Palak Methi Na Muthia – Steamed Spinach Fenugreek Dumplings – Fresh spinach and fenugreek leaves are chopped, steamed, seasoned with green chili paste and sauteed in oil. An authentic Gujarati appetizer.
Ever since I purchased Tarla Dalal’s Gujarati Cookbook, I have been experimenting Gujarati dishes. Kadhi has become my go-to comfort recipe. I love their way of cooking and addition of fresh green chili paste elevates the taste of the dish. The appetizers of Gujarati cuisine are lip-smacking and their subtle blend of flavors pampers your palate.
Muthia is a classic recipe and served often as a snack in Gujarati household. Muthia can be prepared with a diverse variety of vegetables and they can be steamed or fried. Today’s recipe is a variety of Muthia prepared with spinach and fenugreek leaves. Use fresh leaves for the authentic taste. The cleaning process of spinach and fenugreek leaves is lengthy but it is definitely worth the while. As Tarla Dalal mentions “Steam them, Season them and Gobble them up”. Serve these dumplings as soon as prepared for the greatest satisfaction. It’s one of the best ways to sneak in the greens in your daily meal. I bet your kids will love these healthy dumplings and gobble them in a minute. Prepare these muthia and watch how your kids clean up their plate.
Now, to the recipe. Tne recipe is adapted from the Tarla Dalal’s Gujarati Cook Book
Ingredients:
- 3 cups finely chopped Spinach (Palak)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped fenugreek leaves (Fenugreek)
- 2 teaspoon Ginger – Green Chili Paste
- 2 tablespoon Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 tablespoon Bengal Gram Flour
- 1 tablespoon Semolina (Rava)
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 pinches of Soda-bi-carb
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 ¼ teaspoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
Method:
- Wash Spinach and Fenugreek leaves thoroughly with water. Chop them finely
- In a bowl, combine the spinach, fenugreek and a little salt. Mix well and keep aside for about 5 minutes
- After 5 minutes, squeeze out all the water; place the spinach and fenugreek leaves in a colander. Let the excess water drain out completely
- In a large bowl, add ginger-green chili paste, whole wheat flour, besan flour, semolina, soda-bi-carb, cumin seeds, sugar, salt and a teaspoon of oil. Combine them together
- Add the chopped leaves to the flour mixture and knead them into a very soft dough
- Do not add any extra amount of water
- Apply a ¼ teaspoon of oil on your hands and rub them together.
- Divide the kneaded dough into 4 parts. Roll and shape each portion into a cylindrical roll
- Arrange the rolls on a greased plate and steam them in a steamer for about 25 minutes until they are steamed and cooked properly or toothpick inserted in the center of the muthia comes out cleanly
- Once cooked, allow it to cool down completely
- Cut them into thin slices and keep them aside
- In a pan, add remaining teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and sesame seeds
- Let it crackle; add asafoetida and saute for about 10 seconds
- Now add the prepared muthias to the tempering, toss them gently and cook on a low flame until the edges turn lightly browned
- Serve hot with chutney of any flavor according to your wish
Some prefer to deep fry the muthia instead of steaming but then I prefer steaming as it is healthy. The muthia can be prepared with vegetables like bottle gourd and the muthias are also added to other Gujarati dishes.
Prepare these dumplings and enjoy them as an evening snack with a hot cup of chai. Bliss.
If you try the recipe (which I highly recommend personally), do let me know how they tasted in comments. If you like space, do like and follow my profile at here – Facebook, Google, Instagram
Thanks,
Karthi
