Easy Methi Dal Recipe
Methi Dal is a flavorful and nutritious Indian lentil dish made with fresh fenugreek leaves and spices. This comforting dal is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and mildly spiced. Easy to prepare, it pairs perfectly with roti or rice and is ready in under an hour! It can be made in the Instant Pot or on the Stovetop.
Servings 6 people
Calories 197.44kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
To Cook The Moong Dal
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chilly
- 1 cup moong dal
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilly powder
- salt
- 3 cups water
To Prepare The Methi Dal
- 1 tablespoon vegan ghee
- ½ teaspoon GF asafoetida
- ⅛ teaspoon methi seeds
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 green chilly, minced
- 1 broken dried red chilly
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilly powder
- cilantro stalk, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Kasoori methi
- salt
- 1 cup fresh methi leaves
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
To Pressure Cook The Moong Dal
- Rinse the moong dal under running water until the water runs clear.
- In a pressure cooker, heat vegan ghee. Once hot, fry the cumin seeds and dried red chili until aromatic.
- Add the rinsed moong dal to the pressure cooker.
- Mix in turmeric powder, red chilly powder, and salt.
- Add water, mix well, and cover the pressure cooker. Cook for 3 whistles, which should take about 20 minutes.
- Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and mix the dal. If the consistency is too thick, add water as needed. I added 2 cups of warm water to adjust the texture.
To Prepare Methi ki Dal
- Soak Kasuri methi in water for 10 minutes.
- Rinse the fresh fenugreek leaves, separate them from the stems, and chop finely. Discard the fibrous stems.
- Heat vegan ghee in a pan and sauté gluten-free asafoetida, methi seeds, ginger paste, broken dried red chili, and minced green chilies until aromatic.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
- Add chopped cilantro stalks, soaked Kasuri methi, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy, about 7-8 minutes. If the mixture starts sticking, add a little water.
- Stir in the methi leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes to reduce their bitterness.
- Pour in the boiled moong dal and add water to adjust the consistency. Bring it to a boil. I added 1 cup of warm water. Mix in sugar and adjust salt as needed.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Drizzle a teaspoon of vegan ghee, mix well. Serve with roti or rice.
Notes
If fresh methi leaves are unavailable, you can use frozen methi. If the fenugreek leaves taste too bitter, sprinkle some salt over them and let them sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water and discard it. You can also make this dal using only Kasuri methi. For additional flavor, you may include curry leaves, onion, and garlic along with ginger paste. If you prefer a tangy taste, replace tomatoes with tamarind paste, kokum juice, or amchur powder. To enhance the dal’s depth of flavor, add a teaspoon of Arhar Dal Masala while boiling the lentils.
Nutrition
Calories: 197.44kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.67g | Protein: 10.84g | Fat: 5.72g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.41g | Sodium: 50.55mg | Potassium: 127.62mg | Fiber: 4.93g | Sugar: 2.45g | Vitamin A: 525.81IU | Vitamin C: 7.75mg | Calcium: 184.68mg | Iron: 2.64mg