps to reduce bitterness of the fenugreek.
3) Roast the powder of Cashew, Almonds, Pistachio, Dry dates separately by adding a tablespoon ghee for each roasting.
4) Roast the soybean flour and wheat flour. Add few tablespoon of ghee while roasting.
5) Mix all the ingredients. (Roasted powder of Cashew, Almonds, Pistachio, Dry dates, Roasted Coconut, beaten Dink and Fenugreek powder, Roasted flours)
6) Take the jaggery into a pan. Add 2 to 3 tbsp water. Heat the pan and melt the jaggery. Once jaggery is melted, turn off the heat. Add the above mixture immediately. Mix nicely and make the laddus while mixture is still hot.

Methi Matar Malai

Methi malai matar in Marathi

Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients:
3 cup Fenugreek leaves (Methi leaves)
1/2 cup fresh Green peas
1 Green chili
1/2 cup Onion paste
1 tbsp butter
2 black peppers
1 green cardamom
1 small piece of Cinnamon stick
1/2 cup Milk
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat a pan, add butter and green chili. Then add black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon stick and saute until you sense nice aroma of spices.
2) Add onion paste over medium heat and saute until onion is cooked nicely. Then add methi leaves and cook uncovered over medium heat. stir occasionally.
3) Once methi is cooked, add green peas and milk. Cook over low heat. Add salt to taste and 1 or 2 tbsp fresh cream. Cook over slow flame for few minutes more.
This curry needs time to cook. So be patient.

Tips:
1) Many people like to add ginger-garlic paste along with the onion paste. However, ginger-garlic paste reduces the flavor of Fenugreek.
2) Due to fresh cream, the curry gets little sweet taste. However, add pinch of sugar if needed.

Methi Muthiya

Methi Muthiya in Marathi

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped Fenugreek leaves
1 and 1/2 tbsp plain Yogurt
1 and 1/2 tbsp Rice flour
1 and 1/2 tbsp Chickpea flour
1 and 1/2 tbsp Wheat flour
1 tbsp Oil
3 to 4 Garlic, minced
1 tsp Carom seeds
1 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
1) Mix all the ingredients and knead to a firm dough. If you feel the mixture is dry, do not add water. Add Yogurt to get the moisture.
2) Divide the dough into 1 inch balls and give an oval shape. Heat the oil for deep frying and fry them over medium high flame.

Methi Shankarpale - Teatime snack

Methi Shankarpale in marathi

Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 people

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Wheat Flour
1/4 cup All purpose flour
1 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Kasoori Methi
2 pinch Carom Seeds
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
1) Mix wheat flour, all purpose flour, and salt into a bowl. Make 1 tbsp oil very hot, when you pour it into flour, the flour should become fussy. Mix with the spoon.
2) Crush Kasoori methi with hands and make powder and sprinkle over flour. Also add carom seeds. Mix together nicely, add water and make a firm dough. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
3) Divide the dough into 2 equal balls. Roll one dough balls into paper thin roti. Cover it with a big plate till you roll another dough ball. Once both rotis are ready, apply 1 tsp oil to one side of a roti and place the other one on top of it. Pat and roll again gently to fix both roties nicely, but do not apply too much pressure. With pizza cutter or any cutter, cut them into diamond shape and separate them.
4) Heat oil for deep frying. Add shankarpale in batches and deep fry over medium-low heat. Do not fry over high heat, it will become brown but they won't become crispy.
After frying serve this crunchy snack with tea.

Methamba

Methamba in Marathi

Yield: between 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Time: approx 30 minutes

Health Tip: Health benefits of Methi (Fenugreek) Seeds

Ingredients:
1 cup Green Mango, small cubes (peeled) (You can use half ripe mango)
1/2 cup Jaggery
1/2 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 tsp Oil
1/8 tsp Mustard seeds
1/8 tsp Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder or to taste
Salt to taste

Method:
1) In a medium pan, heat oil. Add fenugreek seeds and let it brown. Then add mustard seeds, wait till they crackled. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder and chili powder. Imediately add mango cubes. Add little water, cover and simmer till mango cubes cooked nicely (Cook over low heat). Add salt to taste.
2) Once mango cubes are tender, add jaggery and 1/2 cup water. Cook till sauce thickens.

Note:
1) Keep the thickness of sauce according to your choice.

Methi and Corn Pulao

Methi Corn Pulao In Marathi

Serves: approx. 2 cups (for 2 persons)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Basmati Rice
3/4 cup Methi Leaves (Fenugreek)
3/4 cup Onion, thinly sliced (lengthwise)
2 Green Chilies, sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup Corn Karnels, boiled
1 tsp Ginger, grated
3 tbsp Oil
3/4 cup Yogurt
2 Bay leaves
2 Green Cardamom
4 Cloves
1 and 1/2 cups Water
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Ghee
Pinch of Kasoori Methi, powdered
Little Cilantro for garishing

Method:
1) Clean Methi leaves, chop and soak into salt water for 1/2 hour. Wash and soak basmati rice into water for 20 minutes.
2) Drain water from Methi leaves, squeeze and keep aside. Drain water from basmati rice and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3) Take a deep pan with lid. Heat Oil in that pan. Add Bay leaves, Cardamom and Cloves. Saute for few seconds. Then add sliced onion. Stir over medium high heat for 5 minutes or onion turns light brown. Now add ginger and green chilies. Saute for 10 seconds.
4) Now add squeezed Methi leaves. Stir for 2 minutes or methi's volume reduced to half. Whisk yogurt and stir in nicely. Stir for 2 minutes, add boiled corns. Mix nicely and add water. Bring water to a boil.
5) Once water starts boiling, add washed rice. Over medium heat, cook the rice uncovered till rice is 60% cooked. Then cover with lid and cook over slow flame. Stir only if needed. Do not stir too much, it could break the grain and rice will not come out well. Once rice is done, drizzle 1 tbsp ghee. Fluff with fork. Serve into serving plate, Sprinkle Kasoori Methi for nice flavor. Garnish with Cilantro.

