Methi chole is a delicious and flavorful Indian chickpeas curry with fenugreek leaves. You can prepare this as both gravy or a dry curry as I do. There are so many variations of classic punjabi chole like this methi chole. Serve with bhatura, naan, steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or peas pulao for a hearty dinner or lunch. Here is how to make methi chole at home.
Chole or Indian chickpeas curry is a versatile and delicious preparation with boiled white chickpeas. There are so many variations in this curry like palak chole, peshwari chole, paneer chole, aloo chole, this methi chole.
Here in this recipe boiled chickpeas are sauteed with fresh fenugreek leaves and whole spices. Along with sauteed onions, tomatoes and some regular spices, this methi chole is one delicious, wholesome and easy curry that you can make easily.
Winter is the season for fresh methi leaves and I use it many recipes like methi chaman, aloo methi, methi dal, muthiya, methi matar malai etc. These leaves are so flavorful, delicious and healthy.
Making this curry is a breeze and you just need to remember to soak the chickpeas before and. Once that is done you can cook this chole methi curry in flat 20 minutes. I mostly prepare this as dry curry as we like it that way. You can easily make it as gravy too, see my notes below.
Serve methi chole with butter naan, paratha, mild rice recipes like corn pulao, ghee rice etc or as chole bhature.
This Methi Chole Recipe Is
Delicious, flavorful & wholesome
Best way to add protein and greens
Vegan & gluten free
Easy chickpeas curry in 20 minutes
Kid friendly, moderately spiced.
To make methi chole you will need white chickpeas, fresh fenugreek leaves ans regular whole spices. In the absence of white chickpeas you can use kala chana or black chickpeas too in this recipe.
How To Make Methi Chole
Preparing the chickpeas for methi chole
Rinse and soak chickpeas in plenty of water for 8-12 hours. The more you soak, more easy to cook and it is easier to digest too.
Drain the soaked water and rinse the chickpeas again thoroughly. Add to a pressure cooker and cook with a pinch of salt and required water for good 12-13 whistles. Chickpeas should be cooked thoroughly and there should be no bite at all.
Making methi chole
Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil.
Add a bay leaf, 2 cloves and saute well. Add a teaspoon cumin seeds and fry well too.
Next add chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Add slit green chilies and minced ginger. Saute till the raw flavor goes off.
Now add the chopped tomatoes and mix well.
Add the required salt, spice powders, mix and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and fully cooked.
Now add 3 cups thoroughly cleaned methi leaves and cooked chickpeas.
Mix well and cook for 6-7 minutes in medium flame.
Add copped coriander leaves and mix well. Remove from flame and add lemon juice.
Serve methi chole warm or hot.
Tips For Making Methi Chole
To make it as gravy– puree 2 large tomatoes and use it in place of chopped tomatoes. After adding the tomato puree and spice powders, cook the tomatoes well. Then add 1 cup water and simmer the gravy for 8 minutes. Add cooked chickpeas, methi leaves and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Other greens you can add in methi chole – Along with methi leaves you can add some palak leaves here. Just clean and chop the palak leaves well.
Methi leaves are prone to mud and dirt as they grow very near the soil. Make sure to clean them thoroughly and rinse well changing water multiple times.
Here I have used home grown tender methi leaves so I have not chopped them. If your leaves are mature you can chop them after cleaning.
More curries you might like
I hope you will try this methi chole enjoy as much as we did. P
Methi Chole Recipe
Methi Chole
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
To Cook Chickpeas
- 1 cup dried white chickpeas, rinsed and soaked in water about 2 cups cooked
- 3 cups water
- A pinch of salt
To make methi chole curry
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger-garlic OR ginger garlic paste
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- salt to taste
- 3 cups cleaned methi leaves fenugreek leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
Preparing the chickpeas
- Rinse and soak chickpeas in plenty of water for 8-12 hours. The more you soak, more easy to cook and it is easier to digest too.
- Drain the soaked water and rinse the chickpeas again thoroughly. Add to a pressure cooker and cook with a pinch of salt and required water for good 12-13 whistles. Chickpeas should be cooked thoroughly and there should be no bite at all.
Making methi chole
- Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil.
- Add a bay leaf, 2 cloves and saute well. Add a teaspoon cumin seeds and fry well too.
- Next add chopped onions and saute till they turn a bit soft. Add slit green chilies and minced ginger. Saute till the raw flavor goes off.
- Now add the chopped tomatoes and mix well.
- Add the required salt, spice powders, mix and cook till the tomatoes are mushy and fully cooked.
- Now add 3 cups thoroughly cleaned methi leaves and cooked chickpeas.
- Mix well and cook for 6-7 minutes in medium flame.
- Add copped coriander leaves and mix well. Remove from flame and add lemon juice.
- Serve methi chole warm or hot.
Notes
- Vary the spice powders as per taste.
- You can double the recipe
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