Menthe palle recipe
Menthe Palle, a popular dal recipe hailing from North Karnataka, is a delightful accompaniment to jowar roti (jolada rotti), chapati, or rice. This flavorful dish features the goodness of fenugreek leaves (methi leaves), toor dal, onion, garlic, and a selection of aromatic spices. Menthe Palle is also known by the names "menthe byali" and "bele palle."In Kannada, fenugreek leaves are referred to as "menthe soppu." In North Karnataka, the term "palle" is commonly used to describe curries prepared with vegetables or lentils, hence the name "menthe palle" for this dal recipe. There are two variations of Menthe Palle in practice. One involves adding pre-cooked dal, while the other involves cooking the dal along with the other ingredients. Personally, I prefer the latter method. You can replace methi leaves with dil leaves or palak leaves. It tastes equally good.
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch methi leaves (fenugreek leaves)
- 1 cup toor dal
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 red chilli (optional)
- 1 – 2 green chili
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1cm length ginger
- 1 onion
- 1 big tomato (optional)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder (optional)
- Salt as per your taste
Instructions
- Rinse the toor dal and keep it aside.
- Chop onion, ginger and garlic.
- Take only tender part of methi plant and rinse well. Chop rinsed methi leaves and tomato.
- Take oil in a cooker and heat it. Add in cumin seeds.
- When cumin seed splutters, add in whole red chilli, green chilli, finely chopped garlic and ginger. Saute it for a while.
- Add in chopped onion. Saute it until the onions are translucent.
- Add in chopped tomato and turmeric powder. Fry until tomatoes are mushy. Note that tomato is an optional ingredient in menthe palle.
- Add in chopped methi leaves and fry them for a while.
- Add in 2 cups of water or double the quantity of dal.
- Add in rinsed toor dal. Mix it well and cook it in the pressure cooker by making 3 – 4 whistles. You can also add precooked dal.
- Once the pressure subsidies you can see dal is well cooked but not mushy.
- Add in chopped coriander leaves, salt and cumin powder. Again cumin powder is an optional ingredient.
- Smash it and mix it well using a flat spatula.
- Add in required water. If using as an accompaniment with jowar roti or chapathi make it little thick. If using as an accompaniment with rice add little more water to get thick gravy consistency. Bring it to boil. Serve it with jowar roti or chapathi or rice along with hot ghee.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!