Last Updated on June 9, 2023 by Chef Mireille
Fenugreek Dal – Methi Toor Dal serves the base of comfort food Indian style and easily makes a complete meal with rice or quinoa and raita.
For some reason, the combo meals with many different labor intensive components like yesterday’s Pav Bhaji were the only options that were coming into my head. After completing two of the posts for this week’s BM and still having one more to do in a busy week, I kept on changing what the third one was going to be. I switched from some Trinidad classics like Shark & Bake or Doubles and then went back to India with Samosa Chaat, yet one of the simplest combo meals was eluding me.
I had purchased a big bunch of fenugreek/methi and used a few tablespoons for a recipe and then I had this huge bunch of leftover to utilize before it went bad. I started googling looking for ideas. Sure there were plenty of parathas, but after having a bad cold for several days, I did not have the energy for rolling parathas. Finally…it came to me. Dal & Rice – the most classic combination of Indian cuisine – fast and easy!
IN THE MAKING – HOW TO MAKE FENUGREEK DAL – METHI TOOR DAL
I made it a complete meal by having it with raita – the ubiquitous Indian yogurt condiment. In this version, I used store bought boondi, however if you would like to try your hand at making the boondi yourself, check out this recipe here.
IN THE MAKING – HOW TO MAKE BOONDI RAITA
This was the perfect meal to have after being sick. I don’t know about you, but when I am sick I prefer very simple food. Nothing too spicy or with too many flavors going on. This was simple and easy to put together with the rice cooker doing the work for me and the boondi raita just a matter of stirring a few ingredients together. The only thing I had to make was the dal. However, it was still tasty and thoroughly enjoyable.
Although in the past, I have made it with rice. To make it more protein rich, I now often have this meal with quinoa instead of rice.
Dal Recipes
- Sookhi Tadka Dal – Garlic Dal
- Mamidikaya Pappu – Green Mango Dal
- Daineiiong – Meghalaya Black Sesame Seed Dal
- Nigella Seed Dal
- Panchratna Dal – Five Lentil Dal
- Green Lentil Dal
- Caribbean Style Dal
Fenugreek Dal/Methi Toor Dal
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal split pigeon peas
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 chopped tomato
- 1 cup firmly packed fenugreek leaves methi
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile pepper cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- Boondi Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile pepper cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups boondi fried chickpea snack available at Indian supermarkets
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds optional
Instructions
- Let's first make the dal
- In a saucepan, combine toor dal with water and turmeric. Bring to a boil. Simmer until beans are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, partially puree the cooked peas.
- In a large skillet, heat oil. Add cumin seed. Add onion. Once softened, add tomato and fenugreek. Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add cooked dal, cayenne pepper, lemon juice,salt and 1/2 cup of water. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add cilantro and stir to combine.
- To make the raita, whisk the yogurt with the cumin, salt and red chile pepper.
- Add boondi and stir to combine.
- To serve, garnish with garam masala and pomegranate seeds (if using)
Notes
Nutrition
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Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#33
…linking to Lisa & Susan’s Legume Love Affair hosted by Spicy Food, Side Dish Mela & Priya’s Cooking with Seeds hosted by Madhu
Princy Vinoth
Wow Lovely healthy flavours what i call comfort food!
Thanks for linking to MLLA.
Priya Suresh
Dal and raitha both makes me hungry, wat a fabulous comforting foods.
Sapana Behl
Methi Toor dal with boondi Raita and rice , wow the whole platter looks so delicious ! Making me hungry ….
Harini-Jaya R
This is definitely our kind of a dal. Comfort at its best!
Saraswathi Tharagaram
Oh My Goodness!!! this is so simple and full of flavours..Love to finish it now..
vaishali sabnani
Mireille this is such a lovely meal..you cook such wonderful Indian meal…I am tempted to come back to US..yeah..just to eat food cooked by you.
Padmajha PJ
Absolute comfort food! Love the dal and the raita is one of my fav! I prefer the raita to be on the 'watery' side and this meal looks so inviting Mir…
Nalini's Kitchen
My kind of comforting food,looks so delicious…
Pavani N
Hope you are feeling better Mir. Food definitely helps in healing and this is such a homey and soothing meal that it surely make one feel better.
Jayanthi Padmanabhan
That plate of food has everything I love.. Boondi raita, dal and rice. I couldn't ask for more. Beautifully done Mir.
Srivalli
The final picture is stunning!..very nice..and hope you are feeling better now..