Methi Pulao | Methi Rice

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Methi pulao or methi rice is an easy, healthy and tasty pilaf made with fresh fenugreek leaves, basmati rice, mix vegetables, herbs and spices. Gluten-free and vegan recipe.

methi pulao served on a white plate.

More on this Methi Pulao

This Methi pulao or pilaf is a one-pot nutritious meal with the goodness of fenugreek leaves (known as Methi in Hindi) and mix vegetables.

I add carrot and peas in my methi pulao to balance the slight bitterness of methi and make it mild. The methi rice has a lovely aroma of the whole spices and the bitter-fragrant methi leaves.

My favorite vegetables that I add at various times are potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper), eggplant, baby corn, broccoli and zucchini. You can always add veggies you like or simply omit them.

Nevertheless, fresh, vibrant, seasonal vegetables makes the methi pulao not only more healthy, nutritious, flavorful but also more filling and wholesome.

While the recipe is for methi rice, but if you do not like methi, then replace it with other greens like spinach or amaranth leaves.

How to remove bitterness from Fenugreek Leaves?

Sometimes the fenugreek leaves have a very intense bitter taste. Try these simple methods to remove the bitterness from methi leaves:

  • Sprinkle some salt on the methi leaves and thoroughly mix. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Salt extracts the bitter juice from the leaves. Then rinse them in fresh water.
  • You can even blanch the leaves in hot salted water for one to two minutes. Drain, rinse and then use.
Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Methi Pulao

Preparation

1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice (200 grams) in water first very well. Then soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.

soaked rice in a bowl

2. After 30 minutes drain the rice and set it aside.

drained rice in a bowl

3. When the rice is soaking, rinse and chop the methi leaves and other veggies.

You will need about 2 cups of chopped fenugreek leaves and 1 cup of chopped vegetables.

Crush 1 inch ginger, 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic and 2 to 3 green chilies in a mortar pestle. You can also grind them in a small chutney grinder.

ginger garlic paste in a mortar pestle

Sautéing onions, fenugreek leaves

4. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pressure cooker and fry the following spices until they crackle and are fragrant –

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 or 2 single strands of mace, optional
spices in a pressure cooker

5. Then add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.

½ cup thinly sliced onions added to pressure cooker

6. Stir often and sauté the onions until they start turning golden.

sauteing onions in pressure cooker

7. Then add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chili paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.

ginger+garlic+green chili paste added to pressure cooker

8. Now add the finely chopped methi leaves.

methi leaves added to pressure cooker

9. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.

sauteing methi pulao mixture in pressure cooker

10. Then add ¾ cup chopped mix vegetables and stir well. You can add veggies of your choice like potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum, corn kernels, baby corn, broccoli, french beans, carrots, zucchini, brinjal etc.

mixed vegetables added to pressure cooker

11. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Mix very well again.

spices added to pressure cooker

Making Methi Rice

12. Add the soaked basmati rice.

rice added to pressure cooker

13. Stir and sauté for a minute.

sauteing methi rice mixture in pressure cooker

14. Pour 2 cups of water. You can also prepare the methi pulao in a pan or pot. Simply add 2 to 2.5 cups of water if making in a pan.

water added to methi rice mixture in pressure cooker

15. Season with salt as required. Stir again.

salt added to methi rice mixture in pressure cooker

16. Pressure cook the rice on medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the pulao.

If you want to add paneer or tofu to the dish – then lightly pan fry them and add to the prepared methi rice. Or you can garnish with them when serving.

cooked methi rice in pressure cooker

17. Serve methi pulao hot or warm.

Love fenugreek leaves? Check this collection of 18 Methi Recipes.

methi rice served in a plate with a bowl of potato raita

Serving suggestions

  • Raita: Serve methi rice with plain curd or raita. In the photos, I have served it with potato raita. Methi pulao will pair nicely with most raita varieties like onion raita, cucumber raita, boondi raita or onion tomato raita.
  • Dal: Even with a simple dal fry or dal tadka, methi pulao tastes delicious.
  • Lunch box: Methi rice also stays good in the lunch box for some hours. When packing it in a lunch box, add a side of veggie salad or a mango or lemon pickle.

Storing

I would not suggest to freeze or make a large batch for freezing. Cooked rice is better had fresh on the same day. If you have any leftovers than store in the fridge for a day only and not more than a day. Before serving, steam in a pan or Instant pot for 5 minutes.

Variations

  • Veggies: Mix vegetables not only make the taste more flavorful but also boost the nutrition. The veggies that make a perfect combination with fenugreek leaves in this pulao are – cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper), corn, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, button mushrooms, carrots and green peas.
  • Spices: You can make a non-spicy pulao, by simply skipping the ground spices and green chillies.
  • Protein: For a flavorful protein rich pulao, add some tofu or paneer. Lightly pan fry them and mix with the prepared methi rice before serving. Cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas also make a great addition.
  • Whole spices: You may not have all the whole spices in your pantry. My recipe is highly adaptable and you can add whichever spices you have.
  • Rice: A short grained rice or even brown rice works well in the recipe. Simply add water as required with the type of rice you use.

