Methi Wala Daal ka Dulha

Daal ka Dulha is a traditional UP and Bhojpuriya delicacy. As the name sounds it's made with Lentils/Daal. Some people use Moong Daal, some use Toor/Arhar Daal to make it. Its an all-in-one recipe like Daal and Roti made together. Tangy and spicy daal contains spiced wheat flour dumplings in it, which makes it a wholesome food.

I love to experiment in my kitchen. When I was little my mum use to make this dish with just flour dumplings with any major changes in the recipe (Which is carried over since decades). Today when I thought to make it, I did add my twist to it.I made wheat flour dumplings with some Fenugreek leaves in them. So that it's not just Daal Roti, Instead it's Daal Roti and Sabzi.

My mum use to add some whole raw mangoes (Peeled) called "Kairi/Amiya" into it in place of tomatoes. In the olden days people never used tomatoes in any daal. Instead the Daal always have had raw / dried mangoes in them to give them the sourness. Me and my siblings use to fight over those cooked sour mangoes in our plates.

Making this dish in my kitchen took me to those golden days of childhood, which we always treasure. I know I do, do you treasure your childhood days?????? I'm sure everyone does.

Here comes another authentic dish from Saumya Ki Rasoi. "Methi Wala Daal ka Dulha / Methi Daal Pithora/ Dal Dhokli / Dal Tikiya" . No matter what you call it at your place, it tastes amazing. I'm sure you will try this and let me know what you think about this. Don't forget to comment below :) Until next time.......Happy Cooking Friends!!!!

Ingredients:

Daal:
Split Yellow Lentil/Tuar Daal       - 1 cup
Tomato                                           - 1 cup chopped
Turmeric powder                         - 1 teaspoon
Amchoor powder                         - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafetida                                        - 1 pinch
Salt                                                - to taste

Dough Dumplings:
Wheat flour                                - 1 cup
Methi Leaves                                 - 1/2 cup chopped
Carom Seeds/Ajwain                     - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                                 - to taste
Red Chili Powder                           - 1/4 tspoon

Tempering :
Oil / Ghee                                       - 1 tblspoon
Garlic                                         - 5 cloves
Cumin seeds                                 - 1 teaspoon
Whole red Chilli                             - 2
Coriander leaves                         - 2 tblspoon chopped for garnish


Method:

Wash and soak the Toor Daal for about 10 minutes.

Pour Daal into a pressure cooker and add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, asafetida, and salt.

Pressure cook it for about 4 whistles or till the lentils cooked properly and tomatoes are mixed thoroughly.

In a mixing bowl, take flour, carom seeds, salt, red chili powder and Methi leaves.

Add little amount of water to knead the dough. Dough should be stiff but smooth.

Take an tennis size ball from the dough and roll it like a thick chapatti then cut out the desired shapes out of it.

I used my cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes for kids.

Boil 2 glass of water along with 1 teaspoon salt in big pan.

Add the dough shapes in the water and boil them until they float on the water.

Take the shapes out from the water and add it into Daal. Give it another boil.

Heat the tadka pan with oil/ghee and add the chopped garlic, whole red chili and  cumin seeds.

Once garlic starts to turn golden switch off the flame and pour the tadka over Daal ka Dulha.

Garnish with copped coriander.
Serve with some Boondi raita, Pickle and Salad. I'm sure your family will enjoy this Methi Wala Daal ka Dulha.

Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients:

Fresh Fenugreek/Methi                - 2 cups
Fresh Green Peas                        - 1 cup
Full Cream /Malai                         - 2 tblspoon
Onion                                            - 1 medium chopped
Garlic                                            - 5-6 cloves finely chopped
Ginger                                           - 1/2 inch grated
Green Chillies                               - 1 tblspoon finely chopped
Cumin Seeds                                - 1/2 tspoon
Asafetida                                      - a pinch
Turmeric powder                          - 1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder                        - 1 tspoon
Garam Masala                             - 1/2 tspoon
Amchoor Powder                         - 1/2 tspoon
Mustard Oil                                  - 1 tblspoon

Method:

Wash and finely chop the Methi, keep it aside in a bowl.
Heat mustard oil in a heavy bottom iron Kadhai or Pan.
When oil is warm put cumin and asafetida into it.
once cumin start to splutter add chilli, garlic and ginger. roast them untill golden brown, now add the onion.
Once added the onion cook it until onion is translucent.
Now add the dry spices, turmeric, coriander, amchoor, garam masala and mix well with onion mix.
After 1 minute of mixing, add the green peas. Mix it well again for 5 minutes.
Now add methi into the pan and mix well.
Now cover it with the lid and cook it untill the water methi leaves is gone and peas are cooked.
Once peas are cooked turn off the flame.
Now add the Malai into the pan and mix well.
Your Methi Matar Malai is ready to eat for your Lunch or Dinner. Serve it with Daal and Paratha of your choice.

Muthia Cabbage / Methi (Steamed and roasted dumplings)

Ingredients:

for Muthia:

Gram flour (basen)             -1 cup
whole wheat flour(Aata)    -2 tablespoons
Cabbage                             -2 cups very finely shredded
Fenugreek leaves               -2 tablespoons finely chopped
Sugar                                 -1/2 teaspoon
Citric acid                          -1/8 teaspoon
Green chili                        -2 very finely chopped
Cumin seed (jeera)           -1 teaspoon
Turmeric (haldi)               -1/2 teaspoon
Salt                                   -to taste
Oil                                    -2 tablespoons


for Seasoning and Garnish:
Oil                                 -2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds               -1/2 teaspoon
Sesame seeds (til)         -1 tablespoon
whole red chili              -4
chopped Coriander        -2 tablespoon


Method:

Combine gram flour, whole wheat flour, cumin seed, turmeric, green chili, sugar, citric acid, oil, and salt in a bowl.
Make two equal parts of the flour mixture.
Add the cabbage to the one flour mixture part and mix well to make soft dough. Add water if needed.
Add the fenugreek leaves to the second flour mixture part and mix well to make soft dough. Add water if needed .
Grease your fingers and divide both the mixture into small ball or roll shape.
Make and steam the Muthias immediately after making the dough else veggies will start to leave water and dough will be very soft or sticky.
Put the muthias slowly onto the steamer plates. Cover and steam them for 18 to 20 minutes. Test by inserting a knife or fork, it should come out clean.
You can steam them in batches if your steamer has only one plate. I've 3 tier steamer so I did it in one go but on different plates for both the flavours.
Let the muthias cool down.  Slice each one into two pieces off as after steaming they will be double or more in size.


Seasoning/Roasting Muthias:

Heat the oil in the heavy frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle, add the sesame seeds and red chili and stir-fry the mixture a few seconds.
Add muthias and stir-fry them for three  to four minutes or until they are light golden. Garnish them with chopped coriander.
Do this roasting separately for both flavours.
Serve them hot or at room temperature with ginger/masala tea.