Methi Dal How To Make Dal Methi

In Indian vegetarian cuisine we combine various greens with lentils. They can be made into a sauteed dry dish or like a lentil curry. E.g. Dal Palak or Shepu Bhaji. This is one such recipe of combining the goodness of fenugreek leaves and lentils. Dal is a staple at home thus I make various unique dishes with them so that the family does not get bored with lentils. In this recipe, I have used tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils), but you can also make this dal methi with moong lentils, masoor dal and chana dal (bengal gram/split chickpea). You can also use a combination of two to three lentils. The slight bitterness of the fenugreek leaves gets balanced with the subtle sweetness of the pigeon pea lentils (arhar dal). If the fenugreek you get is too bitter, then just sprinkle some salt and keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze the leaves and then rinse them in water. Then add these leaves to the tempering. I feel this is a good way to include greens in your diet and make your simple dal or curry more nutritious and healthy. Many times I add fresh greens like spinach, fenugreek, dill leaves, kale, malabar spinach and amaranth to various lentils. You can serve methi dal with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.

How to make Methi Dal

Cooking lentils

1. Pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in fresh water.
2. Add the rinsed lentils + ½ teaspoon turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in a 3 litre pressure cooker. You can also cook the lentils in a pan or in the Instant pot using required amount of water.
3. Pressure cook the lentils on medium to medium-high heat for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened.  When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Mash the lentils lightly with a spoon or wired whisk and keep aside.
4. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. You can also use ghee instead of oil for a richer taste and aroma. 
5. Then add 1 small to medium-sized onion (finely chopped), ½ inch ginger (finely chopped), 5 to 6 garlic (finely chopped or crushed) and 2 to 3 green chilies (slit or sliced).
6. Next add 1 to 2 dry red chilies (halved and seeds removed). Saute stirring often till the onions become translucent.
7. Then add 1 small to medium-sized tomato (finely chopped).
8. Stir and mix very well.
9. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. To make it gluten-free omit adding asafoetida or use the one packaged as gluten-free asafoetida.
10. Then add 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves (chopped).
11. Stir and mix very well.
12. Saute the whole mixture, till the fenugreek leaves wilt and you see oil releasing from the sides of the pan.
13. Then add the cooked arhar dal.
14. Add 1 to 1.25 cups water. You can add less or more water as per the consistency you want in the methi dal. If you want a thick dal, then skip adding water and just mix the dal with the rest of the tempering mixture.
15. Then add salt as required.
16. Stir very well and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes.
17. Lastly add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and mix well again. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
18. Serve methi dal hot or warm with some steamed rice or soft chapatis or paratha. More tasty dal recipes for you:

Dal fryDal palakMasoor dalMoong dalMamidikaya pappu

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This Methi Dal recipe post from the blog archives (first published in August 2013) has been updated and republished on July 2021.

title: “Methi Dal How To Make Dal Methi " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-25” author: “Anna Roberts”

In Indian vegetarian cuisine we combine various greens with lentils. They can be made into a sauteed dry dish or like a lentil curry. E.g. Dal Palak or Shepu Bhaji. This is one such recipe of combining the goodness of fenugreek leaves and lentils. Dal is a staple at home thus I make various unique dishes with them so that the family does not get bored with lentils. In this recipe, I have used tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils), but you can also make this dal methi with moong lentils, masoor dal and chana dal (bengal gram/split chickpea). You can also use a combination of two to three lentils. The slight bitterness of the fenugreek leaves gets balanced with the subtle sweetness of the pigeon pea lentils (arhar dal). If the fenugreek you get is too bitter, then just sprinkle some salt and keep it aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze the leaves and then rinse them in water. Then add these leaves to the tempering. I feel this is a good way to include greens in your diet and make your simple dal or curry more nutritious and healthy. Many times I add fresh greens like spinach, fenugreek, dill leaves, kale, malabar spinach and amaranth to various lentils. You can serve methi dal with rice, roti or chappati along with raita, salad, masala papad and some pickle.

How to make Methi Dal

Cooking lentils

1. Pick, rinse 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) a couple of times in fresh water.
2. Add the rinsed lentils + ½ teaspoon turmeric powder + 2.5 cups water in a 3 litre pressure cooker. You can also cook the lentils in a pan or in the Instant pot using required amount of water.
3. Pressure cook the lentils on medium to medium-high heat for 8 to 10 whistles or more till the lentils are cooked thoroughly and softened.  When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid. Mash the lentils lightly with a spoon or wired whisk and keep aside.
4. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. You can also use ghee instead of oil for a richer taste and aroma. 
5. Then add 1 small to medium-sized onion (finely chopped), ½ inch ginger (finely chopped), 5 to 6 garlic (finely chopped or crushed) and 2 to 3 green chilies (slit or sliced).
6. Next add 1 to 2 dry red chilies (halved and seeds removed). Saute stirring often till the onions become translucent.
7. Then add 1 small to medium-sized tomato (finely chopped).
8. Stir and mix very well.
9. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). Stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. To make it gluten-free omit adding asafoetida or use the one packaged as gluten-free asafoetida.
10. Then add 1 cup tightly packed fresh fenugreek or methi leaves (chopped).
11. Stir and mix very well.
12. Saute the whole mixture, till the fenugreek leaves wilt and you see oil releasing from the sides of the pan.
13. Then add the cooked arhar dal.
14. Add 1 to 1.25 cups water. You can add less or more water as per the consistency you want in the methi dal. If you want a thick dal, then skip adding water and just mix the dal with the rest of the tempering mixture.
15. Then add salt as required.
16. Stir very well and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes.
17. Lastly add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and mix well again. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
18. Serve methi dal hot or warm with some steamed rice or soft chapatis or paratha. More tasty dal recipes for you:

Dal fryDal palakMasoor dalMoong dalMamidikaya pappu

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This Methi Dal recipe post from the blog archives (first published in August 2013) has been updated and republished on July 2021.