Menthi Kura Pappu ~ Methi/Fenugreek Dal

Ingredients:

• Menthu aakulu/Methi leaves-1cup
• Toor dal-1cup
• Green chillies-3to 4 slit lenghtwise
• Onion-1 no chopped
• Tomato-1 no (optional)
• Turmeric-1/3tsp
• Tamarind-1/2 ''
• Water-2 cups or add more
• Salt to taste
• Red chilipowder-1/2 tbsp

Seasoning:

• Oil-1tbsp
• Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
• Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
• Red chillies-2 breaks
• Hing- a pinch (optional)
• Garlic -2 pods crushed (optional)
• Curry leaves- few

Method:

• Wash the dal with water twice and drain all the water.
• Shift the dal in to a pressure cooker and add water, turmeric,onions,tomatoes,green chillies and tamarind .Cover the lid keeping the Weight on its top and allow to cook for 4 whistles.
• Mean while take a hard bottomed pan,add oil for seasoning.
• Heat oil ,add Mustard seeds,Cumin seeds ;when they splutters add the red chillies,curryl eaves ,hing and garlic pods.Let them all roast and turn off the stove.
• Now when the cooker pressure comes down,open the lid and mash the dal & put it on a low flame adjust with salt and chilipowder.
• Let it cook for few minutes till the chillipowder dissolves and bubbles out.Stir well in the middle of the cook.
• Now add the seasoning and stir well.Switch off the flame.
• Fenugreek dal is ready to serve & taste well with Rice,Roti or chapathi.

Note:

• You can also do seasoning with Ghee instead of Oil for the kids to taste better.
• If you feel the leaves taste bitter,add little salt to the leaves ,set it aside  for few seconds and later squeeze the water from it.(But doing so may lose some nutrition)