Methi Dal (Fenugreek with Lentils)
Methi dal is a delicious, healthy and comforting dish made with fresh fenugreek leaves, pigeon pea lentils, onions, tomatoes, spices and herbs. The vast Indian cuisine has this recipe made in different ways. I share a North Indian style of this dish. But one of the well-known variation is from Andhra cuisine and known as Menthi Kura Pappu that is made with different combinations of herbs and spices. This methi dal makes for a nutritious meal paired with roti, paratha or steamed rice or cumin rice. A vegan dish.
About Methi Dal Recipe
In Indian vegetarian cuisine we combine various greens with lentils. They can be made into a sauteed dry dish or like a lentil curry. E.g. Dal Palak or Shepu Bhaji (Dill Leaves with Moong Lentils).
This is one such recipe of combining the goodness of fenugreek leaves and lentils. Dal is a staple at home thus I make various unique dishes with them so that the family does not get bored with lentils.
In this recipe, I have used tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils), but you can also make this dal methi with moong lentils, masoor dal and chana dal (bengal gram/split chickpea). 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 it aside for 15 to 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. Many times I add fresh greens like spinach, fenugreek, dill leaves, kale, malabar spinach and amaranth to various lentils.
You can serve methi dal with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.
How to make Methi Dal
Cook Lentils
1. Pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in fresh water.
2. Add the rinsed lentils + ½ teaspoon turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
You can also cook the lentils in a pan or in the Instant pot using required amount of water.
3. Pressure cook the lentils on medium to medium-high heat for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened.
When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Mash the lentils lightly with a spoon or wired whisk and keep aside.
Temper & Sauté
4. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
You can also use ghee instead of oil for a richer taste and aroma.
5. Then add 1 small to medium-sized onion (finely chopped), 1 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 (halved and seeds removed). Saute stirring often till the onions become translucent.
7. Then add 1 small to medium-sized tomato (finely chopped).
8. Stir and mix very well.
9. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
To make it gluten-free omit adding asafoetida or use the one packaged as gluten-free asafoetida.
Sauté Methi
10. Then add 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves (chopped).
11. Stir and mix very well.
12. Saute the whole mixture, till the fenugreek leaves wilt and you see oil releasing from the sides of the pan.
Make Methi Dal
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. Mix very well and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes.
17. Lastly add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and mix well again. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
18. Serve methi dal hot or warm with some steamed rice or soft chapatis or paratha.
More tasty dal recipes for you:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
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 (ground turmeric)
For tempering methi dal
- 3 to 4 tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 small to medium onion – finely chopped
- 1 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 or cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves – chopped
- 1 to 1.25 cups water to be added later
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- salt as required
Instructions
Pressure cooking lentils
- Pick, rinse arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in fresh water. Drain all the water.
- Add the rinsed lentils, turmeric powder and water in 3 litre pressure cooker. You can also cook them adding water as required in a pan or Instant pot.
- Pressure cook the lentils on medium to medium high heat for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened.
- When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Mash the lentils lightly with a wired whisk or spoon and keep aside.
Making methi dal
- In a small frying pan, heat oil. Keep the heat to medium. Add the cumin seeds and fry them till they crackle.
- Then add onions, garlic, ginger, red chilies and green chilies.
- Saute for a couple of minutes stirring often 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. You can add water depending upon the consistency you want.
- Stir very well and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes more.
- Lastly add garam masala powder and mix well. Check the taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve dal methi steaming hot with steamed rice or cumin rice or roti or paratha.
Notes
- Use fresh and tender methi leaves. If the fenugreek leaves are very bitter then first chop them. Rub and mix some salt on them and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze these leaves to remove the bitter juices. Rinse with water once and then drain any extra water. Now you can use them in the recipe.
- For the lentils you can use a variety like chana dal, masoor dal, moong dal, arhar dal or a mix of any of these. Just remember the cooking time will vary. E.g. chana dal will take more time to cook than other lentils.
- This is not a spicy version. To make it spicy add more red chili powder or green chilies.
- For a richer and fragrant methi dal include ghee instead of oil.
- To enjoy the dal for its best flavor and taste eat it hot after it is prepared. On cooling or resting the consistency will thicken and the taste also changes.
Nutrition
Methi Dal recipe from the blog archives was first published in August 2013.
Very tasty recipe
thank you.
Very delicious recipies.
Thanks.
I have been making dal fry using kasturi methi since ages and it tastes like heaven. Once you taste dal fry having kasturi methi in it, you won’t ever like to have a simple dal fry. At my home, dal fry is something that is always made with kasturi methi.. otherwise it’s not eaten by anyone.
It looks tasty am gonna try it….
Thanks Nj
Hello mam, I am a regular visitor to your blog and you have saved the day for me many a times. Thanks again.
Only one question can we cook the same recipe with Chana dal?
Thanks in advance.
thanks ruchi. you can use chana dal.
Awesome recipe… Thank you so much dear…
welcome eisha.
Finding fresh methi here is very rare. I bought too much of it in excitement and didn’t know what else to make other than paratha. It was then I saw this recipe and tried it for lunch today. It was a super hit. My daughter loved it.
pleased to know this thanks bhuvana for positive views 🙂 glad your daughter liked the methi dal fry recipe.
It’s a fantastic methi daal recipe! You feel the flavor of methi and enjoy the goodness of daal along.
pleased to know this preeti thankyou for your kind and positive words. glad you liked the methi dal 🙂
Very tasty and simple
Awesome recipe ! Thank you 🙂
welcome maya 🙂
Turned out great, though I had to really search to find methi and asafetida. Added mustard seed to the cumin. Will be making again
thanks bruce for sharing positive review on methi dal.
Good one .. Loved it
thanks sujitha
We love it…. It much easy to make as well
Tried this recipe today and it was so yummy…i love the simplicity in ur recipes….thanks once again & keep up the good work!
welcome jyoti.
This is exactly the methi dal my Mom made when we were little. I am definitely going to make it soon:)
Had this with rice for lunch. Lovely. Might not get to try often unless I can source the herb or grow my own. I love that dal can have so many flavours and character. The instructions said add garlic – how much do you use? I just added a small clove. Thanks for sharing these recipes.
thanks ray for the feedback. you can grow fenugreek by planting some fenugreek seeds in pots. they grow pretty fast and you will have a nice harvest. 1 garlic clove is fine. i have added the number of garlic in the recipe details.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. I have only just found your website and I hope to try your recipes over the next few months. I live in the north of England. I have always enjoyed Indian food but it is not as easy to get good vegetarian food in restaurants. There are exceptions – prashad’s in Bradford has won awards and there cookbook is amazing. I started cooking recipes from it this year and now have half a dozen indian vegetarian books. I like the simple home- style cooking, so different from the rich restaurant food we have in the uk.
A local shop was selling methi today. Coriander is easily available but I usually have to use dried methi. I shall be cooking this dal this afternoon – Thank you!
thanks ray. i know from friends in england that its not easy to get good vegetarian food in restaurants. you can try the various veg recipes from the blog.
Nearly 4 years since you posted this recipe and it is still one of my favourites when I can get hold of fresh methi. Making it again tonight. One of my favourite blogs. Thank you.
welcome ray. glad to know that you liked this methi dal so much.
I love methi but I find it quite hard to get them here in Kerala. You have a lot of amazing recipes that use fresh methi leaves which leaves me craving for them all the more. Love your website!
hi safa. you can grow them in pots or in the ground. just plant them some methi seeds below the soil. water and then they will sprout and start growing. you can also sprout the methi seeds first and then plant in the soil.