Methi Dhal/Fenugreek Leaves Lentil Gravy

Tags

Andhra Pappu, Andhra style pappu recipe, Daal recipe, Fenugreek leaves, Methi Daal, Methi Daal recipe, Methi Dhal, Methi Recipe

Methi leaves/Fenugreek leaves is a must in my grocery list when I visit Indian grocery. I got to learn this recipe from my room mate. She is from Rajamundry of Andhra Pradesh. I love Andhra food( I guess most of us in South India loves 🙂 ) and specially the pappu which is served in their menu is just awesome. Vegetarians like me used to have 2 to 3 rounds of this pappu and rice 😉

I used to get methi, pluck it from the stalks and wait for my roomie to prepare this pappu. She is quite a busy bee , an alumni of BITS Pilani!! Now you can understand how work alcoholic this lady is. But I have never got such a wonderful room mate ever, she is the best. It is usually me who cooks and what ever blunder I prepare, she never used to complain 😛 so sweet of her 😀 Once she taught me how to prepare this dish, but somehow when I prepared it, I couldn’t get the same taste as how she prepares it. When I asked her, she told me that I might have reduced the tamarind size and yes, she was right. Tamarind in this dish gives it an excellent taste. So here is the Andhra style recipe 🙂

Ingredients:

Methi Leaves/Fenugreek Leaves : 2 bunches ( 3/4 cups)

Toor Dhal/Pigeon Pea : 1/2 cup

Green Chili : 2

Turmeric Powder : 1/8 teaspoon

Tamarind : 1 Lemon size (make juice out of it measure this as well along with water)

Water : Just to cover till it fills the top of all above

Onion: 1/2 of large

Garlic : 5 to 6 large pods

Salt : 1/2 teaspoon

To Temper:

Oil: 1 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon

Urad dal : 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida : 1/4 teaspoon

Red Chili : 1 to 2

Method:

• Wash Fenugreek Leaves thoroughly and roughly chop them.
• Next wash toor dal and drain of water. Add the fenugreek leaves, tamarind juice with water, green chili and turmeric powder with the toor dal and pressure cook it for 6 whistles.
• Let it cool down. Once done mash them totally and add salt.(I didn’t mash it well :P) Now mix it well.
• Heat oil in a pan, when hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, Cumin seeds, asafoetida and broken red chili. When it crackles add the chopped onions and garlic and mix well. When garlic turns a little golden color , add this tadka to the dal/lentil cooked above.

Serve with rice or roti 🙂

Simple and easy recipe. It takes time to remove the leaves from stalk, only this is time consuming. We both used to have it with Rice, pickle and papad 🙂 yum!! I missing those days badly…. I am not sure if she has time to read this post as now she is totally busy in her new office at UK 🙂 , I dedicate it to her 🙂