In India, methi leaves is as common an ingredient as it gets. And my regular readers are aware that green leafy veggies always find a special place in my heart. Although available year-round if winter comes you are sure to bring methi home.
From methi na thepla, dhebra and muthiya, now, to the addition of methi che aalan to my repertoire, it has helped me offer varieties at the lunch table.
Methi che aalan is a winter special Maharashtrian recipe that respects the seasonal leafy ingredient methi and makes best case use for it.
The thickening of the aalan with the help of the wheat flour slurry gives it a rich creamy texture interspersed with the chopped fenugreek leaves that cover the top making you reach out for a spoon and taste this not so official thick piping hot soup.
Methi che aalan calls out to you and demands that you have it. This chunky dripping fenugreek leaves curry makes you desire it along with phulka, bhakri and it tastes flavourful with a piping hot bowl of rice, a side of raw onion slices and topped with cumin tempered oil.
The flavours are built just like an oil painting moving through the process of base creation a subtle base of cooked onions. A few wide strokes of encompassing flavours- spicy and tangy tomato chilli paste and the ginger garlic paste. And finally the tempering that adds the detailing without which it would lack life. Everything coming together to make our hero ingredient Methi (Fenugreek leaves) shine.
A great combination of taste and health. Methi greens are low in calories, packed with fibre, a decent source of protein. Also rich in vitamins (A, C, K, B) and minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium) helping you control blood sugar levels, boosting immunity and Healthians have an amazing article on their page about the benefits of methi and should be given a read.
Some dishes are like regional superstars where the locals not only from a particular community but from across all circles of society within the geographical area either know how to prepare it or look forward to taste it being sent over by generous neighbours.
Methi che aalan has been that for Maharashtra especially Vidarbha.
Realising how the weather, the slight bitter taste of methi, the texture all play an important role in this medley, you slowly begin to capture the nuance of regional tastebuds for methi aalan with practice.
And then little variation that you offer will always be considered authentic. In fact versions made with buttermilk and gramflour are also quite popular. Infact Paripoorna Paksiddhi offers you a step by step recipe for this delicious variation.
So, I hope you try out this recipe, discuss other alternatives with friends and family and share your variation in comment.
Methi che aalan (Fenugreek leaves and wheat flour curry)
Ingredients
Methi che aalan (Fenugreek leaves curry)
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp Asafetida
- 5-6 leaves Curry leaves
- 1 nos Onion medium chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 2 nos Tomatoes medium
- 10 nos Green chili
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 400 grams Methi (fenugreek leaves) chopped
- 2 cups Hot water
- 1 cup Wheat flour slurry 1:2 (flour to water)
- Salt
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves chopped
Tempering oil
- 4 tbsp Oil
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds
Instructions
- Pick, wash and chop methi (fenugreek) leaves.
- Wash and chop onions. Peel, wash and prep ginger,-garlic paste. Wash and grind green chillies with 1/4 tsp salt add diced tomatoes and grind again to a paste.
- In a bowl prepare a slurry with wheat flour and water.
- In a kadhai heat oil. Crackle cumin seeds. Add asafetida, washed curry leaves and allow it to splutter.
- Add chopped onion and saute just till they start getting golden at the edges.
- Add and fry ginger garlic paste till raw smell goes away. Add turmeric and fry for few seconds. Add the tomato-chili paste and sauté till you see oil separating.
- Add chopped methi leaves. And sauté for a few minutes till they are wilted.
- Add hot water, salt to taste. And let it come to boil.
- Put the flame to sim, add the wheat flour slurry mix and let it cook for 5 minutes to let the curry thicken.
- Finish with chopped coriander leaves. Taste before serving and make final adjustments if needed. Your methi ka aaran is ready to serve. Serve with a side of cumin tempered oil.