October 26, 2009

Alu Methi/ Potatoes with Fenugreek Leaves


I  started to change my blog  and simultaneously things started moving on the house sale, I got some design to do, a birthday party to organize and so on....Sorry for the delay in opening up the blog again. Once it got closed it felt awkward to open it up again incomplete and what seemed like a day's work took more than a few stolen hours from here and there.  It still has glitches so do let me know but my better half asked me to open it up without spending more time fine tuning it , so bear with me.




In the meanwhile, the leaves outside changed colors, and its all halloweeny everywhere with pumpkins, scary ghost decorations and rust colored leaves covering the roads. The winter jackets came out and except for a short spell of the glorious weather (when I obviously ended up being outside the whole day with my little one and not doing anything else), the cold toes and chilly breezes are here to stay. All the birds are busy deserting us and I wish I too could migrate to a warmer weather for the winter. In the summer, all our friends also have parents and family visiting (not us this year) and my friend's apartment complex where I hang out, is bustling with kids, and parents of all ages warmly strolling around enjoying time with kids. Makes the whole place feel alive and like any place back in India. Come fall, they all too start boarding the earliest flight available and the same apartment complex looks forlorn and cold and dead with everybody cosseted inside.


 When the mind is preoccupied  with all kinds of worries but no action is required as yet from you, what do you do?  I do my grocery shopping and start planning the next meal as an escapism from the worries, as a form of stability and as something that is creative and anyway needs to be done.  Accomplishing a meal with out a takeout menu gives a sense of balance in a lost day.  But then these meals are not blog worthy.. they are not elaborate, they are not exotic, they are not exceptional or  have any memories attached to the recipe..they are just meals that everybody is making on any given day amidst schedules busier than mine. So then I lost the thread of "what to blog"!
A lot of my friends are much better cooks and make better use of their time juggling all the things along with a full time job and they don't blog. If I could blog their days, you would appreciate each of them who make a wonderful meal at any given day in the blink of an eye after a long day  doing a job/ looking after the kids and driving them around for their multiple activities. (As my friend's toddler recently asked her, " Are you my cooker and driver?")   Out of a child's mouth...:)


So while I do showcase Malabar Specialties, I have no time for that right now and  wish I had a place nearby that I could pick up some Porotta and curry, while I make Alu methi instead which takes a fraction of the time. So to cut a long story short, Potatoes with any kind of leaf..Fenugreek leaf, Spinach Leaf, etc is a good way to get veggies in and the leftoers make good stuffings for paranthas.

I use more leaves and less potatoes to get more nutrition but you could do change the proportion to your liking. Methi leaves have a bitterness to them which is mitigated by the potatoes and taste good while spinach is a limp companion. Another leaf I haven't tried in this but would like to is Broccoli rabe which also has a bitterness. If the bitterness is too much for you, you could reduce it by adding a tablespoon of cream in the end.

You Will Need:
2 -3 cup fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves (cleaned, washed and finely chopped)
Potatoes-1 medium peeled and cut into small pieces
Onion- 1small one chopped
Garlic-1-2 flakes of garlic  crushed
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp or more
Cumin seeds (jeera) -1/2 tsp
lemon juice-1/2 tsp
Vegetable oil-3 tbsp
Salt To Taste


Preparation:
Soak the methi or spinach leaves in lots of water and wash repeatedly to get rid of the dirt. Drain for some time and then chop them finely.

Cube the potatoes and place in a glass bowl with 1/2 cup water. Boil the potatoes in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes. or boil them as you usually do till they are almost cooked.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and crushed garlic and stir well. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes.Add the potatoes and fry well on all sides till the potatoes start turning slightly brown. Add salt, turmeric, chili powder all over and  keep stirring till the spices coat the potatoes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to tartness. Add methi and cook on a medium flame till done and till water is fully absorbed. Add oil if the vegetables are sticking to the pan. Serve with roti.


