Garden to Table series (Ep:1)- Fenugreek Harvest and Methi Pulao
Do you know in India, there are more than 20+ types of greens available? Regionally, the variety of greens used differ.
Today let’s talk about Fenugreek. Fenugreek greens are considered one of the special greens in Indian Kitchen. Fenugreek seeds and leaves have a slight bitterness, which is its character apart from its goodness and it acts as an antioxidant. It has got various health benefits. Methi seeds are used as a spice and dried leaves(Kasoori Methi) are used as herb and fresh leaves(Methi) are used as greens like spinach.
In Germany, very few times we get fresh Methi leaves in an Indian grocery store and sometimes only frozen ones are available.
Fresh leaves taste usually better than frozen ones. If that fresh leaves can be available from your garden with very minimal effort, why not try it at home?. The beauty which some of us are unaware of is it is much easier to grow at home and with 1 tablespoon of seeds you can have one harvest for your meal. It needs less maintenance and less watering and can be grown in any containers. You can never go wrong in growing Methi(Fenugreek).
After my 3rd harvest’s I can share my experience here, so if you like Methi and want to grow and harvest fresh, you can start it rightaway…Methi likes warm, good sun, moderate amount of water. To start, soak a table of methi in cold water previous night for easy germination. The next day fill your flat container with 5-10cm of soil. Spread the seeds on the soil and cover seeds with 1cm of soil on top. Water it to a level where the bottom does not collect water and stay stagnant. Based on the weather and dryness of the soil, you can water them at regular intervals.
How to consistently have 4 harvests in a month?: You may need four flat containers..and sow the seeds in each of the containers one week after another. After 3-4 weeks you can have your harvest from the first container and subsequently, you can harvest next batches.
It is very satisfying to harvest Methi leaves because you don’t have to do much, and the seeds reward you with its beautiful little plants.
After my third harvest for this season, now I have made another batch. Here are some pictures from the harvest and the recipe.
Methi Pulao
Pulao is mildly flavored rice with whole spices. It is a one-pot meal and usually paired with Raita as a side dish. Pulav, Pilaf are other names to it.
In Pulao recipes, depending on main ingredient added to pulao, pulao gets its first name😊. As I am adding Methi to my Pulao, it’s called Methi Pulao.
It is a simple one-pot meal which can be made quickly. I made this for one of our lunch last week during my office lunch break. We had this pulao with simple Raita and needless to say, fresh greens in food were tasting so good 🙂
Ingredients:
- Rice – 2 cups (soaked for 15 min)
- Methi- 300 – 400gms
- Onion – 1 large (lengthwise slice into pieces)
- Tomato – 1 (optional, cut in to small chunks)
- Ginger and garlic paste – 2 tsp
- Cinnamon -1 inch stick
- Cardamom – 2 pods
- cloves – 2
- Bayleaf – 1
- Staranise – 1
- Oil – 3 Tbsp or Ghee
- Green chillies -3 (slit)
- Salt for taste
Method:
Heat a pan or cooking pot and 2 Tbsp of oil. once the oil is hot, add the whole spices 6-10 and stir for few seconds on low flame and until the whole spices releases its flavor.
Add onion and saute them together with spices. Add Ginger garlic paste and saute them for 1 minute in low flame and until the raw smell goes and good aroma is released.
Add Chilli, Tomatoes and mix all them together for a minute. Now add fresh chopped Methi and saute for 2 mins.
Add your soaked rice and 3 cups of water and salt. Allow it to boil and once boiling, cook in a medium/low flame until all the water is absorbed. It would take approx 15 min based on rice variety and quality. Enjoy your Pulao:-)
Tip:
- Adding tomato will add a slight sour taste, which is good. But adding too much is not recommended for Pulao.
- Pulao rice should be separated after cooking. Use good quality rice and can use Basmati or Sona masoori.
- No Spice powder is added in this recipe, If you do not have green chilli, you can add red chilli.
- You can substitute Spinach, If you don’t have Methi.
Why wait? Just go to your kitchen and pick some Methi seeds and Start growing your own Methi. It is very rewarding 🙂