Methi Dal – Lentils with fenugreek leaves

Methi Dal is a simple dish of yellow lentils (tur dal) and fresh methi (fenugreek leaves), gently spiced with fresh ginger, garlic and garam masala powder. A bowl of methi dal with steaming hot rice and ghee spells comfort food in every possible way!

I’m a big fan of anything methi – fenugreek greens or vendhaya keerai in Tamil or Menthya soppu in Kannada. If you follow my blog regularly, you might already know of my  love for these fenugreek greens.

Other Indian Methi recipes

Methi na Dhebra – Sorghum based flatbread using methi leaves – Gujarat

Methya Matvadi Palya – another methi and lentil dry curry style preparation from Karnataka

Methi na Thepla – Methi leaves and whole wheat flour based rotis

Lentils are one of the best pairings with greens. This methi dal is a fine example of that. You can add spices of choice, greens of your choice and eat it with roti or rice. In a thinned down version, it even makes a hearty soup, and a one bowl lunch if you add some cooked barley or millet grains to it.

Growing methi in my kitchen garden

While Dal Palak or dal with spinach is a more popular version, methi adds a unique flavour to any dish it features in, and this dal recipe is no different. Each time I have cooked methi dal for family or friends, they have relished every bit of it.

Beginner cook tip: Watch my video on how to presure cook tur dal.

Print Recipe

Methi Dal Yum

My Methi Dal is simple dal preparation with the addition of fenugreek leaves that add a beautiful colour and unbeatable flavour

Course

side dish

Cuisine

indian

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 2 cups fenugreek leaves picked and cleaned
• 1/2 cup tur dal dry
• 1 tbsp ghee divided
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Course side dish Cuisine indian Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings people Ingredients 2 cups fenugreek leaves picked and cleaned 1/2 cup tur dal dry 1 tbsp ghee divided 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1 bay leaf 1 pinch asafoetida 3 cloves garlic 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1/2 tsp turmeric 2 tbsp finely chopped onion 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 1 lemon 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Instructions

1. To prepare methi dal, start by washing the methi greens in 2-3 changes of water until clean. Pick them out of the water, drain well in a colander. Finely chop and keep aside.
2. Pressure cook toor dal with 1.5 cups of water.
3. In a kadai, heat 2 tsp of the ghee. You can use cooking oil of your choice to make this a vegan recipe.
4. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf. Once seeds splutter, add the ginger and garlic and saute on low flame for 1 minute.
5. Add finely chopped methi and onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add turmeric powder, salt, cooked dal. Add some water if the dal is too thick. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes to bring the flavours together.
6. Add garam masala powder, give it a stir, remove from flame. Add lemon juice, stir well.
7. Heat remaining 1 tsp ghee. Once ghee is hot, switch off flame and add 1/4 tsp red chilli powder to the ghee. Mix in well and transfer over the dal. Serve the methi dal with steamed rice or rotis.

Also try this ever popular recipe on my blog – Lasooni Dal Palak

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