Methi pulao recipe | How to make methi pulao

Methi pulao recipe – quick, healthy and a mildly flavored rice cooked with fenugreek leaves & spices. I usually make this methi pulao for my kid’s lunch box, so I make this with minimum spices and no ground garam masala is used. I just use whatever veggies are in stock like potatoes, carrots, green peas or soya chunks, paneer or kabuli chana.

No matter what you use, the aroma and taste of the fresh methi leaves is dominant. If you like spicy rice, then you may like this quick methi rice.

I have used green peas in this recipe. The combination of green peas and methi leaves go very well here.

This methi pulao can be made in a pressure cooker or in a pot, instructions included below.

For more Methi recipes, you can check
Aloo methi
Dal methi
Methi paratha
Simple methi paneer

other easy pulao recipes on the blog,
tawa pulao
paneer pulao
vegetable pulao
kashmiri pulao

Step-by-step photos

Preparation

1. Wash and soak rice for at least 10 minutes to 2o minutes. Pluck and wash methi leaves in ample water. I also add a bit of salt to wash them. Drain off completely to a colander. Set this aside.

How to make methi pulao

2. Pour oil to a pot or pressure cooker and heat it. Add cinnamon, cumin, cloves, bay leaf and cardamoms. If you like you can also use pepper corn,star anise and mace. Fry them until they begin to sizzle.

3. Next add in onion, green chili and fry till they turn lightly golden. If using other veggies like potato, carrot add them now. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of garlic goes off.

4. Pour water or coconut milk and add salt. Taste the water, it must be slightly salty.

5. Add washed, soaked and drained rice. i use green peas as well. Cook till the rice is 3/4 done.

6. Next add methi leaves. Methi leaves do not need long time to cook, so I wish to add at the end. This way the aroma and nutrients are retained. you can saute it in one tsp oil and add. This is optional.

7. Cover and cook methi rice on a low flame till the rice is fully cooked. If using pressure cooker, when the water almost evaporates but the rice is still soggy cover the lid and cook on a very low flame for 5 minutes.

8. Fluff up the rice, once cooked. Serve methi pulao with onion raita.

Recipe

Methi pulao recipe | How to make methi pulao

Simple, healthy and nutritious pulao made with fenugreek leaves or methi leaves

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1x2x3x

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings2

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

• 1 cup rice (soaked for atleast 10 mins)
• 1 cup methi leaves / fenugreek leaves, tightly packed fresh
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (optional)
• Salt as needed
• 1 tbsp Oil as needed (for ghee refer notes)
• 1 Handful green peas (can use carrots, potatoes)
• 1 small onion sliced
• 1 green chili slit
• 1 ¾ cup water or thin coconut milk (adjust as needed)

Dry spices

• 1/4 tsp shahi jeera or cumin
• ½ bay leaf
• 3 to 4 cloves
• cinnamon stick Small
• 2 to 3 green cardamoms
• 1 strand mace
• 1 star anise Small piece
• pepper corn Few , or little pepper powder

How to make the recipe

• Soak rice for at least 10 mins, drain and set aside
• Pluck the methi leaves from the stems and rinse in lot of water. I sprinkle salt and soak for a while for the mud to settle down. Drain them completely to a colander.

How to make methi pulao

• Heat a pan with oil, add spices and fry till they begin to sizzle.
• Add onions and fry till they turn translucent. Next add carrots and potatoes if using at this stage.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry till you get an aroma or till the raw smell disappears. Pour water, add salt. Bring the water to a boil.
• Transfer the drained rice and green peas and cook till the rice is ¾ done.
• Chop and add methi leaves. Mix well.
• Cover and cook till the rice is fully done. If using a pressure cooker, close the lid and cook on the lowest flame for about 5 minutes.
• If using basmathi rice do not let it whistle. If using normal rice, allow to whistle once. When the pressure goes off, fluff the methi pulao gently with a fork.

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NUTRITION (estimation only)

Calories: 557kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 17.2mg | Calcium: 500mg | Iron: 3.5mg

Notes

1.You can use thin coconut milk instead of water for cooking this pulao.
2.You can saute methi leaves seperately in 1 tsp oil and add at step 8, but i find no difference
3.You can use ghee instead of oil, but it hardens the rice during winters, unless it is served right away when it is hot.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.