Festivals are all about food, right? If you just screamed a yes, we think alike. Indian households light up the celebration mood begins with preparations in advance. Diwali is one of the occasions which see the preparation of several sweets and snacks. What are you making this year? Even if you aren't a pro in cooking, you may give a try with this easy-to-follow recipe. Dishes like shankarpali, methi muthia, besan ladoo are some of the common preparations for the upcoming festival.
Check out the detailed recipe to make some crunchy "Methi Muthia"
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta), besan (bengal gram flour)
Oil for deep frying
1 cup baby potatoes (peeled)
1 cup freshly grated coconut, chopped coriander (dhania),
1 raw banana cut into 25 mm. (1”) cubes
3 to 4 brinjal (baingan / eggplant)
1 1/4 cups surti papdi (fresh vaal) , stringed and cut into halves
3/4 cup purple yam (suran)
1/4 cup fresh toovar (arhar) dana
1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain), asafoetida (hing) and other condiments
a pinch of soda bi-carb, sugar and salt to taste
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
For Methi Muthias
Combine the fenugreek leaves and a little salt in a bowl and mix well. Allow to stand for 5 to 7 minutes and squeeze out all the liquid form the fenugreek leaves.
Add all the remaining ingredients and knead into a soft dough, adding water only if required.
Divide the dough into 18 to 20 equal portions and shape each portion roughly into a round by rolling it between your palms and fingers.
Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry the muthias a few at a time on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Drain excess oil on paper.
Make a criss-cross slit on each baby potato, banana piece and brinjal taking care not to separate the segments.
Stuff the vegetables evenly using ½ of the coriander-coconut masala mixture and keep aside.
Combine the fresh vaal, purple yam, yam, toovar dana and the remaining masala mixture in a bowl, mix well and keep aside to marinate for 8 to 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pressure cooker; add the carom seeds, asafoetida and soda-bi-carb and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the stuffed baby potatoes and Brinjal, all the marinated vegetables, salt and 2 cups of hot water, mix gently and pressure cook on a high flame for 2 whistles.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
Transfer the cooked vegetables into a big non-stick pan, add the stuffed bananas and methi muthias, toss gently and cook on a slow flame till the bananas are tender, while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.
