I got a bunch of methi leaves in Mustafa last week when I went for monthly grocery purchase. With only 2 weeks to go to Chennai, when I was picking all the veggies, Vj reminded me there is only 2 weeks and as Aj too planned to travel alone prior to us, he told to buy accordingly. But since its 2 weeks, I had to buy as the vegetables as usual. I saw the methi leaves fresh and so bought and kept. I usually clean and freeze the leaves and use it for making methi thepla. I just love it a lot. Other than methi thepla, I rarely make aloo methi. Otherwise, I do not use methi in anything else. My MIL makes kootu with this as we call it vendhaya keerai kootu. But I have not tried that. I tried making methi pulao, which I will schedule next month before going to Chennai. I had half the methi leaves remaining, so I tried making this methi dal. It was really falvorful, I love all kind of dals, so loved this as well. It goes well with both rice and roti.
Methi dal recipe
Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Serves: 3
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook time: 20 mins | Serves: 3
Ingredients
Moong dal / Paasi paruppu – ½ cup
Methi leaves – ¾ cup
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Green chilli – 2
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Salt – As needed
Methi leaves – ¾ cup
Onion – 1
Tomato – 2
Green chilli – 2
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Salt – As needed
To temper
Method
- Pressure cook dal with enough water for 3 whistles. Chop onion and tomatoes finely, slit the green chillies. Clean the leaves and keep it ready.
- Heat a kadai with ghee and add cumin seeds in low flame. Add onion and fry till transparent. Add green chilli (I didnt add), ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute in medium flame.
- Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and fry until tomatoes turn soft.
- Add washed methi leaves and fry till its reduced in volume.
- Add cooked dal, enough water (I added 1 & ¾ cups) and let it boil for 2 minutes.
- Let it be in low flame for 5 minutes or until the desired consistency reaches also the methi leaves gets cooked.
Notes
- Chopping the methi leaves or adding as such is your choice.
- You can add either finely chopped ginger or garlic alone instead of ginger garlic paste.
- If adding ginger, adding asafoetida will enhance the taste.
- Add enough tomatoes for tanginess to supress the bitterness of the methi leaves.
- You can add ½ tsp of Amchoor powder if you are short of tomatoes.
- If the tanginess and spice level is not balanced then it may taste bitter.
Serve with hot steamed rice or soft phulkas! Check out the dal tadka and dal fry recipe too…
I loved the top angle shot much , i tried the same with toor dal (but its no onion and garlic version ) welcome to chennai
I love dal and methi combo. Gorgeous click. This reminds me that I have a pack of methi leaves lying in my fridge.
Dal and clicks looks superb….welcome to chennai Raks!
Lovely and flavorful dal 🙂
Hi Raks! Wonderful recipe! Did you add some ghee at the end? I can see some ghee floating atop the dal in the last pic…
Dal and methi healthy combo.. Pics r tempting
very comforting and healthy dish..
Delicious dal…
Delicious stuff.
Good for even a diabetic.
Will you please consider adding this key word to your tags?
Thank you.
Peace 🙂
That looks delicious! Yum!
Delicious and comforting to look at Methi dal. Wonderfully prepared.
Deepa
Hi Raks,
Made this dal today. . It turned put superb… loved it.. 🙂
Cheers
Arpita
Comforting and healthy dal recipe!
Tasty…
Tasty…
Tried this recipe…. turned out great.. 🙂
Love all of rak's recepies
Hello Raks! I love your recipes. I live in Canada so it is difficult to find fresh Methi. Do you think it would be possible to substitute with dry methi? If so, should I adjust the quantity?
Soak 2 tbsp kasuri methi in hot water for a while and use it in the recipe.