Menthe Chutney - North Karnataka Style

Healthy and delicious Chutney made with fenugreek seeds and jaggery. This chutney is not only nutritious but very tasty too. I prefer to have this hot chutney when the other dishes on the plate have milder flavors. 

It is usually made during winter and to serve as side dish or chutney. This Methi Dana chutney is made in two ways -Sweet and sour or salty with just little sugar but I love this sweet and tangy version the most .Adding sugar not only enhance the taste but also increase its shelf life. It easily stays well for a year at room temperature, no need for refrigeration. It goes very well as a side dish or chutney with almost all the snacks, rice or any Indian bread. 

Methi have numerous health benefits. It helps to lower cholesterol so reduces risk of heart diseases. Though it is very healthy but it taste bitter so it is not easy to consume it directly. There are some other options too; spread some methi chutney on a freshly toasted chapatti or paratha, add some mashed salted potatoes (strictly optional), roll it up and enjoy.

MORE CHUTNEY RECIPES ARE LINKED BELOW

Carrot thogayal

Kolapuri Thecha

Dantina Soppu pachadi

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
5  mins	20 mins	3 persons

Recipe Course: Gravies

Recipe type:  Indian cuisine

Keywords

Chutney recipes, Fenugreek chutney, menthe chutney, postpartum diet, South Indian diet

Ingredients Dry roast items Methi seeds – 2 tbsp. Channa dal – ¼ cup Urad dal – 2 tbsp. Sauté with little oil Grated dry coconut – ½ cup Garlic powder -2 tsp Dry redchillies  -8 no’s Blender Tamarind – small lemon sized Jaggery -2 tbsp. Salt – to taste Sugar – ½ tsp Seasonings Oil – 2 tbsp. Mustard seeds -1 tsp Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Curry leaves – 1 sprig Hing -pinch

Method

Measure all the ingredients and keep it in a plate.Soak the tamarind in a tablespoon of water for 20 minutes. Extract the pulp. 

Dry roast the channa dal, urad dal and methi/fenugreek seeds on medium low heat for 2-3 minute without burning.

Grate the dry coconut and keep aside.

Heat oil and fry red chilies and dry coconut.

Keep everything in a plate and make it ready.

Grind the fried ingredients without adding water.

Just pulse all the dry ingredients and then add together with jaggery, tamarind pulp, sugar and salt. 

Add half cup of water then grind it to make a smooth paste. 

Allow all the ingredients to cool to room temperature. Do not grind them before they have cooled down, the chutney won’t taste as good!

Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. 

Pour the seasonings in the chutney and enjoy. 

Menthe/Methi seeds chutney is ready to eat.

Serving suggestion

Steamed rice and pepper rasam.

Rotis,Dals,Side dish for Idli

Note

• Do not skip adding jaggery, as it will balance the bitterness from methi seeds. However this chutney can be made using fenugreek leaves as well.
• You can adjust the quantity of sugar and jaggary according to your preference.

Palak Mushroom Gravy

Mushrooms are fleshy, fat free, gluten free, and cholesterol free, rich in nutrients and low in calories. Thus using Spinach and coriander to make sauce not only makes it rich in nutrients but also a visual treat.

Green gravy/sauce with mushrooms is feast to eyes. Palak mushroom gravy a very delicious recipe and the specialty of this recipe is the freshly ground masalas which gave the authentic taste to the gravy.

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
15  mins	20 mins	3 persons

Recipe Course: Gravies

Recipe type:  Indian cuisine

Ingredients For spinach paste Palak – 2 cups Coriander leaves – handful Onions – ½ cup Tomato – ½ cup Ginger garlic paste -2 tsp Green chillies – 1 no Oil – 1 tbsp. Masala powders Turmeric powder -1 tsp Red cilli powder -1 tsp Coriander powder -2 tsp Jeera powder -1 tsp Garam masala powder -1 tsp For palak mushroom Oil -1 tbsp. Cumin seeds  - 1 tsp Mushrooms -3 cups Kasturi methi -  1 tsp (lightly crushed) Fresh cream – ½ cup

Method

1. Chop garlic to fine pieces and keep aside.Cut mushrooms to required size as per your liking. 

2. I prefer my mushrooms to be little thick pieces so if they are of small size then each is cut to 4 pieces, bigger ones are cut to 6 pieces Add little lemon juice to ensure white colour and steam. Cool and cut into quarters.

For the Spinach paste

3. Meanwhile prepare the spinach paste. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add onion, green chili, ginger and garlic. Cook till onions are translucent.