P.S. The water from the methi changes the texture of the potatoes slightly.
If you like a fried potato taste, you could saute the methi separately in a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of oil till it gives out all the water and then add it to the semi fried boiled potatoes. If the potatoes are too cooked , they will need more oil to get fried so try not to cook them fully.



Filling: Just dry the leftover subzi completely in a pan, smash with a fork to an even consistency and use as filling for parantha instead of pototoes. Make sure the filling is dry else rolling out the paranthas are not fun.

58 comments:

Mandira said...

The alu methi looks delicious shaheen, and I feel like I am in a similar place, with no time at hand.

ranjita said...

oh....I am sooo glad you have opened up your blog !!!.. I used to come here daily and wondered what happened and dint know how to contact you ..i have a party coming up this weekend and was so disappointed that I cannot see your wonderful recipes..I can always trust your recipes kannum pootti...:)I am sorry though coz I have commented only once before ..

Finla said...

My blogs name is My Kitchen treasure, but I too make treasures from other blogs :-) so dodn't worry even if you don't make malabar dishes always.
Love the potato curry looks so so yumm.
Love the new look of the place too.

Anonymous said...

The blog looks amazing! Love the new design

sra said...

Nice look, like the header, think I miss the old look, though!

Suganya said...

This is my all time favorite. Looks so good. YUM! Nice picture...

Mishmash ! said...

Finally !!! What a relief to hear from u!!! :)

pinne...enikku puthiya template othiri eshtapettu :)

Hb said...

Awww!You are back again, nice and neat template girl. And that curry looks refreshing just like your blog :)

Sameer J said...

You don't realize how much you rely on something until you can't get to it! I came to that realization after your site was inaccessible. Glad to see it back up (and it looks nice). More importantly, I get to look at your blog again for inspiration when the mood strikes. Thanks!

Reshmi said...

Gooooodd I thought I was deleted again.Your blog looks wonderful...and so are all your recipes
Reshmi

lan said...

was wondering why the blog was not open. the new look is just beautiful and still somehow connects to the old. hope you will keep this one.

faby zerin said...

Its soooo nice to see you back! I couldn't access your blog for some days now and I thought I was having some browser problem, then my friend calls me and says hey, why is malluspice not working and then I realized that you are doing some maintenance. Like Ranjitha here said, we rely on your recipes for some special occasions. We really missed you!
Love the new template! great work. But your header with the whole spices looked nicer.

Myra said...

Enfin!!!!! you are back,
with a SUPERBE new face,when i first saw it, the sensation i received was
serene,peaceful,and fresh,love it! BRAVO! Shaheen
As for not cooking Malabar all the time,don't see the problem,you have to have diversity,and experiment your culinary talents,from other places and to share them as you are doing here x
Yours Myra
P.S. What would be a good substitute for fresh Methi? coriander?

Srivalli said...

Oh Shaheen, I feel for you...I can vividly imagine the crowd being busy, then the place getting empty!..in a life becomes like that at times right...

Just sharing what you cook would be more than interesting. you need not always have to post elaborate or exotic meals on the blog ok. There are many who would welcome those simple easy dishes that are done in a jiffy!..:)

new one brings in a wisp of change right!..header looks lovely and the whole composition is nice...don't worry things will set in place soon!

Miri said...

What a relief! I couldn't find you for some time and when I started searching (thinking the bookmark link was wrong) don't even ask me what the term "mallu girl" brought up on google!! :)

Thanks for those pics - lovely to look at. I didnt even know the meaning of seasons till I moved to Delhi - am making the best of the cool weather with picnics and outings - hate the thought of the cold dreary days ahead!

Love alu methi - can't seem to digest the methi though and have to have tiny portions :(

indosungod said...

Congratulations! the new look is amazing. Alu methi looks delicious.

Shifa Firoz said...

hey Shaheen i was wondering what happened to ur blog.. was thinking which email to contact u.. just now i realized ur on FB.. i totally forgot that.

your blog got a gorgeous face lift :) and the recipe looks yumm.. :)

Shah cooks said...

