Methi Jeera Rice

Methi Jeera Rice

Methi Jeera Rice (Fenugreek leaves and cumin rice) is an easy and nutritious rice-based dish. If you have leftover rice, this is especially quick to put together for lunchbox or weeknight dinners.

This Methi Jeera rice is not your regular cumin rice. It’s jeera rice but better, and with the works!

Rice is a constant feature in my family meals. We enjoy it with sambhar, rasam and yoghurt. While regualar fare is comforting, we mix things up a bit with leftover rice or freshly cooked rice that goes into making many different ‘variety rice’ as we call it.

There is lemon rice, coconut rice, tamarind rice, carrot rice…the variety rice options are endless. While I enjoy variety rice, I prefer making jeera rice and I try and make it interesting with the addition of aromatics and vegetables.

At home, Methi Jeera Rice is one of those favourites in the variety rice preparations. The beauty of Methi Jeera Rice is the addition of greens to a rather yummy rice preparing, which makes it a whole lot nutritious over a coconut rice or lemon rice. I particularly love that it is wholesome, healthy and tasty.

This is a whole medley of flavours; the slightly bitter fenugreek leaves combined with sweet & sharp onions and garlic and the earthy taste of cumin seeds makes this combination a delight for those savouring it.

This recipe is a true-blue quick and easy lunch/dinner to put together. In order to make it that much more convenient, I have used frozen fenugreek leaves, frozen peas and leftover rice. When in doubt, instead of takeaway meals, I whip up this yummy and quick Methi Jeera Rice and serve it with raitha, chips/appalam or just on its own.

Methi Jeera Rice Variations

1. I have used frozen peas. Use frozen corn or a mix of frozen corn and peas for a colourful and yummy meal.

2. If you are feeding the kids or like jazz it up a but,  sprinkle some grated cheese before serving.

3. Use spring onions and especially the green bits to give this Methi Jeera Rice extra flavourful.

4. I used leftover basmati rice for this dish, this works well with any rice variety. Just fluff it up a bit.

 

Methi Jeera Rice
Methi Jeera Rice

This dish goes well with:

Restaurant Style Dal Fry

Lemon Dal

Paneer Masala

Egg Masala

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice (preferably cold, leftover rice) – 1.5 cups
  • Methi fresh or frozen – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1, thinly sliced
  • Garlic – 4 cloves, thinly sliced
  • Chilli flakes (optional) -1 tspn
  • Garam masala – 1 tspn
  • Frozen peas – ½ cup
  • Ghee – 1 tblspn
  • Oil – 1 tspn
  • Jeera (cumin seeds) – ½ tblspn
  • Salt – To taste

Directions

Prep:

  1. If using fresh methi leaves, remove leaves from stem, wash and pat it dry with a kitchen towel.
  2. If you are using frozen methi, Place two blocks in warm water and leave it there until it thaws. Once thawed, drain the water and allow the methi leaves to sit in the colander till considerable water is gone.

Method:

  1. Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
  2. Add cumin seeds and fry until it is fragrant and brown.
  3. Add sliced garlic and fry it until it is slightly browned.
  4. Now, fry the onions until it is tender.
  5. At this stage add the methi leaves.
  6. Sprinkle some chilli flakes and garam masala and mix well.
  7. Sauté until the methi is soft and cooked.
  8. Note: The frozen methi will take about 3 minutes on high flame to turn soft and be cooked. The fresh ones will take longer.
  9. Finally add the frozen peas and cook the spinach and vegetables for another 2 minutes.
  10. This would be the perfect time to check salt and add more if required.
  11. Lastly, add the cooked rice and mix well to combine the ingredients.
  12. Serve hot with spicy curry and pappadums.

 

Tips:

  1. If you don’t want to add whole garlic, you could add ginger-garlic paste instead.
  2. I had frozen peas in hand so I added it. You could use fresh green peas that you can cook and add to it.
  3. Replace chilli flakes with fresh chopped chillies or omit it if you don’t like the spice.
  4. No methi? No problem, add frozen spinach or chopped English or baby spinach.

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