"Methi (Fenugreek) Pulav with crushed Spices (Garam Masala)" ... A delicious healthy pulav prepared using fresh methi/ fenugreek leaves that are seasonal during winter ... tastes awesome served with any spicy curry or kadhi of your choice ... I served with "Onion Pakodas (Bajo/ Bajias/ fries) dunked in Brined Amla (Avalo/ Gooseberry/ Nellikai) Kadhi" ... My most favorite combo meal of pokoda Kadhi and spiced pulav, try it; tastes awesome ... Yummilicious ....
** Methi / Fenugreek leaves are available throughout India in almost all the cities. In Mumbai it is available almost all round the year, but in abundance in winter season. I have already posted the recipe of Methi Pulav before and will be sharing the recipe link to the previous one at the bottom of this recipe. I have made minute changes in preparation of this pulav by adding in coarsely ground whole garam masala spices instead of adding on as it is as we do for pulav and it tastes simply awesome. One of my friend always follows this method as her son does not like the whole spices from the pulav and is reluctant to eat if they are added on as it is. She always puts the whole garam masala in mixer and grinds them to coarse powder using pulse mode and adds them to pulav and any dish where whole spices are added. She had sent me a sweet dish and I had to return her dabba / box, so thought of sending her methi pulav as I was preparing the same for lunch and I knew they loved pulav in their home. I very well remembered that her son would crib about the spices so thought of giving it a try her way and I must admit that it tastes awesome.
** As for Methi / Fenugreek Leaves, Choose good and fresh looking thick leaves while buying the leaves. They should not have outgrown in size lengthwise. Methi leaves though bitter in taste is very good for health. A lot many dishes are prepared with these tiny leaves. Methi paratha, Oondiya adding methi balls, methi vadi, dals, are some of the famous dishes in Maharashtra. Methi pulav is something close to my heart and in my home it is frequently prepared whenever loads of methi leaves are available in the market. Methi being bitter many apply salt and leave it aside for 20 minutes and then squeezing out the water, as it removes lot of its bitterness by doing so. Again preparing the leaves this way is left to ones choice and in my home I do not follow this method, We prefer to eat it as it is, lest the valuable properties of methi is lost when you squeeze out and discard the water. I just wash and straight away use these leaves for any and every dish, but then again, its left to you may choose any method that suits you. Do try this variation of pulav and serve it to your family and friends, I am sure they will love it. I served it with Onion Pakodas dunked in Amla Kadhi and it was a fantastic combination.
** Here is my recipe for “Methi Pulav with crushed spices" … My Style …
** Ingredients :
Basmati/ Jeera Rice : 4 cups.
Methi/ Fenugreek leaves : 2-3 cups fresh leaves only.
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 2 medium sized chopped finely.
Cashew Nuts/ Kajjubi : handful halves.
Bay leaves : 2-3
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste.
Ghee/ Toop : ½ cup
Lemon/ Nimboo/ Limbiyo : ½
** Spices :
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 3 tsp
Cinnamon/ Tike Saali/ Dalchini : 2” length 4-5 pieces.
Pepper/ Mire/ Miri : 1 tsp
Cloves/ Lavanga/ Laung : 1 tsp
Green Cardamoms/ Ellaichi/ Yellu : 5-6
Black Cardamoms/ Ellaichi/ Yellu : 4-5
Crushed Jaivitri : ¼ tsp
Star anise : 2-3
Bay leaves : 2-3
** Soak Jeera Rice/ Basmati Rice in plenty of water for 30 minutes. Wash well and let drain on a colander to drain off as much water as possible.
** For Methi Leaves : Chop three cups of methi leaves roughly. Do not chop them finely. Apply a little bit of salt to the methi leaves and rub it all over and leave aside for 10-20 minutes. Squeeze of the water from methi leaves properly, wash and keep this aside ready in a colander to drain excess water completely.
** Note: This above step is carried out to remove the bitterness from fresh methi leaves. You can leave out this step and just wash and keep the leaves ready if liked. I personally do not follow the salt method as I strongly believe that it should be consumed as it is for its awesome health properties. You may choose any method.
** Keep 8 cups of water for boiling, when it starts boiling, lower the heat and keep it simmering ready in that stage and continue with the other procedure of pulav.
** Add all the ingredients given under spices into mixer grinder and using pulse mode coarsely powder the same. Do not make it into a fine powder. It should be coarsely ground as shown in the collage picture. Keep this ready aside.
** Now in a thick bottomed kadai add in ghee. When hot, lower the heat and add in cashew nuts and fry to a light brown color. When done remove and keep it aside in a plate to garnish later on. Now add in the onions and fry till they are just translucent, do not brown them. Now add in the coarsely powder spices and continue frying for a minute.
** Now raise the heat and add in the methi leaves after squeezing out water properly from it and fry well for 2 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and let cook in its own steam for 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid, add in the drained rice and mix well, cover and let it be for 2-3 minutes stirring once or twice in between.
** Now add salt to taste mix well and then add in the hot water, mix well and bring to a boiling point on high heat. Once its starts to boil, lower the heat to minimum. Cover with tight fitting lid and cook on low heat till 75% done.
** Now remove the lid and add in freshly squeezed lemon juice and it mix well gently taking care to see that you do not use rough movements as the rice is almost cooked. Cover the lid again tightly and cook till done on low heat. When done garnish with the fried cashew nuts.
** “Methi Pulav with crushed spices" is done and ready to be served. You can serve this methi pulav with any spicy curry veg or non-veg of your choice. You can also serve it with Dal-Fry or any other spicy curry or raitas too. I sometimes like this with just plain curds. So go ahead and serve it with the dish of your choice. However this time I served it with "Onion pakodas dunked in Amla Kadhi" and it was an awesome combo meal.
** Note : Do not put pressure or mix vigorously immediately upon opening the lid of the kadai when the pulav is just done. The cooked rice grains and hot and tender at this point and may get mashed on doing so and the pulav may turn mushy. Always open the lid of pulav and biryani and let the hot air pass of a bit, wati for 2-3 minutes and then serve the spatula by lifting pulav from kadai as serving and here too do not try mixing.
** Given below is the link to “Methi Pulav” Recipe which I posted before, the recipe remains almost same, except minute changes in preparing method. You may check out the same if interested and prepare it in that method too, both turn out good.
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