Methi Paratha

This is a delicious spiced chapathi from Gujarat where they serve it with meals, and also as a snack. You can substitute the fresh ones with the dried leaves as they are more easily available and make a lovely aromatic alternative.

Ingredients:

Wholemeal flour – 500 gms

Fresh Fenugreek leaves – 1 bunch finely chopped

Chili Powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp

Oil – 5-6 tbsp

Garlic – 3-4 pods grated

Salt

Method:

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients except oil.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly with your fingertips

Now rub in 2 tbsp of oil and make crumbles.

Gradually add enough water while continuing to mix.

Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and cut 4 equal portions from each.

Form them into smooth balls and flatten each one. Now dust each piece lightly in flour and roll it out to 6-7 inch circle.

Pre-heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and place a parata on it.

Cook for 30-35 seconds and turn it over.  Spread some oil over the surface of the cooked side and turn it over again.

Let it cook until the brown patches have appeared. Spread some oil on the second side , turn it over and cook until brown patches appear.

Repeat the same for all the paratas. You can keep them warm by wrapping it in foil lined with absorbant paper.

Serve the parata on its own or with any vegetable curry or just with plain yogurt.

Methi Parata

Methi thepla with Bajra flour

This is a Gujarathi recipe made using bajra flour or with combination of wheat flour and chickpea flour. Fresh methi and sesame seeds are the main ingredients of this recipe.

Methi thepla

Ingredients:
Fresh Fenugreek chopped (Methi) – ½ cup
Bajra flour – 2 cups
Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp
Chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – ¼ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Sugar – pinch (Optional)
Yogurt – 2 tbsp
Salt

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients into a soft dough which is similar to chapathi dough, by adding enough water.

Ready to make the dough

Divide the dough into 8 equal balls

Roll them into thin discs either by sprinkling the flour or roll them using little bit of oil. What I did is, just place the dough in between two plastic sheets and roll.

Thepla dough pressed between two plastic sheets

Gently lift the thepla into one hand and place it on the hot tawa. Drizzle some oil and cook the thepla until it is done. You will feel the nice aroma of roasted sesame seeds and the methi flavour.

Serve them warm with any raita or even plain yogurt. You know what.. they will taste even better on the next day because of the chewy nature.

Warm methi thepla

Note: Sugar not only suppresses the bitter taste of methi leaves, but also will enhance the taste. As we are using other spices, sesame seeds and most mportantly methi leaves, they will over ride the sugar taste.

Methi Carrot (Fenugreek leaves with Carrot)

Orange carrots…. and Green methi….. isn’t it a beautiful combination ?

Carrots adds sweetness and methi / Fenugreek leaves adds the mild bitterness and the combination of both with some hot chilli and a dash of tangy lemon is awesome.

The colours have inspired me to arrange the ingredients like Indian Flag

Ingredients:

Chopped carrot – 1 cup
Methi / Fenugreek leaves – ½ cup
Chilli paste – 1 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Fresh coconut grated – 2 tbsp
Salt
Dry chilli - 1 or 2
Chana daal / Split Chick pea - 1 tsp
Mustard + Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - Handfull

Method:

Heat a deep pan with 2 tbsp of oil. Add Red chilli, channa daal, mustard + cumin seeds and curry leaves one after the other.
Fry them until the channa daal changes the colour.
Add chilli paste and fry for a minute
Now add chopped carrot and methi and fry for a minute and cover with lid.
Stir in between until the carrot is just cooked and not too soft.
Sprinkle the lemon juice and grated coconut and turn off the heat.

Methi carrot

You can serve this with roti or with steamed rice as a side dish