Methi dal is an easy recipe which is full of nutrition. It is also called as methikura pappu in South India. Methikura or menthikura means fenugreek leaves and pappu means dhal or lentils. It is a recipe full of iron and quite easy to cook too. Learn this easy recipe in simple steps.
It is wholesome and full of nutrition. Lentils and greens are perfect ways to improve protein in vegans and vegetarians.
Tip: Add a dash of lemon before you serve.
Benefits of fenugreek leaves
- Great for iron
- Helps in breastfeeding for new mums
- Reduces diabetes risk
- Improves weight loss
- Good for the heart.
- Reduces inflammation.
Ingredients
- Chopped fenugreek leaves
- Boiled yellow moong dal
- Ghee or oil if vegan
- Mustard seeds
- Ginger- garlic- chillies
- Curry powder/ red chilli powder
- Turmeric powder
- Curry leaves
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Oil
How to make methi dal?
- Boil lentils with twice the water in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Mash it with a masher and keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now, add chopped onions, ginger and let it sweat.
- Add chopped tomatoes to it.
- Once tomatoes soften, add turmeric powder and curry powder / red chilli powder.
- Add chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well.
- Leaves will wilt as they cook together.
- Add mashed lentils once the fenugreek leaves wilt and stir with a wooden spatula.
- Let it come to a boil and simmer for few minutes on a low flame.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan and temper garlic cloves, curry leaves and 1/4th cup chopped onions.
- Add this tempering to dhal and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Variation
If you like to avoid onion and garlic, you may omit it. If you are a vegetarian, you can use ghee for tempering.
Substitution
You can use a variety of greens to make this recipe like spinach, malabar spinach or amaranth.
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Methi dal
Methi dal or methikura pappu is an easy lentil dish with fenugreek leaves. Learn to make it here.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- pressure cooker
- chopper/ food processor optional
- masher
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 1 tbsp. mustard seeds
- 1/2 tbsp. ginger
- 2-3 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 green chilli or as per taste
- handful curry leaves
- 1 onion large chopped
- 2-3 tomatoes large, chopped
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves / methi leaves chopped
- 1 cup lentils
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp. curry powder / red chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Boil lentils with twice the water in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Mash it with a masher and keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now, add chopped onions, ginger and let it sweat.
- Add chopped tomatoes to it.
- Once tomatoes soften, add turmeric powder and curry powder / red chilli powder.
- Add chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well.
- Add mashed lentils once the fenugreek leaves wilt and stir with a wooden spatula.
- Let it come to a boil and simmer for few minutes on a low flame.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan and temper garlic cloves, curry leaves and 1/4th cup chopped onions.
- Add the tempering to the dhal and give it a stir. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve hot with rice or roti.
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