Aloo Methi
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Aloo methi combines stir-fried potatoes (aloo) with freshly chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) to create an aromatic and flavorful side dish that is best savored with ghee laden rotis.
If you love the bitter yet flavorful methi (fenugreek leaves), this aloo methi dish is right up your alley.
To make Aloo methi, combine sauteed potatoes with fenugreek leaves, throw in a few spices, along with a hint of jaggery and ta-da! – you have yourself an aromatic dish that’s a treat to your senses.
Aloo methi is an easy dish to nail. The only tricky part is making sure not to mush the potatoes while cooking.
There is nothing wrong with overdone potatoes in an aloo methi dish, it is just not aesthetically pleasing.
So, let’s go over the few things you can do to cook the potatoes just right.
- Partially cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot till they are halfway done.
- If you can help it, do not add water while cooking this dish.
Now let me explain why you need to boil the potatoes till they are halfway done –
- If you boil the potatoes till they are completely cooked, they start to break apart when they are mixed with the spices.
- If you don’t boil them, they take a longer time to cook in your pan or Instant Pot which means you are stirring them more often causing it to..you get the drift.
NOTE – The only other way to make aloo methi without partially cooking it would be to use a non-stick wok/kadhai. You don’t need to stir often with a non-stick kadhai and you can get away with using less oil.
Why not add water? How will the potatoes cook without water?
Water from the washed fenugreek leaves is sufficient to cook the potatoes along with the oil that has been used for tempering.
If you have more questions then let me know via comments and I would be happy to answer!
Let’s get cooking!
How to make Aloo Methi
Like I mentioned before the process itself is pretty straightforward –
- Pressure cook the potatoes until they are halfway done. Set them aside.
- In a wok/kadhai or in an Instant Pot steel insert, heat oil over medium heat. Add jeera seeds and when they start to splutter, add onions along with salt, turmeric powder, and green chilies.
- Once the onions have softened and browned, add ginger and garlic and fry them for about a minute.
- Add potatoes and powdered jaggery, along with coriander and cumin powder. Mix well. Cook on low heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cleaned, rinsed and drained fenugreek (methi) leaves and mix well.
- Stir in chili powder and salt (if needed). Continue to cook until the potatoes are fully cooked in about 8-10 minutes.
- Add a dash of lime juice and serve hot with rotis.
– Instant Pot pressure cooker review – Do you really need one?
– 10 things to know before using your Instant Pot
– All you need to know about your Instant Pot
If you like Indian Potato dishes, here are some recipes that you must try –
- Bombay potatoes – Simple, flavorful, and crispy, this Instant Pot Bombay Aloo recipe comes together in 30 minutes for a one-pot appetizer or side dish your whole family will love.
- Dum Aloo – This easy and delicious Punjabi-style Dum Aloo gravy is perfect for families who want to savor this lovely dish without spending hours in the kitchen. Leverage your Instant Pot and make it in about 40-minutes.
- Aloo Gobi is a vegan and gluten-free dish that is an eternal favorite at Indian restaurants across the globe. Learn how to make this Punjabi-style cauliflower and potato curry in less than 30 minutes using an Instant Pot or over the stovetop.
- Aloo Matar – delectable peas and potato curry, which is super easy to make.
Aloo Methi Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups cubed potatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1-2 green chilies slit lengthwise
- salt as needed
- 4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1- inch ginger grated
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3-4 tablespoons powdered jaggery
- ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 5 cups chopped fenugreek leaves rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions
Stovetop method
- Add a cup of water to the pressure cooker. Place your steamer basket inside and add cubed potatoes (NO water needed), cover the lid and pressure cook until they are halfway done. Drain the water. Set them aside.
- In a wok/kadhai, heat oil over medium heat. Add jeera seeds and when they start to splutter, add onions along with salt, turmeric powder, and green chilies.
- Once the onions have softened and browned, add ginger and garlic and fry them for about a minute.
- Add potatoes and powdered jaggery, along with coriander and cumin powder. Mix well. Cook on low heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cleaned, rinsed, and drained fenugreek (methi) leaves and mix well.
- Stir in chili powder and salt (if needed). Continue to cook until the potatoes are fully cooked in about 8-10 minutes.
- Add a dash of lime juice and serve hot with rotis.
Instant Pot Method
- Pressure cook the potatoes on high for 3 minutes. Do a quick release by moving the vent carefully towards venting. Set them aside.
- Wipe the Instant Pot steel insert dry, and set it to saute on high. Once the display reads Hot, add oil and once it heats up add jeera seeds.
- When the jeera seeds start to splutter, add onions along with salt, turmeric powder, and green chilies.
- Once the onions have softened and browned for about 6-7 minutes, add ginger and garlic and fry them for approximately a minute. Hit Cancel and select the saute setting again but set it to low this time.
- Add potatoes and powdered jaggery, along with coriander and cumin powder. Mix well. Cook on low heat for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add cleaned, rinsed, and drained fenugreek (methi) leaves and mix well.
- Stir in chili powder and salt (as needed). Continue to cook until the potatoes are fully cooked in about 8-10 minutes.
- Add a dash of lime juice and serve hot with rotis.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh fenugreek leaves with the dried ones (Kasoori Methi). The general rule is to use 1 teaspoon of dried leaves for 1 tablespoon of fresh ones but in this case, I will be more conservative and would replace 5 cups with 1 cup of dried fenugreek leaves. You can always add more but is better to be conservative since dried methi can be quite potent. Add them at the same time you would add the fresh ones.
- If the green chilies aren't hot enough, add the chili powder or else you can skip it.
Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.