Instant Pot Methi Pulao

  1. Press the sauté button on normal mode of your IP. Add oil in the steel insert. When the oil becomes mildly hot, fry the whole spices for a few seconds until they crackle. Do not burn them. 
  2. Tip in the thinly sliced onions. Stirring often, sauté the onions until they start turning golden.
  3. Add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste. Mix and saute for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
  4. Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. Mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Add in chopped mix vegetables, turmeric powder, red chili powder and  coriander powder. Mix well.
  6. Add the soaked basmati rice. Mix gently and sauté for a minute.
  7. Pour 1 cup of water and deglaze the pan. Season with salt as required and mix.
  8. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Do a quick pressure release after 5 minutes. Open the lid carefully and fluff methi rice. Serve hot.

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

methi pulao, methi rice recipe

Methi Pulao | Methi Rice

Easy, healthy and tasty one-pot methi pulao or methi rice made with fenugreek leaves, basmati rice, mix vegetables and spices.
4.89 from 18 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Easy
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

Main ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice
  • 2 cups methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) or 80 grams methi leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup chopped mix vegetables – I added ½ cup chopped carrots and ½ cup green peas
  • 1 medium to large onion, sliced or ½ cup thinly sliced onions
  • 1 inch ginger + 3 to 4 garlic + 2 to 3 green chilies – crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder (cayenne pepper or paprika)
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 to 3 tablespoon oil
  • salt as required

Whole spices

  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 or 2 single strand of mace – optional

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Rinse basmati rice in fresh water for 2 to 3 times.
  • Then soak rice in enough water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain all the water and set the soaked rice aside.
  • When the rice is soaking, rinse and chop the methi leaves and other veggies. 
  • Crush ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mortar-pestle. You can also grind them in a small chutney grinder.

Sautéing onions and fenugreek leaves

  • Heat in a 2 or 3 litre pressure cooker and fry the following spices until they splutter and are fragrant – cumin seeds, cardamom, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and single strand of mace (optional).
  • Then add thinly sliced onions. Stir often and sauté the onions until they start turning golden.
  • Then add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste. Stir and saute for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
  • Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. Stir and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium heat.
  • Then add chopped mix vegetables and mix well. You can add veggies of your choice.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix very well again.

Making methi rice

  • Add the soaked basmati rice. Stir and saute for a minute.
  • Pour water. Season with salt as required and mix. You can also make the methi rice in a pan or pot. Add 2 to 2.5 cups of water if making in a pan.
  • Pressure cook on medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the rice.
  • Serve methi pulao hot with plain curd or raita. I served with aloo raita.

Serving suggestions

  • With raita: Serve methi rice with plain curd or raita. Methi pulao will pair nicely with most raita varieties like onion raita, cucumber raita, boondi raita or onion tomato raita.
  • With Dal: Even with a simple dal fry or dal tadka, methi pulao tastes delicious.
  • In a lunch box: Methi rice also stays good in the lunch box for some hours. When packing it in a lunch box, add a side of veggie salad or a mango or lemon pickle. You can also pack it for short travels.

Storing

  • I do not recommend to freeze or make a large batch for freezing. Cooked rice is better had fresh on the same day. If you have any leftovers than store in the fridge for a day only and not more than a day. Before serving, steam in a pan or Instant pot for 5 minutes.

Notes

  • Scaling: The recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a large crowd. 
  • Veggies: You can add vegetables of your choice or can make it without veggies. The veggies that make a perfect combination with fenugreek leaves in this pulao are – cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper), corn, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, button mushrooms, carrots and green peas.
  • Spices: Make a non-spicy methi pulao, by simply skipping the ground spices and green chillies.
  • Protein: Adding some tofu or paneer makes for a flavorful protein rich pulao. Lightly pan fry them and mix with the prepared methi rice before serving. Cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas also make a nice addition.
  • Whole spices: If you do not have all the whole spices as listed in the recipe, then add whatever spices you have.
  • Rice: A short grained rice or even brown rice works well in the recipe. Simply add water as required with the kind of rice you have used. 

    Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

    Nutrition Facts
    Methi Pulao | Methi Rice
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 334 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 322mg14%
    Potassium 177mg5%
    Carbohydrates 53g18%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 1807IU36%
    Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
    Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
    Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 1µg1%
    Calcium 500mg50%
    Vitamin B9 (Folate) 19µg5%
    Iron 4mg22%
    Magnesium 28mg7%
    Phosphorus 81mg8%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    This methi pulao recipe from the archives (March 2015) has been republished and updated on 22 December 2020.

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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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    44 Comments

    1. Hi Dassana,
      Nice recipe, simple and delicious. I follow your recipes and love them.
      Pics are too beautiful. Would you please share where you learnt the art of food photography. You actually inspired me to start presenting and clicking my own dishes.

      Love,
      Preeti

      1. thanks preeti for your kind words. its just spontaneous clicking of photographs. no course but just keeping it simple and nice. learnt everything on my own by observing and hit and trial.

    2. Hi Dassana,

      this looks very healthy- I make something like this with spinach. Can we use frozen methi leaves?