Methi Chole | Fenugreek Leaves With Chickpeas

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Chole or chana is a famous dish from Punjab in North India, but has takers from around the world. The white chickpeas that are used to make this dish are a great source of proteins. Thus, an important ingredient in vegetarian and plant-based dishes. This Methi Chole recipe is a tasty variant, made with fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) and white chickpeas in a lovely spiced curry.  

methi chole served in a bowl with naan and a glass of water.

About Methi Chole

I have to admit that the way I am fond of the plethora of seasonal fresh greens that India offers is not the same with my family. My family has a great liking for chickpeas, but not for greens. Since, I enjoy both these ingredients, I always try to find ways to include them in my diet.

The wholesome combination of fenugreek leaves and chickpeas in this Methi Chole recipe is a result of my love for both these healthy ingredients. Needless to say, it is also a nutritious way to especially include greens in your diet.

Methi and palak (spinach) are two greens that go very well with chole. There are many variations of the dish Methi Chole too. For instance, the way it is prepared in Punjabi cuisine is different than the way it is done in Gujarati or Rajasthani cuisine.

Personally, I have an affinity towards the flavors of the Punjabi style Methi Chole. Hence, my recipe has onion, garlic, tomato, amchur (dried mango powder), garam masala powder and other spices. This is the reason this recipe is spicy as well as sour.

Methi Chole goes well with poori, bhatura, roti, naan, steamed rice or jeera rice. Try making this homemade Naan Bread and serve it with the delicious Methi Chole.

I have been making the Punjabi Chole Masala since a long time now. By introducing fresh methi with chole, I found another yummy way of including these healthy greens in the diet.

Other than this, here are some more recipes that you would want to give a try, if you can’t get enough of chickpeas.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Methi Chole

Pressure Cooking Chole

1. Rinse 1.5 cups of chole (white chickpeas) a few times in fresh water and soak them overnight in enough water.

soaking chole overnight for methi chole

2. Later drain the water.

drained water from chole


3. Add the chole with 4 cups of water in a 3 to 4 litre stovetop pressure cooker.

drained chole with water in pressure cooker

4. Also add black salt as required. Instead of black salt, you can add regular salt too. However, I find the taste better with black salt.

adding black salt to chole in pressure cooker

5. Pressure cook till the chole is completely cooked and tender. Allow the pressure to settle down naturally then only open the lid of the cooker.

pressure cooking chole for methi chole

6. Drain all the water from the chickpeas using a strainer or colander.

draining cooked chole water

Making Onion Paste

7. Add 1 large size chopped onion, 1 inch chopped ginger and 4 to 5 chopped garlic cloves to a blender jar.

adding chopped onion, chopped ginger and chopped garlic to blender jar for onion paste

8. Blend all the ingredients till a smooth onion paste is achieved. No need to add water. Remove the paste and keep it aside.

blending ingredients without water to make onion paste

Making Tomato Paste

9. Add 2 medium size chopped tomatoes, 1 chopped green chili and 1 dried red chili (seeds removed) to the blender jar.

adding chopped tomatoes, chopped green chili and dried red chili to blender jar for tomato paste

10. Blend all the ingredients till a smooth tomato paste is achieved. No need to add water. Remove the paste and keep it aside.

blending ingredients without water to make tomato paste

11. Rinse 2 cups methi (fenugreek leaves) in water, and drain the water.

rinsing and draining methi for methi chole

12. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready.

all ingredients for methi chole

Making Methi Chole

13. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add the following ingredients:

  • 1 tej patta
  • 1 or 2 black cardamom
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1 or 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 to 3 cloves.
adding bay leaf, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves to hot oil in pan

14. Fry on low heat till the spices are fragrant.

frying the spices in pan for methi chole

15. Then, add the prepared onion paste.

adding prepared onion paste in pan

16. Stir and mix well.

stirring onion paste in pan

17. Fry till it gets browned.

frying onion paste in pan

18. This takes some time and you have to stir frequently so that there is even browning and the paste does not get burnt.

frying onion paste in pan

19. Next, add the prepared tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of curd (yogurt).

adding prepared tomato paste and curd in pan

20. Stir and mix well.

stirring tomato paste and curd in pan

21. Now add the following ingredients:

  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon fennel (saunf) powder
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).
adding turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala powder and asafoetida in pan

22. Stir and mix the spices well.

stirring spices in pan

23. Now, add the methi leaves. If you want you can chop the methi leaves before adding them.

adding methi leaves in pan

24. Stir and sauté till the oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture. The methi leaves should also soften and wilt.

