First thing one notices about fresh fenugreek is how beautiful and delicate the leaves are. Then the smell, aromatherapy in truest sense, when pressure cooked with toor dal or sautéed with potatoes, any other vegetable, the leaves release wonderful fragrance. ‘Johnson and Johnson-A family company’, who makes money by beguiling the families with air fresheners and scented oils, if they get the whiff of fresh fenugreek, you bet, you’d see an ayurvedic or eastern themed fenugreek scented oil on shop shelves for sure.
Fenugreek is one of those green leafy veggies, looks innocently innocuous but when cooked, dazzles & grabs your attention by its wonderful aroma and makes you try and like it. For a dal-rice addict like me, nothing beats the taste of rice and dal made of fresh fenugreek leaves. Very tasty and nutrititous, it’s one of my favorite foods. Fenugreek and toor dal combination is a true and tested recipe, very popular in our Raayala seema region of Andhra, again one of those I learned from my mother.
Recipe:
One bunch of fresh fenugreek – washed and leaves plucked
4 fistfuls of Toor dal
1 medium sized onion and tomato – chopped
1o green chillies – finely chopped
Small lime sized tamarind
1/4 tsp of turmeric
Salt to taste
For popu or tadka :
1 tsp each of oil or ghee, mustard seeds, cumin and urad dal
1 garlic clove – finely chopped
Few curry leaves and few pieces of dry red chillies
Preparation:
Cook dal: In a pressure cooker, take toor dal, fenugreek leaves, onion, tomato, green chillies, tamarind and turmeric – add one glass of water and pressure cook them till 3 whistles. When the valve pressure is all released, remove the lid, add half teaspoon of salt and mash the dal using a wood masher to smooth paste.
Do the popu: In a deep bottomed vessel, heat one teaspoon of oil, add the remaining popu or tadka ingredients. Saute till the seeds start crackling, garlic turns red. Pour the cooked and mashed dal, stir well and cover. Tastes great with rice and chapati.
Fenugreek dal (Methi Dal or Menthi Kura Pappu) and rice with ghee.
Recipe Source: amma
Fenugreek is available both fresh and frozen in most of Indian grocery shops here in US
Hey Indira,
Great to see you back in business!! Your entries continue to inspire my grocery list each week!! Hope you had a good break. Happy New Year to you and you family!
Comment by GaramMasala — December 27, 2005 @ 1:11 pm
Hey good to c u back ! hope u had a jolly good time in Toronto. this recipe looks simple and tasty for a regular meal. here we dont get methi leaves often only once in a month . Do u have any suggestions on growing it at home. thanx for the recipe .
Comment by priya,ar — December 27, 2005 @ 1:12 pm
Hi GM.. thank you and wish you the same.
Hi Priya…glad to be back, I have to say I missed blogging and talking to you guys daily very much.
I never tried growing methi leaves at home here, but I remember reading a post about it at Shammi blog few months ago. She also posted pictures of that process. If you are interested, check her blog ‘Food in Main’ archives and see. If I find it first, I will post a link here. I think it’s very easy to grow them, if you have a Sunlight spot/area in your home.
Comment by Indira — December 27, 2005 @ 2:12 pm
I just started seeing methi leaves in the Indian grocery stores. Will give a try next week:)
Comment by Priya — December 27, 2005 @ 2:13 pm
Loved the dal, reminded me of home. My mom used to make it, and when I saw your recipe, I knew I had to make it.
I have just started blogging.
Comment by Sheela — December 27, 2005 @ 6:47 pm
Hi Indira,
I came across ur website few days back. Now I am a regular visitor to ur website. I am so addicted to ur website that I cannot browse any other site with out visiting urs. The pictures, descriptions of the recipes every thing is wonderful and very appealing to the reader. The way u describe the dishes reminds me of my mother and makes me feel closer to her. Thanks to you .. I sincerely wish that the passion you have in what ur doing stays on and on and on…
Warm Regards,
Sangeetha
Indira says…
Hello Sangeetha, I greatly appreciate your comment, what a way to start the day, thank you!
Looking forward to seeing your feedback on my recipes, thanks!
Comment by Sangeetha — December 27, 2005 @ 10:29 pm
hey indira,
lovely recipe .saw your comment on my food blog once .this recipe looks yum
I will try it ..meanwhile see what you think of my stuff:)
take care and happy holidays
Comment by Meenal Mehta — December 27, 2005 @ 11:20 pm
Wow, wow, wow! I came across your site while looking for an Egg Bhaji recipe. I’m also a food blogger and a lover of Indian cuisine, so I was so incredibly impressed by your site. It’s such a treasure trove of recipes and your presentation is flawless!
