Khandeshi Style Methichi Bhaji

In last few days, I am receiving packets from my friends from Maayboli. There packages of some wonderful books and painting I wanted to have for a very long time, there are multiple packets of different seeds from various friends and then there is a friend who gave me bag full of vaal beans and another one gave me nice and shiny food grade silver leaf called varkh to be used on barfis and all. These are a bunch of wonderful friends who make me laugh, encourage me, make me think and make me understand various issues. And they are avid readers.
Bookmarks
And there is another group of friends with whom I can constantly talk about food. We have spent hours and hours talking about food, cooking methods and various cookbooks. They share their knowledge and listen to my constant chatter. These are on my 'go to' people's list when it comes to trying a new technic or recipe. And they love to read too!

I wanted to share something that I created myself that can be used as long as they want. I decided to make some bookmarks. I am taking drawing class these days and have to practice weekly. Once I get bitten arts and crafts bug, I keep on going for a while before moving onto something else. It is not possible to draw/paint anything big on daily basis so I chose to create these bookmarks using watercolor papers and watercolors. I enjoyed making them and I hope you will enjoy using them.

Here are some that I made recently -

Bookmarks -2


Now lets come to today's recipe, Khandeshi style methichi bhaji. It is a mouthwatering combination of daal, fenugreek and peanuts. Here is how it is made -

Dane lavun Methichi Bhaji


1 bunch of Methi (fenugreek)
1/2 cup Toor Daal
1/2 cup Peanuts
5-6 Spicy Green Chilies (or use per taste)
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Coriander Powder (optional)
1 tsp Garam Masala (optional)
Salt per taste
2-3 cup Water
For tempering - 3-4 tbsp oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2tsp mustard seeds, pinch of hing, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Preparation -
Pluck methi leaves. Wash thoroughly and chop. You should have about 3-4 cups of chopped methi leaves.
Wash toor daal, add chopped methi and enough water to cook (about 1 cup) in a pressure cooker. Cook it for 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
Meanwhile, dry roast peanuts, green chilies separately.
Grind peanuts, garlic, chilies, coriander powder, garam masala to fine paste using very little water.
Heat oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add hing and turmeric powder. Gently pour ground peanut-masala paste. Roast it thoroughly on low-medium heat. At the end you will notice the oil starts separating from masala.
Add cooked daal-methi. Add salt per taste. Let it boil for 4-5 minutes.
Enjoy it with chapati or cooked quinoa or rice.

I am sending this to Susan for MLLA-23 hosted by the event creator.

Tips -
  1. If you do not have fresh methi, you can use frozen methi. If you like bitterness of methi seeds, you can use it instead of methi leaves.
  2. Green tomatoes can be used instead of methi.

Comments

  1. Beautiful Bookmarks .. Lucky frnds ..
    And one of my friend is also an active member of Mayboli .. she is always mentioning about one or the other get togethers !

    Liked your version on Dal - Methi and adding peanuts to it , seems interesting.

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  2. Your bookmarks are utterly beautiful! I love that each one is unique and made with such care.

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  3. Beautiful bookmarks!!!!!

    The daal with methi and peanuts must have tasted great... Yumm :)

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  4. Lovely recipe!! The bookmarks looks great.

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  5. Mints, Those bookmarks are exquisite! You're very talented.
    I wish I had methi at home so I could have made this tonight. I love this healthful veggie and your recipe is quite different from anything I've made with it-- I'll be trying this for sure as soon as I get my hands on some methi.
    One quick aside, since I know you're a vegetarian and an animal lover--silver varkh is a very controversial product among vegetarians/vegans because its production involves ox gut. Something to do with creating those super-thin layers.

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  6. Kanchan, Nupur, Rachana, ET and Apu - Thank you!!

    Vaishali, Thank you and glad that you told me about the silver varkh. I had no idea about that.

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  7. H Mints, as Vaishali said, I too have heard the controversial stories about the production of varkh, but not found confirmed information yet. A lot of varkh is even used in sweets from Rajasthan and other parts of the North that have Jains, strict vegetarians, etc. I wonder if they would allow it.

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  8. Lovely, lovely bookmarks, Mints!

    And a beautiful dish bursting with fenugreek - one of my favorites.

    I had no idea about vark, either. Just did some research. Some online retailers claim to have vegetarian leaf. I don't know; I cannot vouch for any of it. : \ Sad. It's metal for cat's sake.

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  9. Oh your book marks are so beautiful!

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  10. your bookmarks are so beautiful and the painting is very artfully done! I know exactly what you mean when you say that when the arts and crafts bug bites it goes on for a while :) I do a lot of painting for a few weeks, and then I go off painting for years and then back again and so it goes on...

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  11. ET - Frankly speaking I dont know if I should trust it. I recently even heard that some of the varkh even has some aluminum to keep the production prices lower. So I am not sure what do believe and what not to believe.

    Susan - Thanks! I have to look around the vegetarian varkh now.

    Aquadaze - Thanks.

    PJ - thanks. And yes it goes like that with me too.

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  12. tumhala khandeshchi kanyanchi bhakari mahit ahe ka mi ti recipie khup shodhalee pan nahi milali
    lahanpani chi ti chav ajun athvate.........

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  13. Hi Anonymous, ho yete kaLaNyaachI bhaakarI. lavakalach lihin tyaabaddal.

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  14. Hey.. it's wonderful recipe

    and loved your creative book marks...

    :)

    varshu

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