Mandira, tried ur dhoodh pitla with pumpkin and really liked it. and with it raining nonstop outside, wish i could have some chili now.:)

ranjita, kannum pootti..made me smile so much. bet ur spice level is way up high as everybody says my recipes are spicy!!

Happy cook, thanks for the vote!! made my day especially when i was wondering if anybody thinks alumethi is blogworthy or not.

maninas, thanks a lot. it took some time to let go of the old look.

Shah cooks said...

sra, i too miss the old and i have to get used to this but at the same time this is easier to manipulate and add on to. got tired trying to find a middle path.

sukanya, another vote for the alumethi.. yea!1

Shah cooks said...

Shn, thanks!! phew.. now i can give a sigh of relief. i wanted to know ur reaction.

Hb, thanks a lot. refreshing.. that's what i was aiming for ...so good to know that.

sameer, kind words from you for my timepass. It sure feels good to be useful.

reshmi.sorry i couldn't reply to ur mail in time. i didn't know u visited me.:)

ian, sure i will .. i don't want to work on the template for some days!

zerin, i did like the old spices header but didn't have time to make a similar one with new photos.. its still me inside so...:)

SabreeNaz said...

Being an ardent fan.. was missing ur blog... welcome back Shaheen.. d alu looks.. love all of ur Malabar specials... Great going!!!! good show!!!

Shah cooks said...

myra, yup.. u hit the nail on the head. i guess the more u are exposed to diversity in cooking, the more variety u have to cook!
instead of methi, u can use kale/ broccoli rabe or some even use dill. its kind of overpowering for me but some do like the flavor of dill.

Shah cooks said...

Miri, u could use more aloo than methi.. Oh delhi winters are harsh since the houses don't have heating. stay warm.
when i coined mallugirl, i was naive...i know i have the most vicious search name ever. i have experienced that before but now its too late to change the name.

indo, thanks!! how have u been? i haven't blog hopped in days o missing out on all the action.

shifa, yeah, i am on FB, biut hardly there!!! mail me and i will probably respond faster.

Anonymous said...

Hi Shaheen, very nice site. This is far better than the design of your original site. I really liked this design than the former. God bless you always. May you always succeed in life in the hands of GOD. Looking at picture of Alu methi makes me feel tempting to eat. Well, I am preparing myself for exams. After that, will start cooking.
All the best. AMEN!

Bong Mom said...

What a nice layout Shaheen, loved it. The header is beautiful. Could you possibly make the middle column a little more wider ?

All ready to move ?

Mumbadiva said...

Gee, great to see you back & kudos on the new look! Was really frustrating not being able to get to your blog which has become my 'go-to' place when planning a special evening or for it's sheer inspirational quotient. I know work on your 'new' blog is still ongoing & maybe that's the reason I can't find your recipe for 'Shrimp Biryani'. But I do hope you will post the delicious recipe.

Shah cooks said...

Mumbaidiva, I have updated the link list in the recipes and in the categories .. for the shrimp biryani.

Sarah Naveen said...

I am a big admirer of your space dea...!!!!
Ur blog is like a reference book ..
Allo methi looks fabulous!!!

Sarah Naveen said...

Dear Mallugirl...
Thanx a bunch for dropping by...
I would love to give all this stuff a personality..but i m admit myself as a slackaroni...I always admire how u write it :)...i ll take ur suggestion whole heartedly dear!!!!
Yeah even i wanna try all ur malabar specialties dear...
R u in Nj dear??

mona said...

Glad to see you back Shn, and the new theme looks cool!
Alu Methi with warm parathas, hmm yummy! I want it now.

Hannah said...

It is a nice surpirise to see you back in action and thriving with all the difficulties :)
Asha

Zo-Ya said...

Oh there you are!!:) I wanted to look up my favourite Chicken Cry recipe and I was disappointed that I couldnt locate you-finally saw your comment on a friend's Blog-totally unrelated thou!
Cheers
Z

Bharathy said...

Love the new fresh look of the blog!!!..
A little worried to see the "less cheery" post...:(
Senslble girls like you can easily tide over any situation..:)

Be positive and continue to be a cheerful/creative cook and an amazing home maker!..

