methi dal

Methi dal recipe with step by step photos – delicious, healthy and simple dal made with fresh fenugreek leaves, pigeon pea lentils, spices and herbs. A vegan dish.

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 methi with moong lentils and chana dal (bengal gram/split chickpea) also. You can also use a combination of two to three lentils.

The slight bitterness of the fenugreek 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.

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 dal Methi with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.

How to make methi dal

Cooking lentils

1. Pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times.

2. Add the rinsed lentils + 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 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 fenugreek 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 the 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.

More tasty dal recipes for you:

• Dal fry
• Dal palak
• Masoor dal
• Moong dal
• Mamidikaya pappu

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Methi Dal

4.87 from 15 votes

By Dassana Amit

This dal methi is a delicious, healthy and simple dal made with fresh fenugreek leaves and pigeon pea lentils.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 35 mins

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Cuisine Indian

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Servings 3 to 4

Ingredients

for pressure cooking lentils

• 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

for tempering methi dal

• 3 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 small to medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ inch ginger - finely chopped
• 5 to 6 garlic - finely chopped or crushed
• 2 to 3 green chilies - slit
• 1 to 2 dry red chilies - deseeded and broken
• 1 small to medium tomato, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon red chili 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

Instructions

pressure cooking lentils

• Pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times.
• Add the rinsed lentils + ½ tsp turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in the pressure cooker.
• 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.

making methi dal

• In a small frying pan, heat oil. Saute the cumin seeds, till they crackle.
• Then add onions, garlic, ginger, red chilies and green chilies.
• Saute for a couple of minutes till the onions turn translucent.
• Add the tomatoes, asafoetida, red chili powder and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped methi leaves. Saute till the methi leaves wilt and oil leaves the sides of the mixture,
• Pour this mixture in the dal or add the cooked dal to this tempering mixture.
• Add water and salt as required.
• Stir very well and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Lastly add garam masala powder and stir well.
• Serve dal methi steaming hot with steamed rice.

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