Methi Dal Curry / Lentil Curry with Fenugreek leaves

As the weather starts giving the signs of winter approaching, we reside to comfort foods to be made at home more often. Dal is something I associate eating quite often, while growing up. I remember me complaining to my parents that I am tired of eating dal and I wanted something else to be served. But my parents made sure it is made often because apparently dal is good for growing kids. 

Now as  a mother, I ensure we do include dal in the menu quite often because we too have a lil one who is growing just too fast. But to avoid monotony we make slight variations in dal curry, that no one complaints. This dal curry has some homegrown and freshly picked methi/fenugreek leaves that went into it. It tastes amazing, we poured over some steaming white rice and topped with some ghee. Ahh, now I am hungry !

If you do eat dal often and would want to try different variety of it to include in your diet, then you should try this.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of toor dal, washed and soaked for half an hour
2. 1-2 cup of methi /fenugreek leaves
3. 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
4. ¾ cup of grated coconut
5. ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
6. 2 shallots sliced
7. ½ tsp of cumin seeds
8. Salt to taste

For tempering

1. ½ tsp of mustard seeds
2. 2-3 shallots sliced
3. 2-3 red chillies
4. 1 strand of curry leaves
5. 2 tbsp of oil/ghee

Method

• In a pressure cooker, take the dal, methi leaves, green chillies and salt. Pour in water and let the water level remain about ¾ inch above the dal. Pressure cook it until the dal gets cooked properly. For me it takes, 3 whistles on high heat. Turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to subside.
• In a grinder, take the grated coconut, sliced shallots, turmeric and cumin seeds. Grind it to a paste. Add it to the cooked dal. Place the dal on heat and let it boil for about a minute.
• Prepare the tempering, by heating the oil in pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop. Add the sliced shallots ,curry leaves  and red chillies. Fry it. Transfer it to the pot of dal. Give it a stir.
• Serve it hot with some steamed rice, pickle and papad.

Tips

1. Use only the leaves of methi and not the stem portion.
2. Soaking the dal helps to cook the dal faster.
3. You could use the greens of your choice(eg: spinach, kale, mustard green, green chards etc.) to make this curry