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I believe that salt is to food, what food is to life. In right proportions, it can heighten the taste of what you eat..and in the wrong - destroy! Even the most delicious sweets come added with some salt...to taste!

As for me, I've never enjoyed cooking. And as contrary to my owning a food-blog as it may sound, I always think about daily, routine cooking as a chore. But my tryst with the pots and pans began when I got a kitchen all to myself...I began experimenting and exploring new worlds in my own home. Some outcomes were excellent and some plain disasters. Then sprouted the need to keep track of all those good ones...and hence this blog!

Here, I share those experiments that pleased more than one palate!




February 25, 2010

Super Simple Methi Pulao (Fresh Fenugreek Leaf Fried Rice)

Many people associate Methi/Fenugreek leaves to being bitter and often refrain from using them. But, there is a trick to get rid of the bitterness. All you have to do is soak the washed leaves (before cutting) in some salt water. Simple, huh?

There are umpteen number of pulaos out there, but if there is one that I would pick as my favourite it would be Methi Pulao. This one is super simple to put together and goes great with Cucumber Raita. So you do not have to make any special Kurma or gravy as a side dish. This recipe brings back memories of my childhood because its one dish that was made by my grandmother so very often. There were days I would eat this even as a snack after school/playtime. Try it once I am sure you cannot stop yourself at one serving, too!

This one is surely going to enter your comfort-food list!

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Ingredients
1 Cup Rice - Washed and set aside (You can use basmati or just any variety of rice
that you normally would make white rice with. I have used Sona Masoori)
1 Large bunch of fresh Methi leaves - Washed and soaked in salt water
1 Large Onion - Finely chopped
1 Large Tomato - Finely chopped
1 tsp. Garam Masala
1 tsp. Dhania powder (Coriander powder)
1 tsp. Turmeric Powder
1 tsp. Jeera (Cumin Seeds)
1 tbsp. Garlic - grated
1 tbsp. Ginger - grated
2 Green Chillies, split
4 tbsp. Yogurt
2 Cups of Warm Water
Oil
And, of course, Some salt to taste!

You can use ginger-garlic paste in place of freshly grated ginger and garlic.

Method
- Wash the rice and set aside
- In a large non-stick pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds
- Once they splutter, add the chopped onions and fry until translucent
- Now all the grated ginger and garlic and fry for about 30 seconds
- Add the split green chillies and fry for another 30 seconds
- Toss in the chopped tomatoes and fry until the all the ingredients blend well together
- In the meanwhile, drain the water from the methi leaves and finely chop them up
- Now add the dry powders (turmeric, dhania, garam masala)and stir
- Add the chopped methi and stir until it wilts
- Pour the yogurt and mix well. This will bring the entire contents to a gravy like texture
- Add the washed rice and fry for about a minute
- Add salt and the warm water
- Cover (Use a lid with a vent) and cook
- Keep checking and stirring occasionally to avoid burning or the rice that's at the bottom of the pan
- Serve hot with any raita of your choice

SERVES 4

NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1. Agjust water quantity based on the type of rice. Basmati, for instance, takes less water
2. Add peas and diced carrots for more textures to bite into!

4 comments:

  1. Yummyyyy! Me loves :)

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  2. Cool. Have you tried it anytime, Madhuri? If not, go NOW and buy some 'menthey soppu'!

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  3. seems to be easy to make.

    How do you come to now the english names of food like methi to fenugreek

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  4. Yes Harsha! I did not term it 'Super Simple' for nothing.

    As for knowing English names, I know some of the common ones, for the not-so-common ones... there's Google :P

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