Comment by Verdant — December 28, 2005 @ 9:53 am
Hey Indira…
What a dal! The best tasting dal of the family of leavy vegetable dals. Dont you agree? Not because of any distinct taste but that very slight tinge of ‘something’ that only menthi koora can have!
My mother is an expert in cooking this, only her recipe doen not have onions, garlic, tomato. And she insists on using ONLY chilly powder (not green chillies) for especially menthi koora pappu. Why? and of course never ever forgets to add jaggery!
mmm… you are spoiling me totally.
Comment by Vidyanath Tirumala — December 28, 2005 @ 12:45 pm
I tried a potato and fenegrek curry the other day and it was soooo yummy! So I agree, it is not easy to find fresh fenegrek leaves…
Comment by clare eats — January 2, 2006 @ 11:58 pm
That is a good combination, Clare. I like it too. I know how tough to get fresh ones and they don’t store well. Very delicate fenugreek leaves are.
Comment by Indira — January 3, 2006 @ 8:40 am
Hello indira,
Your are doing an awesome job ….. i am fan of andhra food. I am so happy i acme across ure recipe. i have tried out few recipes from ure website. my husband and i Just love it. So Thank you for making this happen.
Comment by kavi — January 18, 2006 @ 2:43 pm
Hi Indira,
This is my first post on this blog , however i have been enjoying your recipes (both reading and experimenting) for a month now.
Yours is defintely one of the best indian food blogs on the web..what i love is that the recipes are so down- to- earth.
I’m writing this as i enjoy a plate full of rice and your TERRIFIC ‘Menthi Kura Pappu’ recipe:-)
Thanks a lot for sharing for all the good food!
Best,
ishita.
Indira replies…
Thanks Ishita for your nice words about my blog. The reason I started this blog is mainly because I couldn’t find any photos of my everyday(Down-to-earth) food photos on the web.
I’m glad to be of any help. Have a wonderful meal.
Cheers
Comment by ishita — February 6, 2006 @ 1:36 pm
just made menthikura pappu for lunch and it was awesome! i never added tamarind and tomato earlier and i guess that did the trick. i hail from the rayalaseema region of andhra too so i relate to this recipe all the more.
i chanced upon this site only yesterday (for mysorepak recipe, posted my comment too, thanks for your reply)… i’m not interested in doing anything else on the internet now 🙂 i love everything about your blogs indira…the pictures are the best part ofcourse!
Comment by bharti — February 16, 2006 @ 2:00 pm
I tried this recipe over the weekend and it was quite yummy. I am trying the gonkura one next! Reminded me of a telugu neighbour I had. I would love eating pappu at their place. At home, my mom never added garlic and onion and made it kannadiga style, which tastes very different.
Jayashree
Comment by jayashree — May 1, 2006 @ 12:24 pm
I tried this recipe over the weekend and it was quite yummy. I am trying the gonkura one next! Reminded me of a telugu neighbour I had. I would look forward to eating pappu at their place. At home, my mom never added garlic and onion and made it kannadiga style, which tastes very different.
Jayashree
Comment by jayashree — May 1, 2006 @ 12:25 pm
hi,
This is really a nice recepie.. and i tried some other recepies in this site, they came out very delicious.. thank you indira..
Comment by savitha — May 20, 2006 @ 11:35 am
Hi
I was visiting your website and I have been looking for the Methi plant.Where in California can I buy Methi (fenugreek) leaves? Can I buy them in a grocery store or where do they usually sell them?
Comment by Sandra — August 4, 2006 @ 6:29 pm
Hello,
Very nice website..first time posting. Since you are from Rayalaseema you may be familiar with a dhal preparation which is common there. It is called menthi bella pappu. The roast the toor dhal and methi and red chillies and tamarind and jaggery. It is very delicious. If you can post that recipe that would be very nice. My mother who is from Cuddapah used to make it. I don’t have the exact recipe. Thanks.
Comment by Suren — November 18, 2006 @ 9:10 pm
Hi Indira … This one truly rocks! Iam from Kerala and very very fond of Hyderabad recipe . My husband who is brought up in Hyd , loves their cusine too. He was so happy with this daal today .. thank you for sharing !
Soumya
Comment by Soumya — December 4, 2006 @ 7:45 pm
Loved this web site; great recipes, easy to follow and delicious.
I am Italian so I will substitute olive oil to the ghee hoping that I’ll be forgiven.