sauté methi leaves with the spices-paste mixture in pan

25. Add the cooked chole and water.

adding cooked chole and water in pan

26. Stir and mix well.

stirring chole and water in pan

27. Add salt as required and mix well.

adding salt in pan

28. Mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon to slightly thicken the gravy.

mashing a few chole to thicken gravy in pan

29. Simmer till the gravy thickens slightly.

simmering till gravy in pan thickens slightly

30. Lastly, add 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder), stir and mix well.

adding amchur powder in pan

31. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

simmering methi chole in pan

32. Garnish with few coriander leaves.

garnishing methi chole in pan with coriander leaves

33. Serve Methi Chole hot with poori, bhatura, roti, naan or rice.

methi chole served in a bowl with naan and a glass of water

Expert Tips

  1. You can use regular salt instead of black salt while pressure cooking the chickpeas.
  2. Don’t use aged chickpeas. As they take a lot of time to cook and don’t taste good.
  3. Sauteing the onion paste with the whole spices will take some time. Make sure to keep stirring it frequently in order to get an even browning and avoiding the mixture to get burnt.
  4. Usually chickpea curries are made thicker by mashing some chickpeas with the back of the spoon while the gravy is simmering.
  5. Make a vegan version of this dish by using non-dairy/vegan curd.

FAQs

Can I make this dish with dried methi leaves? How much should the quantity be?

Yes, you can use dried methi leaves instead of fresh ones. When using dried methi leaves, use 1 to 2 tablespoons.

Can I substitute amchur with lemon juice?

Yes, you can add a few drops of lemon juice in place of amchur.

Can I make this Methi Chole into a vegan one?

Yes, you can definitely make it vegan. Just substitute your dairy curd/yogurt with any vegan/non-dairy or plant-based curd.

More Tasty Recipes To Try

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methi chole recipe, methi curry recipe

Methi Chole

This Methi Chana is a spicy and tasty Punjabi style curry made with fenugreek leaves and white chickpeas.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Easy
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

for pressure cooking the chickpeas

  • 1.5 cups dried white chickpeas (chana or chole)
  • 4 to 5 cups water for pressure cooking the chickpeas
  • black salt as required.

for onion paste

  • 1 large onion
  • 4-5 garlic
  • 1 inch ginger

for tomato paste

  • 2 medium size tomatoes
  • 1 green chili
  • 1 red chili

whole spices

  • 1 or 2 inch cinnamon
  • 1 or 2 black cardamom
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf (tej patta)

other ingredients for methi chole

  • 2 cups fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ or 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • ½ or 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder (saunf powder)
  • 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur) or as required
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 3 or 4 tablespoon oil
  • 2 tablespoon yogurt (curd) – dairy or vegan
  • 1 or 1.5 cups water
  • few coriander leaves for garnishing (cilantro leaves) – optional
  • salt as required

Instructions
 

preparation

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight in water.
  • Next day, pressure cook the chickpeas with water and black salt, till they are completely cooked.
  • Make the onion paste with garlic and ginger.
  • And also make the tomato paste with green chili and red chili.
  • No need to add water while making these two pastes.

making methi chole

  • Heat oil in a pan.
  • Add all the spices mentioned under the list whole spices. Fry till the spices are fragrant.
  • Then, add the onion paste and fry till it gets browned.
  • This takes some time and you have to stir frequently, so that there is even browning and the paste does not get burnt.
  • Add tomato paste and add yogurt.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala powder and asafoetida.
  • Also add the fenugreek leaves, stir and sauté till the oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
  • Add the cooked chickpeas, water and salt.
  • Mash a few chickpeas with the back of the spoon to slightly thicken the gravy.
  • Simmer till the gravy thickens slightly.
  • Lastly, add dried mango powder and stir. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve Methi Chole hot with poori, bhatura, roti, naan or rice.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Methi Chole
Amount Per Serving
Calories 421 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 1540mg67%
Potassium 917mg26%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 755IU15%
Vitamin C 32.1mg39%
Calcium 131mg13%
Iron 5.5mg31%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Methi Chole Post from the blog archives, first published in July 2013 has been republished and updated on December 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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25 Comments

  1. dassana, can you please add recipes like how to cook greens like amaranthus…I prepare very simple recipe by Frying jeera,garlic and dry red chilli and finally add saag and season with salt…always I either over cook saag or make it raw..it always spoils the taste of curry..

    1. shree, i have one recipe of amaranth leaves, which you can check. its made with red amaranth but you can also make it with green amaranth. also you can check aloo methi which i prepare often. the aloo palak is made for fasting days, but you can add onions and garlic in it.

      red amaranth sabzi – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/tambdi-bhaji-recipe-red-amaranth-sabzi/
      aloo methi – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aloo-methi-recipe-dry-aloo-methi-recipe/
      aloo palak – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/aloo-palak-sabzi-vrat-ke-aloo-palak/