Aloo Methi (Potato with Fenugreek Leaves)- How to make Aloo Methi Recipe- No onion No garlic recipe



                       Aloo methi is a classic Indian dish made with potatoes, aromatic fenugreek leaves and spices. This delicious and flavorful dish is packed with protein, Iron and vitamins. Enjoy this dish with roti or paratha or jeera rice.

      Ingredients

            3 Medium Size Golden Yellow Potatoes
            2/3 Cup of Fenugreek Leaves
            2 Tsp of Coriander Powder
            1 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
            1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
            1/2 Tsp of Kitchen King masala
            Salt as needed

     To Temper

            3 Tsp of Oil
            1 Tsp of Cumin / Jeera
            Pinch of Asafoetida

     Method

  • Wash the potatoes and cut into cubes, boil them along with salt in a steamer or microwave.
  • Wash and roughly chop the methi leaves.
  • Heat a pan with oil, add cumin seeds, after they crackles add asafoetida, in a medium-low flame add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and kitchen king masala, give a quick stir.
  • Immediately, add methi leaves(fenugreek leaves), saute this for 1 min.
  • Add boiled potatoes, mix well with the masala, sprinkle some water and salt, cook it for 5 – 7 mins in medium flame by covering the pan. Do stiring one or two times in between. once it done, switch off the stove.
  • Aloo methi (Potato with Fenugreek Leaves curry) is ready to serve.


    Tips   

  • Serve with paratha or jeera rice or Vegetable pulao
  • You can add onion or garlic, if you want.
  • If you want tangy side, add chopped tomatoes or Amchur Powder( mango powder)
  • You can use sambhar powder instead of turmeric, red chilly powder and coriander powder.
  • Dried methi leaves can be used in place of fresh fenugreek leaves.


    Health Benefits of Potato and Fenugreek Leaves

  • Potatoes are rich in vit A,C and fiber and good for brain function.
  • Fenugreek leaves are good source of vitamins, minerals, protein and iron. Also good for lactating mothers.                

     



Pasi Paruppu Payasam / Moong Dal Kheer

        Pasi paruppu Payasam / Moong Dal Kheer is a lentil based Indian festival sweet recipe which is prepared with moong dal, jaggery and milk. This pasi paruppu payasam is very easy to make, protein rich and flavourful sweet prepared on important festival occasions like varalakshmi poojai. You can make this moong dal kheer either in a stove top or pressure cooker, but cooker is the easiest way to make this payasam. To make this payasam recipe, moong dal cooked in cooker, mashed, combined with jaggery syrup and finally flavored with ghee roasted cashews and cardamom. Serve this moong dal kheer either warm or cool. I love to drink cool kheer.

pasi paruppu payasam


     Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup (heaping)  Yellow Moong Dal
  • 1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp of Jaggery
  • 3/4 Cup of Milk
  • 1/2 Cup of Water
  • 2 Tbsp of Dry Coconut Flakes
  • 1 Cardamom 
  • 2 Tsp of Ghee
  • Few Cashews

 

     Method

  • In a pressure cooker, dry roast the moong  dal until you get a nice aroma.
  • Add 1 cup of water, cook it for 3 whistles. After done, mash it with a masher.
  • In a heavy bottomed vessel, add ghee, fry cashews and coconut flakes, keep this aside. To the same pan, add enough water, let it come to rolling boil, add powdered jaggery to it, after it get dissolved, add mashed moong dal, mix well. Cook it for 2 mins.
  • Add 1/4 cup of milk and cardamom to it. Cook it for another 2 -3 mins in a medium flame. After you get a thick consistency. Add fried cashews and coconut flakes to the hot payasam. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled.
  • Try this payasam and enjoy.

   Tips

  • You can cook fully in milk instead of adding water.
  • You can make payasam really rich by adding coconut milk.
  • Add ghee, fried coconut pieces in payasam for kerala touch.
  • Add fried raisins or any nuts of your choice.
  • If you are a sweet lover, increase the quantity of jaggery.

  Health Benefits of Yellow moong dal

  • They are high in fiber and protein, and low in fat. Eating lentils and other foods that are rich in soluble dietary fiber can help decrease high cholesterol. 
  • This dal is very good for pregnant ladies, kids and older people as it is easily digestible.

moong dal kheer



Baingan Bharta/ Bhaingan Ka Bharta / Eggplant Curry/ Mashed Eggplant/ Roasted Eggplant Curry/ Brinjal Curry- Step by step procedure


             Baingan Bhartha is one of the North Indian recipe. Baingan means Eggplant, Bharta means anything that is mashed. Eggplant is grilled over direct fire or charcoal and the dish is infused with smoky flavor. You can also do them in outdoor grill or in oven. Broiling gives a good smoky flavor. Serve this dish with chapathi or Paratha.

      Ingredients

            1 Long Eggplant
            1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp of  Chopped Onion
            1 Green Chilly
            2 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
            1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
            1/2 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
            1 Tsp of Ginger Onion Garlic Paste 
            1/2 Tsp of Cumin Seeds
            1/2 Tsp of Cumin Powder
            Salt to taste 
            2- 3 Tsp of Oil/ ghee
            2 Tbsp of Chopped Cilantro/ Coriander Leaves

      Method

      Roasting the Eggplant

     Grease the eggplant with little oil, make slits all over the surface. You can do roasting in 2 ways

      In Stove : One is by placing the eggplant straight on the burner, allowing the skin to get charred and blackened on all sides. Inside will be soft and mushy.

      In Oven : Place it in oven in broil mode – high for 10 -12 mins, until eggplant skin turns charred and imparts smoky flavor. Once it done, remove it from the oven. Discard the skin and now scrap the inner flesh from each half, scraping right down to the charred skin and mash it and keep this aside.By seeing below pics, you can understand ” how to remove inner flush from eggplant”.


     Cooking the Bharta

  • Heat a pan with oil/ ghee, when it is hot , add cumin seeds, after they sizzle, add chopped onion, chopped green chilly and salt, saute it for 2 mins until onion are soft and transluent.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder and cumin powder, saute this for a min. 
  • Add ginger onion garlic paste to it, fry this for another 1 min.
  • Add tomato puree,  cook until oil seperates from masala.
  • Add mashed brinjal / eggplant to the masala, cook until eggplant are well combined with the masala. Once it done. Switch off the flame.

 

  • Finally garnish it with cilantro / coriander.
  • Serve with naan / paratha / chapathi.

   
   Tips

  • Serve with Indian flatbread/ naan / chapathi
  • You can add garam masala, if you want. I didn’t add because it masks the smoky flavor of the eggplant.
  • You can also do the same recipe without onion and garlic, instead add ginger.
  • Adding butter/ ghee gives a nice flavor to this dish.       

   Health Benefits of Eggplant

  • Eggplants provide 2 g of fiber per cup. Fiber helps with digestion and colon health.
  • Eggplants also are high in a chlorogenic acid, a powerful antioxidant offering antimicrobial and antiviral activities along with the ability to help lower bad cholesterol levels.