Methi Papad nu Shaak (No Onion, No Garlic)
Tender pressure-cooked fenugreek seeds and urad papad in a sweet-tangy Gujarati-style gravy. Papad goes in at the end.
Ingredients
To cook methi dana
- 2 to 3 tbsp fenugreek seeds ; use 2 tbsp if you prefer milder bitterness methi dana
- about 3/4 cup water for the bowl
For the shaak
- 1 tbsp neutral oil groundnut or sunflower
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 to 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
- salt to taste
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups water see steps; divided
- 1 tbsp grated jaggery or sugar; more if you like a sweeter balance
- 2 dried kokum petals or 1/2 tsp dry mango powder dissolved in 2 tbsp water; rinsed lightly
- 3 to 4 plain urad papad roughly two-inch shards; broken into medium pieces
Instructions
Cook and rinse methi dana
- Rinse fenugreek seeds in a strainer under tap water, rubbing gently once or twice. Drain.
- Place seeds in a small steel bowl with about 3/4 cup fresh water. Cover the bowl with a plate.
- Pour about 2 cups water into the pressure cooker, set a trivet or stand inside, and place the covered bowl on it. Close the cooker and pressure cook on medium heat until the seeds are very tender, about 4 to 5 whistles (if yours runs hot, start checking after 3). Natural release is fine.
- Open carefully, lift the bowl out, and drain the methi. Rinse again under running water for thirty seconds, tossing with a spoon. Drain well.
Build the shaak
- Heat oil in a kadai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Add the boiled methi dana and stir for thirty seconds. Pour in about 2 cups water.
- Add turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, salt, jaggery, and kokum (or the amchur slurry). Stir well, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 4 to 5 minutes so the spices settle in.
Finish with papad
- Fold in papad pieces. Simmer on medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring a few times, until papad softens but still has a little chew. Splash in hot water if the gravy looks tight.
- Taste. You want a balance of heat, salt, gentle sweetness, and tang. Adjust jaggery, salt, or a squeeze of lemon if you skipped kokum.
- Serve hot with phulka, methi thepla, or rice.
Notes
Add papad close to serving time; it keeps soaking up liquid as it sits.
Kokum swap: dry mango powder plus water, or tamarind pulp diluted very lightly. Add souring gradually and taste.
For a thinner gravy, start with 2 1/2 cups water when you add liquid to the kadai.
Leftovers without papad: refrigerate the methi gravy alone up to one day and fold in fresh broken papad while reheating.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!