As i had mentioned in my Methi thepla post that it is important to keep in touch with your "girl-friends", my happiness knew no bounds when recently i got in touch with all my beautiful school friends. So we have made a "girls-only" whatsapp group and kept it small and close, so we can share anything and everything there without getting biased or judgmental. Imagine a place where you can blabber anything and everything and no one really bothers to make comments about you - Just what we need in our day-to-day stressful lives, right? Well, so one of my friend there ( I don't know if she will like me taking her name here on a public page, so keeping it as N ) had mentioned about this simple Methi bhaaji that she used to get in tiffin that her mom used to make.
"The best way to make this bhaaji delicious is to use tons of onion and garlic", these were her words. True to that, the garlic gives a terrific twist to the otherwise simple bhaaji which has nothing but regular spices (Tadka as we call it popularly). I also feel that addition of coconut takes it to other level altogether. Or maybe i am just a little biased towards coconut. I love adding fresh coconut to anything and everything. The Maharashtrian genes you see ;)
This bhaaji makes a perfect tiffin recipe and goes very well with rotis/phulkas. It tastes great with daal-chawal too.
Ingredients:
Methi leaves (Fenugreek leaves) - 1 bunch
Onions - 2 medium
Garlic - I used around 8-10 pods
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Fresh grated coconut - to garnish
Salt - to taste
Recipe:
Remove the methi leaves from the stem and wash them well.
You can either chop them roughly.
Crush the garlic pods in a mortar and pestle. You can also chop it or make a paste.
Chop the green chillies.
Chop the onions finely.
Heat oil in a kadhai. Wait till the oil is smoking hot.
Now add the mustard leaves. Let them pop. Add in cumin seeds, asafoetida and turmeric.
Now add the crushed garlic and green chillies. Saute for about 30 seconds.
Add in onions and saute till they are translucent (Don't over fry or brown the onions).
Now add in methi leaves, salt and mix everything well.
Cook covered for about 8-10 minutes checking and stirring after every 2-3 minutes, so the methi gets cooked well and doesn't stick to the kadhai. If you feel it is sticking to the kadhai, you can add about 1 tbsp of water or more, but methi leaves water, so normally it shouldn't stick when you steam cook.
Once the methi is cooked, stir fry it in the open (without the lid) for about 1-2 minutes.
Garnish with coconut.
Quite easy and tastes delicious!
Happy Cooking :))
