Methi(Fenugreek) Pulao with Cucumber Raitha

We had friends over for dinner last night and as always I was stumped deciding the menu! A quick call to my mom and I was all set :D. She gave me two recipes one for a curry and one for a pulao. I made both and they came out great. The recipe below is for Methi Pulao, a fragrant rice dish made with fresh and dried fenugreek leaves and simple ingredients from your pantry.

Methi(Fenugreek leaves) Pulao:

You will need:

1 Cup Basmati Rice

1 ½ cups Methi (fenugreek) leaves

2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

2 Onions, thinly sliced

3 Tomatoes cubed

½ cup fresh/frozen peas

2 tbsp Corriander powder

1 tbsp Cumin powder

2 tsp Red chilli powder

2 tsp Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek),crushed

Salt to taste

2 tsp Lemon juice

¼ Cup Oil

1 ½ cups Water

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté till transparent and soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a minute. Now add the washed methi leaves and sauté for 3-4 minutes, till the methi leaves are fragrant. Once the methi leaves are done, add the tomatoes, and cook till soft.Add the coriander, cumin and chilli powders, fry for a minute. Add the water and close the cooker lid. Increase heat to high and when the steam begins to rise, lower heat and open lid slowly. Add the washed Basmati rice. Stir in lemon juice, kasuri methi and salt to taste. Close with lid and turn heat to high. When the steam begins to rise, place weight on the lid and lower heat. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn off heat. Mix well before serving hot with a cucumber raitha.

Cucumber Raitha:

½ Cup Plain Yoghurt, beaten

½ cup Water

1 Cucumber, chopped

½ onion, chopped

4 Green chillies, chopped

Salt to taste

Mix all of the above ingredients and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving. This helps the flavours to come together.

My guests enjoyed this well and I'm surely making it again!