Youre always in my prayers!! :)

asha said...

hey i tried it out today morning..gud one..:)

Shah cooks said...

sarah, i am in nj.:)

Mona, glad u liked it.. u have a ton of cold weather recipes in ur blog that i always use.

Asha, not much difficulties.. just too much occupying the mind...not in our hands.
glad that u tried and liked it. Didn't know u liked methi.. did u make the parantha with it?

zo-ya.. which friend? we have a common friend?

bharathy. i sent u an email.

Anonymous said...

hi,

Tried it loved it... i made your rava kanji too it came out good...

regards,
Shazia

Shah cooks said...

shazia, thanks a lot for tryinga nd for letting me know the results!!

ranjita said...

Hi shaheen,
I tried this out today with spinach . As usual, superb taste and very easy to prepare !!
I cannot thank you enough for all these wonderful recipes ..If possible please post a recipe for dry aloo gobi..this is one recipe which always deceives me. Have tried many other recipes from other sites but never got it right .It has got to a point where I cannot look at a cauliflower without hating it .Sorry for the long comment..Once again thanks..

FoodFitnessFreshair said...

This dish looks like something I'll def. have to try! Nice pics

Manju said...

Regarding you comment on my post - thanks for asking that question..it was tangerines that i used, ive corrected the post now..silly me!!

Anonymous said...

love the new look : )

umm maryam

Anita said...

A new look is the flavour of the season! :)
Made the season's first methi aloo last week, and also paranthas with the leftovers! I just mashed and kneaded it into the dough though.

seltzer said...

Hi

U really dont realize how happy iam to find your site opening up again..OMG!! i had freaked out when i was not having an access..thank u so much and WELCOME BACK!!! this is site is THE BEST!!! hats of to u!!! i really envy the people who live with u...they are getting to be fed the best food ever. the new look of the site is too good. i always wanted to post a comment, but kept postponing, and i regreted that when i didnt have an access, so today when i made it, i thought lemme appreciate u first and then go thru the recipes...east or west ur site is THE BEST!!!

Malar Gandhi said...

WOw, looks too good, both alu methi and the fall colors picture.

Jayashree said...

Lovely fall colours.....aloo methi looks good too.

Zo-Ya said...

Sorry about that- i found your blog under the "Blogs I follow" of a certain person who had commented on a friend's blog-so may be they are friends!!Whew..sorry for the confusion!:) anyway glad I found you!

Yasmeen said...

Nice new look.Methi alu with parathas is my kind of comfort food :D

J said...

Nice layout...a very fresh feel! Miss the old blue tho'. Hope you're more settled now.

Red Chillies said...

Loved the new look for your blog. Very well written post and made me think about time and priorities.
Simple and comforting Aloo Methi is an all time winner.

Rahin said...

alu methi looks delicious Shaheen , love the new look of your blog :)

shahana said...

aadyamayi aanu ee site il.Really nice!!sherikkum oru "malayalitham" ulla site with a lot of our favorite kerala dishes!!!

Seena said...

Shaheen, loved the new look. was little busy and couldn't come to see the changes.. :)

Saju Sharfu said...

hi...first time here..u have a very wonderful blog. following u...

MR said...

the is a staple at our place but I never get the fresh ones
looks great nice new blog template too

Parita said...

Love your new look! Aloo methi looks gorgeous, what bright color :-)

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

I haven't been here for so long, I almost didn't recognise the new look. Lovely.
Aloo methi is good in itself, but I agree, nothing like porotta and curry! :)

Bharathy said...

Thanks a lot for coming by.. :)
...I am here in T.N only...and made thoran after a long time..and yeah! we finally have rains here...which brought back to those recipes with memories..
Hoping to hear the latest from you..:)!!

Anonymous said...

love the new template of the blog.beautiful header pic.nannayittu undutoo..:)

aloo methi looks yummy.athu aprayenda avashyam illallo.
thanks
prajusha
www.icookipost.com