In Indian cooking fenugreek is used either as the dry seeds or the fresh leaves and is used as a cooling agent for the body. The cooling effect works very fast and the slightly bitter taste goes well with potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fenugreek leaves, chopped
- 4 potatoes, chopped into 2½ cm (1 in) cubes
- 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
- salt to taste
- 17 fl oz (500 ml) water
- 8 oz (250 g) basmatirice, washed
Ingredients for Ground Paste
- 2 Tbs coconut, grated
- 2½ em (1 in) piece ginger, grated
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks, crushed
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 6 coriander stalks and leaves, chopped
Tempering
- 6 Tbs oil
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 marathi moggu (optional)
How to Make It
- Grind the eight ingredients for the paste until smooth. Set aside.
- To make the tempering heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker. Add the bay leaves and marathi moggu and fry for a few seconds.
- Add the fenugreek leaves and fry until they become crunchy. Add the potatoes, and then add the ground paste, tomatoes and salt. Fry, stirring, for a few minutes until potatoes begin to brown.
- Add the water, and when it starts to boil add the basmati rice. Mix well, reduce the heat and cover with the lid. Cook for 20-30 minutes in a pot or 5-7 minutes in a pressure cooker.
- Serve hot with coconut chutney.