Thanks
Comment by emma — December 22, 2006 @ 4:30 pm
hi
i googled for methi papu n found ur recipe …it was easy n at the same time yummy…..i need some help…i am having a lunch over the weekened….i am married n have come to nj….i need help to prepare starters n main course for four people ….i am new to this so pls tell me wat will be tasty n lil easy to make for veg n non-veg people…
thanks
keep up the good work!
Comment by swetha — January 3, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
[…] March 11, 2007 at 6:59 pm · Filed under Cooking Once upon a time, I perused the internet for “authentic dal recipes” and came across a recipe on a website called Mahanandi. Eagerly, I read that recipe, then another and another. I found links, and more links, to other great websites devoted to authentic Indian food. I spent hours gazing and absorbing and dreaming of all the wonderful dishes I could try. […]
Pingback by Good Things Come To Those Who Wait ~ Indira’s Amma Mudda « Out Of The Garden — March 11, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
hey indira…
i am newly married .. my hubby is an andhrite and am from bangalore.. we came to uk jus after our weddin
i didn know many andhra recipies.. but my hubby as usual wanted me to cook andhra food….
i recently came across ur blogs and tried out some stuff u posted and surprised my husband.
it was really wonderful to see the look an his face…..
it was possible only because of you…
thank u very much
i love all ur recipies… the way u describe…..
u know its jus wonderful
thanks again
cheers
keerthy
Comment by keerthy — March 12, 2007 @ 3:20 am
Hello Indira
Actually I am preparing menthi kura pappu for dinner. I grew the menthi kura at home and it takes just 10 days before you can reap the leaves. Your recipies are very good. I knew most of your recipes as I was brought up in Andhra though I am from Tamil Nadu. I live in Europe now. I can post you some nice Tamil Nadu recipes if you like.
Comment by Nirmala — March 22, 2007 @ 7:36 am
Hello Indira,
I love your website. I made your menthi kura pappu for lunch yesterday and it came out so well. Dal never tasted so good before 🙂
Thanks!
Subaina
Comment by Subaina Ramkumar — March 26, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Hi !
Great website.
Comment by Sai Kumar — April 8, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Hey thank u so much indira. it came out very very well.it was very good to eat with chapathi. once again thank u so much.its realy very great website.it is very helpful for people like me who are in states.thank u indira.
Thanks,
deepa.
Indira replies:
Glad to hear that you tried and liked this recipe, Deepa.
You are most welcome and Happy cooking!
I look forward to reading your input on other recipes.
Comment by deepa — June 24, 2007 @ 10:16 pm
is it possible to use dried methi leaves? i bought some in india since we have a large lack of indian food stores in about a 50 mile radius of where i live…yummmy!
Comment by Sylvia — August 15, 2007 @ 1:12 pm
Hey Indira..Your site and the recipies are just incredible… Thanks for all the wonderful recipies.You ROCK!
Comment by Preeti — January 26, 2008 @ 11:20 am
hi Indira….
great website…….
this is my first post in this website……..
i tried this receipe n its so tasty…
thanks a lot for the receipe…
you rock..!
Comment by swetha — November 4, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
hi,
i really liked your dal mehthi my friend made it n i tasted at her house it was great and i will definetly try it.
please send me more of ur recepies.
thanks
Comment by deepshikha — November 26, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
hi,
i really liked your recepi. i ried it last week. it came out really well and my family also liked it a lot. pls update us with more recepies….
thanks
vani
Comment by vani — November 27, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
Hi, my family luved this recipe. It was sooo easy to make and came out very well. Thanks heaps…
Comment by Nisha — December 6, 2008 @ 2:22 am
hi,
I have become an absolute fan of your website and you. Each and every recipie and photograph looks like a work of art. Its like reading a best seller, as I believe cooking is a work of art. I have tried many of your recipies and each time they have been appreciated by my family.
keep up the good work. You inspire and make cooking an adventure.
Comment by sarmistha — November 12, 2009 @ 11:46 am
Loved the recipe. We tried it today and everybody liked it!
Comment by sreelatha — February 15, 2010 @ 2:38 pm
Hi,
I came across ur website few days back while looking for menthikura pappu recipe.I made this recipe for lunch and it was awesome.Now iam a regular visitor to ur site.I really love ur website,the way u describe the dishes reminds me of my mother,grandmother and makes me feel closer to them.Thanx to you.
Yours is definetly best indian(Andhra)food blogs on the web.
Thanq
Amulya.
Comment by Amulya — April 14, 2010 @ 9:32 am
Hi Indira,
Tried this recipe, it was really yummy.
Thanks.
Comment by kavita — June 1, 2010 @ 1:30 am