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Methi Dal Recipe | Healthy Chapati Side dish

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Author: Sumana

Ingredients

  • Pigeon pea lentils toor dal- 1/2 cup
  • Methi Fenugreek leaves- 1 bunch
  • Onion- 1 no.
  • Tomato- 1 no.
  • Green chillies- 2 nos.
  • Chopped ginger- 2 tsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
  • Salt- 1.5 tsp
  • Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
  • Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
  • Tamarind water- 2 tsp

To temper

  • Oil- 3 tsp
  • Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves- Few

Instructions

Preparation

  • Rinse the fenugreek leaves with enough water and separate the leaves from its stem. Discard the stems. Next peel off the onion and chop it finely followed by tomato. Slit the green chillies. Keep everything ready.

Method

  • Wash and rinse the lentils with enough water. Then include a cup of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles or till soft.
  • Next heat a pan adding oil, cumin and curry leaves. when the cumin sizzles, include onion and saute till it turns translucent. Next throw in chopped ginger and green chillies too. Continue sauteing.
  • After few minutes add chopped tomato and stir till the tomatoes turn mushy. Followed by tomato, include fenugreek leaves. The leaves will wilt and turn soft in few seconds.
  • Next it's the spices. Throw in salt, turmeric, red chilly powder and garam masala. Let all the spices combine well with greens and veggies. Include cooked pigeon pea lentils and some water.
  • Mix everything well and continue cooking. Add tamarind water and bring it to boil for few seconds. Switch off.
  • Very delicious and healthy methi dal is ready to serve along with jeera rice or chapati/roti.

Notes

  • The fenugreek leaves should be sauteed well till it gets cooked.
  • In order to balance the bitterness, appropriate amount of sourness is needed. Hence I have added the tamarind water towards the end.
  • You can replace tamarind water by lemon juice too.
  • Since the lentils happen to be bland, make it bit spicy using green chillies and red chilly powder.