“Methi Palle Upkari Losuna ani Piyavu ghalnu / Fresh Fenugreek Leaves Bhaji With Garlic and Onions” ... A healthy-delicious side dish / upkari / dry bhaji that goes well when served with Dal-Chawal or Peja / Rice Porridge / Conjee or any rice item .. Yumz….
It’s the season of Methi leaves and the market as every year is flooded with them, you just don’t know what more can one cook using these leaves that are loaded with health benefits. I am once again on a spree of preparing dishes with fresh methi leaves, as is the case every year. In my home we love these bitter leaves very much and I add them to almost anything that I prepare. I have prepared curries, rice items, breakfast items, spiced idly/khotto, spiced dosa/sanna polo etc. using them and I still have some vague ideas in my head of some variations that I yet want to try out. Simple bhaji or upkari tastes awesome with these leaves, leaving a pleasing bitter taste on tongue for some time. Yes, they are slightly bitter even when cooked, but you have to develop a taste for them and once that is done there is no stopping you from relishing this in different forms. You can use the search option for these leaves in my blog and you will note many recipes already added on. We Amchi Konkani Saraswats prepare Upkari (Konkani name) / dry bhaji / stir fry sort of a side dish that is very simple using minimum oil with almost all veggies. The dish is prepared without addition of ground or spice masalas. It is prepared with only tempering/seasoning to which the veggies are added on and cooked covered in its own steam without much of water.
** This is closest to boiled veggies that the world in now going gaga over and surprisingly our ancestors had already invented, it is we out of our ignorance or fancy for others dishes that do not realize the importance they gave to cooking of food. This is a very simple Upkari / bhaji that goes very well with Dalitoy, A Spiced Tuvar dal, another Konkani delicacy in dal variety and with Rice. This bhaji goes well with even peja / conjee / rice porridge, which is, enjoyed as dinner at nights by many a people in Southern parts of India. My hubby loves any leafy upkari/bhaji and it’s a regular in our diet. However, the upkari can be prepared in different types of tempering like mustard seeds~red chilly, garlic, onion or garlic-onion together etc. I have already posted the one with only garlic addition and will be sharing the link to the same at the bottom of this recipe, do check out on it, if need be. This one is however with both garlic and onion and it tastes simply great. Will be soon posting other combos too, so do keep a watch for more delicious dishes in my blog. Coming to the addition of grated coconut for the upkari/bhaji, it is optional and can be left out if you do not want to add the same for any reasons, but if not, do try it once by adding on a little bit of the same as garnishing, It tastes great and I am sure you will love it. Do try this simple upkari in your home and enjoy with your family and friends.
** Here is my simple method of preparing “Methi Palle Upkari Losuna ani Piyavu ghalnu / Fresh Fenugreek Leaves Bhaji With Garlic and Onions” … My Style …
** Pick up only the fresh Methi / Fenugreek leaves, discard the stem portion. Chop and wash in plenty of water the methi / fenugreek leaves. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the leaves and leave it in the colander aside ready while we prepare the tempering. You will need at least approximately about 4-5 cups of the leaves.
** In a thick bottomed kadai, add in 2 tsp of oil, when hot lower the heat and add in about 10-12 medium sized peeled and chopped garlic. Fry until they turn slightly reddish in colour, now add in 2 medium sized onions chopped finely and continue frying till they turn translucent.
** Add in about 5-6 green chillies also finely chopped and fry for a minute. Now add the prepared and kept methi leaves and mix well raising the heat to high. Keep stirring and mixed well for one minute. Lower the heat, cover with a tight lid, and let it cook in its own steam for about 5 minutes. Do not add in any water.
** Now check to see if the leaves and cooked, add in salt to taste and mix well. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Finally add in a handful of finely grated fresh coconut and mix well. Cover with lid and cook till done, say for another 2-3 minutes. The leaves do not take much time in cooking, so be careful and do not overcook the same.
** “Methi Palle Upkari Losuna ani Piyavu ghalnu / Fresh Fenugreek Leaves Bhaji With Galic and Onions” is done and ready to be served. You can serve the same as side dish with any other dishes of your choice in your combo meal / thali. The same can be relished with chapatti / roti or poori too. You can even carry this in your lunch box to office and it tastes awesome.
** Methi leaves are good for health with huge benefits to health and must be included into your diet when in season. I do agree that children are reluctant to eat them as they taste slightly bitter, but if you make it a habit to feed them the same when they are young, it will continue throughout their life and that of their children too.
** Note : You can apply a little bit of salt to the methi leaves once they are chopped all over and leave aside for 10 minutes. Now, squeeze of the water from methi leaves properly, wash and the same is ready for use. This step is followed by many to remove he bitterness from methi leaves. You can follow this method if you still are not convinced about eating them bitter.
** Personally, I do not follow the above step. I just chop, wash them and use. I strongly believe that God created each and everything in this world with a strong purpose behind it. Winter is the season of chills and cold and methi is supposed to spread heat and has lots of healing properties. I am inclined to believe this is the purpose of seasonal veggies creation by God. So one should always not tamper with nature and eat all those foods that are available as per season.
** Note : Many add on a small piece of grated jaggery to upkari/bhaji specially if it is bitter in taste, you can do the same too as jaggery contains iron and is also good for health and growing children. In my home though we love sweet dishes, we do not like any curry or upkari that turns sweet and prefer them spicier, so was the case in my parents home, I guess that is the reason I never add on any jaggery to bhajis as we simply do not prefer them.
** Note : Addition of grated coconut towards the end for the upkari/bhaji always enhances the taste and flavor but if for some reason you are reluctant to add it on, you may do so, many a times I too do not add them on. But trust me, a handful of the same does simply taste awesome and we Konkani Saraswats are additcted to this habit.
** Given below is the link for upkari/bhaji prepared using methi leaves with only garlic tempering, you may follow that recipe too …
** You can also check out other recipes like, upkari, dal, ambado, curries, pulavs, sann khotto etc. prepared using methi leaves, just click on the link below and you will get the cull list of the same, you just need to check out on that recipe that you want to try out ….
** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of different types in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it or have a query, please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Do try out various types of dishes included in the Blog and Enjoy them with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible.
** I am happy to inform you that I have also started a food group for by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" which is over and year old, with about 19K strong members. It is a pleasure to inform that you will find in the group many more recipes posted by our expert members and you too can share some of your own. The link to the group is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring" … Thank You ….
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