4. Then mix in tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are soft. Add washed spinach leaves. It will get wilted within 2-3 minutes.Switch off the stove and let it cool a bit. Once cooled, grind into smooth paste.Blitz spinach with water and coriander leafs and green chilies-onion mixture in a grinder/ mixer to make a fine paste. The paste will be fragrant green color.

Making palak mushroom

5. Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.

6. Then add onions and  mushrooms. 

7. Add powder masalas and sauté for 2 minutes. As it cooks mushroom leaves water and will continue to cook in its own water. Sauté till cooked and tender.

8. Then add prepared spinach puree. Mix well and let it come to a boil.

9. Adjust the gravy consistency by adding water.Lastly add garam masala and kasoori methi. 

10. Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.Then add fresh cream, stir well to combine.Enjoy palak mushroom gravy with your favorites.

Health benefits of Palak

Good Source of IronGood for eyesHealthy brain and nervous systemImproves your heart healthLowers insulin level

Health benefits of mushroom

Mushrooms may boost your memoryMushrooms can assist in strengthening your bonesMushrooms will help give you energy.

Serving Suggestions

Simple roti (Indian flat bread), Parathas, Nan and Steamed rice.

Notes

• Stalks should be removed else the fibers from stalks will give unpleasant texture to sauce/gravy.Spinach should not be boiled else the green color will turn of darker shade and the gravy/sauce will not be of the beautiful green color.
• Too long cooking of mushrooms or gravy/sauce will cause mushrooms to lose their water and become rubbery and sauce to become of darker shade than we want in this recipe.Cover water and spinach mixture and allow to cook in its own heat. 
• Spinach should not lose its beautiful green color.You can omit onions. If onions are being omitted then green chilies should be added raw to spinach and coriander for making paste.

Vegetable Briyani

This is a delicious Biryani (spiced rice dish) which is the perfect main meal and a classic Indian restaurant favorite. It helps the spices to infuse the rice, and creates a wonderful aromatic favour. Indian food is filled with the rich, savory and healthy spices that we need to add to our everyday meals. 

However, during the week when we’re tired and rushed, it’s can be hard to find the inspiration. Even though our pantries are crammed full, our minds still come up a blank. Not to worry, here’s a fast and flavorful idea for Simple Vegetable Biryani. I’ve made this biryani with cauliflower, carrots and potato, but feel free to mix it up with other flavours also.

You can try other rice recipes on my blog like

Carrot Rice

Beetroot rice

Tomato pulao

Brown rice Pulihora

Methi rice

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
10 mins	20 mins	6 persons

Recipe Course: Main dish

Recipe type: South Indian cuisine

Ingredients Basmati rice - 2 cups Onions -2 no’s Tomato -2 no’s Green chilies -4 no’s Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp. Cauliflower florets -1 cup Chopped carrots – ½ cup Chopped beans  - ¼ cup Fresh or frozen peas – ½ cup Potatoes – ¼ cup Curd – ¼ cup Chopped mint leaves – ¼ cup Cilantro leaves – handful Water – 4 cups Spice mix powders Red chili powder – ½ tsp Turmeric powder  - 1/8 tsp Garam masala powder – 2 tsp Salt – to taste Seasonings Ghee / oil – 2 tbsp. Cinnamon stick -1 no Cardamom pods -2 no’s Bay leaves -2 no’s

Method

1. Wash the rice and soak in sufficient water and keep aside for 30 minutes. 

2. Drain the rice completely in a colander. Keep all the ingredients ready.

3. Heat a pan with ghee or oil, add all the items under”seasonings”and fry for few seconds. 

4. Now add some onions and green chillies, fry for few more minutes followed by ginger garlic paste.

5. Add one tbsp. of coriander and one tbsp. of mint. Season to taste and set aside. 

6.Add the yoghurt and cook for a further sometime. 

7. Add ½ cup water, potato, carrot, and cauliflower and remaining veggies.

8. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are barely tender, adding a little more water if necessary to prevent sticking. 

9. After two minutes stir in the tomatoes.

10. Cook till tomatoes are cooked till nice and soft.Cook till veggies are done (almost 90% cooked, don't cook them completely). Now add all the Spice mix powders, give its quick stir.

11. After 30 minutes,add the soaked and drained rice.with sufficient water in a vessel (to cook rice) along with the salt and spices. 

12. Keep it on medium flame, pressure cook in a medium flame.

13. Enjoy your tasty and delicious vegetable briyani.

Serving suggestions

Vegetable Biryani is also good with  hard-boiled eggs

Raw cut onions and lemons.

Notes

• It can be made vegan by using vegetable oil rather than ghee or butter. 
• If you have fresh broccoli in the fridge, use those instead.