methi dal recipe, how to make methi dal recipe | dal methi recipe

methi dal recipe with step by step photos – delicious, healthy and simple dal fry made with methi or fresh fenugreek leaves.

here is one more way of combining methi with dal. since dal is a staple at home so i make variety of dal/lentils, so that we don’t get bored with them. sometimes i also add greens like spinach, fenugreek and amaranth to the yellow dal. in the recipe i have used tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils), but you can also make this dal with moong lentils and chana dal (bengal gram). you can also use a combination of two to three lentils.

the slight bitterness of the fenureek leaves gets balanced with the subtle sweetness of the pigeon pea lentils (arhar dal). if the fenugreek you get is too bitter, then just sprinkle some salt and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. squeeze the leaves and then rinse them in water. then add these leaves to the tempering.

few recipes on similar lines on the blog are:

• methi chaman
• dal palak
• palak paneer
• palak rice recipe
• methi malai paneer.

i feel this is a good way to include greens in your diet and make your simple dal or curry more nutritious and healthy.

you can serve methi dal with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.

if you are looking for more methi recipes then do check aloo methi, methi thepla, methi paratha, methi muthia and methi matar malai.

methi dal recipe below:

4.82 from 11 votes

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methi dal recipe | dal methi recipe

methi dal fry recipe - dal simmered and spiced with fenugreek leaves.

course main course

cuisine indian

prep time 15 minutes

cook time 20 minutes

total time 35 minutes

servings 3 to 4

author dassana

ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

for pressure cooking dal:

• 1 cup arhar dal (tuhar dal or pigeon pea lentils) or 200 grams arhar dal
• 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking the lentils
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)

for tempering methi dal:

• 3 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 small to medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ inch ginger (adrak) - finely chopped
• 5 to 6 garlic (lahsun) - finely chopped or crushed
• 2 to 3 green chilies (hari mirch) - slit
• 1 to 2 dry red chilies (sookhi lal mirch) - deseeded and broken
• 1 small to medium tomato, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves - chopped
• 1 to 1.25 cups water to be added later
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• salt as required

how to make recipe

pressure cooking dal:

1. pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal) a couple of times.

2. add the rinsed dal + ½ tsp turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in the pressure cooker.

3. pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened.

4. when the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the lid. mash the lentils lightly and keep aside.

making methi dal recipe:

1. in a small frying pan, heat oil. saute the cumin seeds, till they crackle.
2. then add onions, garlic, ginger, red chilies and green chilies.
3. saute for a couple of minutes till the onions turn translucent.
4. add the tomatoes, asafoetida, red chili powder and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. add the chopped methi leaves. saute till the methi leaves wilt and oil leaves the sides of the mixture,

6. pour this mixture in the dal or add the cooked dal to this tempering mixture.

7. add water and salt as required.

8. stir very well and simmer the methi dal for 7 to 8 minutes more.

9. lastly add garam masala powder and stir well.

10. serve the methi dal steaming hot with steamed rice.

how to make dal methi or methi dal recipe:

1. pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal) a couple of times.

2. add the rinsed dal + ½ tsp turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in the pressure cooker.

3. pressure cook the lentils for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened. when the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the lid. mash the lentils lightly and keep aside.

4. heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. you can also use ghee instead of oil. add 1 tsp cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.

5. then add 1 small to medium sized onion (finely chopped), ½ inch ginger (finely chopped), 5 to 6 garlic (finely chopped or crushed) and 2 to 3 green chilies (slit or sliced).

6. next add 1 to 2 dry red chilies. saute everything till the onions become translucent.

7. then add 1 small to medium sized tomato (finely chopped).

8. stir very well.

9. add ½ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder) and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

10. then add 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves (chopped).

11. mix very well.

12. saute the whole mixture, till the methi leaves wilt and you see oil releasing from the sides of the pan.

13. then add the cooked arhar dal.

14. add 1 to 1.25 cups water. you can add less or more water as per the consistency you want in the methi dal. if you want a thick dal, then skip adding water and just mix the dal with the rest of the tempering mixture.

15. then add salt as required.

16. stir very well and simmer methi dal for 7 to 8 minutes.

17. lastly add ½ tsp garam masala powder and mix well again.

18. serve methi dal with some steamed rice or soft chapatis.

dassana amit

Founder, Designer, Recipe Developer, Food Photographer || MORE ABOUT US

i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos that will help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food easily.

i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. having a home science degree surely enhanced my cooking & baking skills which i now share as fool proof recipes on the blog. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.

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