Dal is staple food for Indians. Not only there are tons of dal recipes across India, but there are many variations of this comfort food in Indian households.
Chana dal contains high fiber content it helps maintain satiety, preventing overeating and aiding in weight management. Chana dal is a rich source of protein, B-complex vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. The antioxidants in Chana Dal help protect against oxidative damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Moong Dal Aids in Weight Loss. Moong dal helps enhance the functioning of the cholecystokinin hormone.
It improves Heart Health. This yellow dal is rich in potassium and iron.
Moong dal is a nutrient-rich food.It Helps Prevent Diabetes, Improves Digestive Health and Boosts Blood Circulation.
A healthy, tasty, nutritious, fiber-rich, and protein-packed dal recipe cooked with fenugreek leaves and lentils. It is commonly served with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or pulao recipes, rotis, and chapati for lunch and dinner. It can be an ideal herb-based dal compared to the traditional monotonous plain dal fry & Tadka.
A simple and healthy dal recipe that can be prepared frequently for daily meals like lunch and dinner. It is typically prepared with just lentils and fresh methi leaves .These leaves are bitter by nature, but taste great when cooked with lentils and spices.
Methi dal is a delicious, healthy and comforting dish made with fresh fenugreek leaves, lentils, onions, tomatoes, spices and herbs. The vast Indian cuisine has this recipe made in different ways. This methi dal makes for a nutritious meal paired with roti, paratha or steamed rice or cumin rice. A vegan dish.
I feel this is a good way to include greens in your diet and make your simple dal or curry more nutritious and healthy. Many times you can add fresh greens like spinach, fenugreek, dill leaves, kale, malabar spinach and amaranth to various lentils.
Ingredients for Methi Dal
Steps for Methi Dal
Methi Dal
Ingredients
Half cup -100 grams Yellow Lentil
Half cup Split Chickpea Lentils - Chana Dal
1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
Half teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Oil
4 cups of Water
1 big Onion chopped
2 small Tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon Garlic chopped
2 teaspoon Ginger chopped
2 to 3 Green Chillies chopped
1/4th teaspoon Hing
1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4th teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 cups Fenugreek Leaves Methi
2 tablespoon Clarified Butter
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 Dried Red Chillies
Fresh Coriander
1/4th teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
Steps
Wash and soak half cup of chana dal and half cup of Moong Daal overnight in water.
Then drain the water from the lentils and put them in a pressure cooker add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, half teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon salt, two teaspoon oil, 4 cups of water, give a good mix, then Cover the pressure cooker lid and cook on high flame till 1 Whistle and then on low flame and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a big kadai, then add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds when the seeds starts to crackle, add 1/4th teaspoon hing, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, saute the garlic for 10 to 15 seconds, then add 1 big chopped onion.
Fry the onion till little soft, then add 2 teaspoon chopped ginger, 2 to 3 chopped green chillies, fry the ginger and garlic with the onions till Golden, then add 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/4th teaspoon turmeric powder, sauté for 10 seconds, then add 2 small chopped tomatoes, half tsp salt and little water mix it cover and cook till the tomatoes are soft and done.
Open the cooker and check the dal, if done mix it well with a whisker to make it creamy.
Then check the tomatoes if done, add 2 cups of washed and drained Methi leaves to the tomatoes stir fry the methi bhaji with the masala well then pour the boiled Dal to this masala mix it well and when it comes to a boil cook it on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes then off the flame.
Lets prepare the tadka.
Heat 2 tablespoon clarified butter in a small kadai or pan, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, let it crackle then add 2 dry Red Chillies, some fresh chopped coriander leaves stir it for 10 seconds then off the flame.
After putting of the flame add 1/4th teaspoon red chili powder mix it well then add this tadka to the dal while serving it.
You can serve methi dal with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.
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Tips; *Use fresh and tender methi leaves. Rinse with water once and then drain any extra water. Now you can use them in the recipe. *For the lentils you can use a variety like chana dal, masoor dal, moong dal, arhar dal or a mix of any of these. Just remember the cooking time will vary. E.g. chana dal will take more time to cook than other lentils. *To make it spicy add more red chili powder or green chilies. *For a richer and fragrant methi dal include ghee instead of oil. *To enjoy the dal for its best flavor and taste eat it hot after it is prepared. On cooling or resting the consistency will thicken and the taste also changes.
