Menthulu pulusu/Methi gojju (Fenugreek stew)

 

Methi seeds and leaves (Fenugreek seeds and green fenugreek) are widely used in Indian cuisine and also many other Asian cuisines. Methi is grown in most of the Asian countries and all over India.

Methi is well known for its health benefits. It is said that methi helps reduce cholesterol, reduce risk of heart disease, control blood sugar levels in diabetics, aid digestion, reduces acid reflux and heartburn. It is supposed to be a remedy for fever and sore throat. In South Indian cooking, every dish whether it is a chutney or dal or pulusu, the basic seasoning consists of methi seeds.

Methi is used as herb, spice, vegetable or sprouts.

I am giving a recipe where methi is a main ingredient along with onion. Either soaked methi can be used or methi sprouts can be used for this recipe. The consistency is thick so that it can be used as a side dish for many main dishes.

Ingredients:

•      2 or 3 Tbs. Methi seeds (Soaked and drained or sprouted)
•      2 cups Onion finely chopped
•      3 Tbs. Tamarind paste
•      3 to 4 Tbs. Jaggery
•      Salt to taste
•      1/4 Tsp. Turmeric powder
•      2 Tbs. Rice flour

•      2  Red chiles
•      1/2 Tsp. Mustard seeds
•      1/2 Tsp. Jeera seeds
•      2 Tsp. oil
•      A pinch of Hing (Asafetida)
•      A few curry  leaves

Directions:

1.      Soak methi seeds overnight. You may sprout them, if you like.
2.      Fine chop onion.
3.      Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
4.      Add red chiles, mustard and jeera seeds.
5.      When mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing.
6.      Keep stirring.
7.      Add soaked and drained methi and stir.
8.      Add onion pieces and keep cooking.
9.      Add turmeric powder, salt.
10.      When the onion pieces are half cooked, add tamarind paste, jaggery and mix thoroughly.
11.      Cover the cooker, and cook till three whistles.
12.      When the steam pressure is reduced, open the cooker.
13.      Keep cooking.
14.      Add some water to the rice flour to make a paste.
15.      Add the paste to the mixture and keep cooking on low heat.
16.      When the required consistency is reached, stop cooking.
17.      It may be served either hot or cold.

Methi pulusu is made thick, more like a stew and is a good side dish for rice, chapatti, dosa etc.