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Starting up the new year with another favorite restaurant style Indian curry preparation! vegan-ized, healthy-fied and simpli-fied with the same authentic flavors. Methi Rainbow Chard Malai Mutter.Â
Fenugreek(Methi) plant is used in several ways in Indian cuisine. The seeds frequently used in cooking as spice (in Tempering/tadka eg Kadhi– Spiced Yogurt gravy), added to pickles, or to Dosa crepe batter to help the fermentation. The leaves or plant used as a vegetable (Aloo Methi – Potato and bitter greens), and herb (dried or fresh leaves) added to soups and stews(Dal Tadka, Dal Makhani). Fenugreek also has cleansing and medicinal properties. Fenugreek is a tropical plant so it is difficult to find the fresh greens around here (found infrequently in the Indian stores around Seattle).Â
The leaves and seeds are known for their distinctive bitter taste. One of my favorite ways to eat Fenugreek used to be Methi Malai Mutter (Fresh Fenugreek greens and Peas in creamy buttery gravy). The gravy obviously had a good amount of cream, butter and sometimes grated Paneer(cottage cheese). This version of course, does not use any of that and also uses Rainbow chard which is much more easily available in the Northwest. Some dried Fenugreek leaves help add the Methi flavor and result is amazingly delicious. Hence, Chard Malai Mutter! Think a spinach artichoke dip but more of a side. You can serve it like a dip with chips too. Spiced Indian style greens, peas and cream dip.
Add this restaurant style Indian curry to your 2014 must make Indian food list!
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The dried leaves(Kasoori Methi) can be found in any Indian store or online on amazon. The seeds are much easily available in most health stores.
More Vegani-ized Indian curries, Dals, Beans, Chickpeas and Stews and dry veggie curries can be found under Main Course India category on the blog here.
Steps:
Saute the onion, ginger, garlic and chili.
Add chard and spices and cook until wilted.
Add peas and methi and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the cream,salt and sugar and mix well.
Bring to a boil. Mix in Kasmiri garam masala and serve hot.
Rainbow chard and Peas in creamy gravy - vegan Chard Malai Mutter
Ingredients Â
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 Serrano chili pepper chopped or to taste
- 3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
- 3-4 large chard leaves, chopped (chopped 2.5-3 cups packed) or use other Greens
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder or cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tsp Kasoori Methi, dried Fenugreek leaves or 1/4 tsp fenugreek seed powder
- 1/4 loaded cup soaked cashews, soak in hot water for 15 minutes
- 3/4 cup almond milk , or non dairy milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp raw sugar , or other sweetener
- 1/4 tsp Kashmiri garam masala, optional (or use regular garam masala + a pinch of ground cloves)
InstructionsÂ
- In a pan, add oil and heat on low-medium heat. Add onions, chili, ginger and garlic and cook until onions are golden. Stir occasionally. If using ginger garlic paste, add to pan after onions are golden. Add the spices and mix well. Add chard, mix, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes until wilted. (If using other greens adjust cooking time till wilted). Add peas and fenugreek leaves, mix and cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Blend the soaked cashews with non dairy milk until well blended. Add the cashew cream, salt and sugar to the pan. Mix and cook on low heat until the cream just comes to a boil.
- Add 1/4 tsp Kashmiri garam masala if you have some and mix. Taste and adjust salt and spice. Add cayenne if needed for heat. Add more water or non dairy milk if you like more gravy or thinner consistency. Serve hot with Naan, rotis, rice or quinoa. Or with Pita/chips as a dip!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
There are certain unnecessary painful things that break my heart everytime. Testing on dogs is one such thing. Every video of Laboratory beagles stepping out on grass and seeing sun for the first time is enough start a torrent. (See more at Beagle Freedom Project site and Facebook)
Beagles are the dog of choice for laboratory research because of their small size and gentle nature. Despite mounting evidence that this testing produces unreliable results, 70,000 Beagles are killed each year in the name of research. These are some of the horrific tests Beagles and other animals are forced to endure. Infographic via Visual.ly
This dish is great! It is the best Indian dish that I have made myself, and better than restaurants too. And, pretty easy to make. It is so creamy, and the chard turned out just perfect. Amazing! I can’t wait for your book.
yay! so glad it worked out well and you like it!!
This was absolutely delicious! The kids asked me to put the dish into our regular rotation. Thank you!
I made this and everyone including my picky eater son loved it
Awesome!
This was so good! I was visiting my parents this weekend, and they asked me to make dinner. I saw that I had bookmarked this a while ago and decided to make it. I omitted the fenugreek and went with curry powder since my mom’s garam masala seemed to be sitting in the cupboard for too long, but the result was really, really tasty. Will make again–thanks!
Awesome! So glad you all loved it!
This is kind of like an Indian creamed spinach. 🙂 I only used the 1/4 tsp of the powdered fenugreek and didn’t taste the bitterness. I just suggest doubling or tripling the recipe to have leftovers the next few days!
Thanks for giving awareness to the beagle situation. A shout out to Beagle Freedom Project that is dedicated to these sweet animals who are needlessly tortured.
I made this last night with my boyfriend. We used mustard greens instead of chard which upped the bitter pop. Really good.
awesome!! so glad you liked it!
Made this today. My wife loved it. I liked it, but the fenugreek might be something I need to develop a taste for. I think I would prefer it without. Am I kicked out of the club? 🙂
did you make it with chard leaves or fenugreek leaves? this chard version has verylittle fenugreek. the dish is usually made with fresh fenugreek leaves:) and yes that fenugreek bitter is an acquired taste 🙂
What an amazing dish- full of creamy goodness.
I had no idea 70,000 beagles are killed each year, that is a staggering amount (really anything other than 0 is unacceptable) thank you for sharing this info Richa