Food talk
The methi way to health

Methi can be relished in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian form, writes Pushpesh Pant

Methi, or fenugreek to call it by its English name, is not a popular green. We have friends who simply refuse to touch it. Bitter, they mutter and shudder. They know not what they are missing. Winter months are the best part of the year to enjoy these beautiful bitters that can better most competition.

To begin with are the garmagaram bhajiya celebrated in slightly risqu`E9 dittiy— aloo methi ki bhujiya garam hoti hai (punning obviously on the word ‘hot’) — followed by the delectable methi (dana) kishmish and methi-papar ki sabzi— both from the Rajasthani repertoire.

Methi macchali, methi murgh, methi keema are golden oldies though are not as frequently encountered as ajwaini macchi, and saag gosht/hara murgh. In Awadh, you can still enjoy a delicately spiced methi-matar-malai. The long and short of this story is that you can relish dear methi — in vegetarian and non-vegetarian incarnation, salty, sour or sweet.

There used to be a sweet shop in Nainital not long ago that used to have season’s special methi ke laddoo — an immensely popular item in winter. That seems to have been an acquired taste as on our last visit we discovered that the species has become extinct. What was being passed off as the noble confection was a fake, overburdened with khoya and sugar, it had a scarce trace of methi. The raisins were most out of place.

But as the adage has it, the good Lord replaces with another hand, what He taketh away with one. The other day as we were eying covetously a bunch of farm fresh methi leaves friend and colleague Dr P.K Yadav from the School of Environmental Sciences selecting his daily vegetable fix asked kya methi-chawal pakanewale hain? Having never before come across this creature we were curious and remained restless till he parted with the recipe. We think the delicacy deserves to be called methi pulav. We have taken small liberties with the original prescription and commend it wholeheartedly to our readers. Modern medicine is just beginning to discover the beneficial effects of methi and we feel we will have an enthusiastic response for this delicacy.

Chef’s corner

Ingredient

Methi greens 500 gm
Rice 200 gm
Bay leaf one
Panch phoren one tbsp
Methidana `BD tsp
Kasoori methi 1 tbsp
Arhar or chana dal (optional) 2 tbsp
Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method
Soak the rice in water for half an hour after picking, cleaning and washing. Clean wash and cut the methi greens. Put a thick-bottomed pan on flame, add the ghee and when hot first the bay leaf and then the panch phoren. When the seeds begin to crackle put in the rice after draining it. Add the greens and mix well carefully. Sprinkle salt cover and cook on medium-low flame till all the water released by the greens is absorbed by the rice. Crumble kasoori methi on top. Do not add water unless absolutely necessary. In case the rice appears underdone sprinkle a spoonful and finish on dum. If using dal, prepare a tempering with it and pour over pulav before serving.





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