Winters in India not only bring the climatic changes, but a big change in the food menus in our kitchen. Winters means cold temperatures and fresh beautiful colors selling all around in the Indian vegetable mandis or grocery stores. Visiting to the Sabzi market or vegetable market is the one thing I always loved to do in winters. Carrots, Green peas, Fresh greens, Beet roots, Radish, cauliflower, cabbage and the list is long. One such Green leafy vegetable and my favorite one is methi or fenugreek leaves.
Methi or Fenugreek is a nutritionally rice leafy vegetable. It contains vitamins A, B, B3, E. it has potassium, protein, amino acids too. it helps in lactation and reduces menstrual pain.It is useful in treating reproductive problems and hormonal disorders. It reduces blood sugar levels and cholesterol. For more health benefits of methi leaves and seeds check out the foot notes below.
Yesterday, When I went to the Indian grocery store here, I was delighted to see fresh beautiful methi leaves there. I quickly grabbed 3-4 bunches and then only started thinking what all recipes can I try including these healthy greens.Then I saw my husband buying chicken from the other section of the store and then I decided to try methi chicken.
Long time ago , when I was in school. Once my mother and father made methi mutton and I still remember how delicious it was. I will be trying that too soon. After coming to home I gave a call to my parents in India and got a hint of how to make this yummy chicken. My Father is an expert in non veg cooking and my mother is super expert in that, although she never ate non veg food in her life.
Here is the recipe
INGREDIENTS
For Marination we need
1.5 lb or 750 gms Fresh Chicken
1 cup thick yogurt
2 tbsp Desi Ghee or clarified butter
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp Haldi or turmeric powder
1.5 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
Salt to taste
2 big black Cardamom
2 small green cardamon
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 small bay leaves
3-4 cloves
4-5 black peppercorns
2 green chilies chopped finely
For gravy we need
2 cups of chopped Methi or fenugreek leaves
2 tbsp ginger garlicpaste
onion paste made with 2 medium onions( it should be 1.5 cup)
1/2 cup of cream ( optional)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp of garam masala powder
Fresh Methi Chicken
Mariantion time 1 hour
METHOD
- In a big bowl put all the above ingredients and mix well. Cover this bowl with a cling wrap of plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour. The more you marinate the more delicious chicken will be.
- In a wide hard bottomed pan or Kadai, heat the oil. Once the oil is heated, add onion paste and cook till all the moisture evaporates and onion paste gets leaves raw smell.
- Now add ginger garlic paste and cook for another 5 minutes on low flame.
Then add chopped methi leaves and little amount of salt. remember as the chicken already has salt, so on this stage add just a little amount of salt. - Cook methi leaves for about 8-10 minutes on low flame or until the leaves become tender.
5.Add the marinated chicken now and mix well. keep stirring the chicken and add about 1/2 cup water. - Cover the pan with lid and let the chicken cook on slow flame for about 30 minutes. It is very important to keep stirring the chicken in between so that it doesn’t get burnt from bottom. also the cooking time depends on how the size of chicken is. it may be plus or minus 30 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked open the lid and add cream to the chicken. Mix well and if you think that chicken is little dry, add 1/2 cup of water and cover the lid again and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve this fresh leaves methi chicken hot with steaming rice or rotis or Tandoori rotis and enjoy.
Do try my other chicken recipes
Kaali Mirch Murgh Makhni
Chicken Do Pyaaza
Indian Chicken Kababs
Tandoori Chicken
Cashew Chicken
Foot Notes
Fenugreek is rich in calcium, phosphorus and a rich source of Iron and Vitamin C. They are very beneficial in the treatment of Indigestion,Flatulence and sluggish liver. Fenugreek leaves helps in treating mouth ulcers.The iron rich leaves are very beneficial in treating anemia.
HOME REMEDIES USING METHI
1.Make a paste of fenugreek leaves and apply on scalp and leave for 30 minutes. This helps in getting rid of dandruff and strengthen the hair.
2.This paste when applied on face helps in getting rid of pimples and black heads.
3.A heaped tsp of fenugreek seeds soaked overnight and taken in morning will help you in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol.
WOW! Sounds delicious and the colors pop!