Note:
1) Adjust the quantity of Methi according to your taste.

Methi Thepla

Methi Thepla in Marathi



Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped Fenugreek Leaves
1/2 cup Wheat Flour
2 tbsp plain Yogurt
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Carom Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
2 to 3 Green Chilies, finely chopped
1 tsp Oil
salt to taste

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl, add chopped Methi leaves and 1/2 tsp salt. smash with hands for about a minute. Cover the bowl and rest aside for 15 minutes. Crumbling Methi leaves with some salt will make Methi leaves little mushy and watery. Therefore you wont need to add more water while kneading dough.
2) Add Cumin seeds, Carom Seeds, Cumin powder, Turmeric, Red CHili powder and green chilies to mashed Methi leaves. Now mix well. Add yogurt and salt to taste. Add Wheat flour spoonful at a time. Incorporate all wheat flour, knead nicely and make a dough. If the dough is little dry, add 1 tbsp Yogurt and knead. Do not add water to make the dough little moist.
Put this dough in a greased bowl and cover with damp cloth or any plate to avoid drying for about 1/2 an hour.
3) After 1/2 an hour, knead the dough well and make 4 to 5 equal balls. heat a griddle or Tawa. Roll the dough balls into thin and flat round disc. Cook each Thepla over hot Tawa. Apply some oil and roast both sides of Thepla.
Serve hot with Green Chutney or Garlic Spicy Chutney

Labels:
Methi Thepla, Fenugreek Paratha

Methi Amati - Fenugreek Dal

Methichi Amati in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons


Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 cup finely chopped Fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup cooked Toordal
Seasoning:
1 tbsp Oil, 1/8 tsp Mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds, 1/8 tsp Asafoetida powder, 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder OR 2-3 green Chilies, chopped
4-5 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Goda Masala
2-3 Kokum
1 tsp Jaggery
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a saucepan. Temper with Mustard Seeds, Cumin seeds, Asafoetida Powder, Turmeric Powder. Add Red Chili Powder or Green chilies, curry leaves. Saute for few seconds.
2) Add finely chopped Fenugreek Leaves. Turn heat on medium. Let methi cook uncovered for approx 2-3 minutes. Now add cooked Dal. Add water according the consistency you want. Mix well over medium high heat.
3) Add Goda Masala, Kokum and bring Amati to boil. Add Salt to taste and Jaggery. Boil for approx 2-3 minutes.
Serve Methichi Amati with hot Rice with little Ghee.

Notes:
1) you can use Tamarind Pulp or Lemon Juice for sourness instead of Kokum.
2) Use any favorite masala if you don't have Goda Masala

Labels:
Methi Amti, Fenugreek Dal, Methi dal

Methi Pakoda - Fenugreek Stems Pakoda

Methichya Dethachi Bhajji in Marathi



Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped Fenugreek Stems
1 medium onion
½ cup Chana Dal
2 tbsp Rice Flour
2 tbsp Wheat Flour
1 to 2 tbsp Green Chili Paste
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
oil for deep frying

Method:
1) Soak chana dal in water for 4-5 hours. After 4-5 hours drain all the water and grind to fine paste without adding water.
2) Chop onion finely. In a mixing bowl, put chopped Fenugreek stems, chopped onion, chana dal paste, green chilies paste, rice Flour, wheat Flour, cumin seeds and salt to taste. Mix these ingredients together. This mixture should be thick and little sticky.
3) In a deep fryer, heat enough oil for deep-frying. Drop the mixture in the form of small sized balls. Deep-fry till it turns golden brown.
These fritters taste great with tamarind chutney and green spicy chutney.

This is my Entry for Herb Mania - Fenugreek

Labels:
Methichi bhajji, methi Bonda, fenugreek pakoda, Methi Pakora, Methichya Dethachi Bhaji, Methi Pakoda

Methi Laddu

Methiche Ladu in Marathi

Ingredients:
50 to 75 gram Methi Powder (Ground Fenugreek Seeds)
2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup Grated dry Coconut
50 gram Dink (Edible Gum)
1 cup Dry dates Powder
50 gram Khaskhas (Poppy seeds) (Roasted and powdered)
2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
2 ½ cups Pure Ghee
½-cup Dry fruits (Optional)
1 tsp Cardamom Powder

Method:
1) Roast Khaskhas and powder it.
2) Heat ½ cup pure ghee. Transfer it in a glass bowl. Soak Fenugreek powder in it for atleast 12-15 hours.
3) Roast grated dry coconut.
4) Heat 2 cups pure ghee and deep fry Dink. Keep aside fried Dink and add wheat flour.Roast until it becomes golden brown and leaves nice aroma. Turn off the heat; add Dry dates powder, soaked fenugreek powder, khaskhas powder, roasted dry coconut, cardamom powder, dry fruits, fried Dink and powdered sugar, mix all together. And make laddus (round balls) while the mixture is hot.

Note:
1) Some people like more ghee flavor, so add ½ cup hot ghee while frying wheat flour.
2) Instead of wheat flour, we can use soyabean flour, Moong dal flour according to your choice.

Labels:
Methiche Ladu, Methi Ladu, Fenugreek Seeds Laddu