Fragrant methi / fenugreek leaves come together with potatoes to make this simple and delicious Aloo Methi, that is an easy and healthy side for rotis or rice.
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Simple food that just bursts into flavors when combined with the right pairing, that is the whole essence of eating well, in my books. Not a lot of oil or masalas, just highlighting the main two ingredients.
This Aloo Methi recipe that brings together the earthiness of the potatoes along with the fragrance and slight bitterness of the methi leaves is a wonderful example of that.
In Hindi, Aloo is potato and methi is fenugreek. Once you taste some of this, you will know what I am talking about. And trust me, you will not be able to stop at just one serving of this.
This Aloo Methi is
- deliciously simple
- healthy greens in a side
- vegan
- perfect side for a week night dinner.
Methi in English is Fenugreek. They are bitter green leaves with almost a radicchio or arugula quality to it. Fresh fenugreek leaves and fenugreek seeds are very commonly used in Indian cooking.
Dried fenugreek leaves, called Kasuri Methi is the quintessential fragrant garnish in most popular Indian dishes like Paneer Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken.
Potatoes are such a versatile and vital ingredient in Indian cooking. Here are more Indian recipes with potato that you may love.
- Aloo Rasedar - a tangy no - onion, no- garlic potato curry
- Aloo Matar - Potato and Green Peas Curry (Instant Pot recipe)
- Aloo Gobhi Capsicum - a stir fry of potatoes, cauliflower and bell peppers.
Pro tip for no bitter methi leaves
Methi leaves are bitter and can get a lot more bitter when cooked. My trick that always works like magic, to get rid of the bitterness in fenugreek leaves (Methi in English is Fenugreek) is this. Sprinkle salt over chopped methi and let it rest for several minutes. Then squeeze the leaves to get all the salty water out of it which takes out some of its bitterness too. It is then added to the cooked potatoes along with the turmeric, cumin and chillies to blend well together to a fantastic side dish of Aloo Methi.
How to make Aloo Methi
- Wash the methi leaves thoroughly and cut the stems near the roots and discard. Chop the rest, place in a bowl and add about 2 teaspoon salt to it. Mix well and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cumin seeds, asafetida and dried red chillies. Once the cumin and chillie start to turn color, add the onion and green chillies. Saute till the onions start to become soft.
- Add the potatoes, give it a quick stir to mix everything together, cover and cook over low heat for 7-8 minutes, till the potatoes are almost tender.
- Now squeeze the chopped fenugreek leaves to take out any water from them. Add to the pan with the potatoes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri chili powder and salt. Give it a quick stir and let it cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with rotis and dal or rice and dal.
📖 Recipe
Aloo Methi - Potatoes with Fenugreek Leaves
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon avocado / grape seed oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
- 2 dried red chillies
- ½ red onion , finely chopped
- 2 Thai green chillies , finely chopped
- 2 yellow potatoes , peeled and cubed
- 1 bunch methi leaves , about 1 ½ cups when chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- salt , to taste and some to sprinkle on the methi leaves
Don't forget to check out Step-by-step instructions with photos in the body of the post above
Instructions
- Wash the methi leaves thoroughly and cut the stems near the roots and discard. Chop the rest, place in a bowl and add about 2 teaspoon salt to it. Mix well and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the cumin seeds, asafetida and dried red chillies. Once the cumin and chillie start to turn color, add the onion and green chillies. Sauté till the onions start to become soft.
- Add the potatoes, give it a quick stir to mix everything together, cover and cook over low heat for 7-8 minutes, till the potatoes are almost tender.
- Now squeeze the methi leaves to take out any water from them. Add to the pan with the potatoes. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, Kashmiri chili powder and salt. Give it a quick stir and let it cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and serve hot with rotis and dal or rice and dal.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I love fenugreek! Great addition to some potatoes.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
This looks amazing! I love all the herbs and spices on top.
Manju says
? thank you Amy!
Linda from Veganosity says
I've never cooked with methi leaves. I love all of the herbs and spices you used in this.
Manju says
Thank you Linda!
Uma Srinivas says
Yum! This is in my every week menu list. My kids love methi leaves 🙂
Pranitha says
Tried this recipe and it's very tasty with pooris n phulkas !!
Manju says
Thank you Pranita ??
Bhuvana says
It came out very well.My kids loved it.Thankyou
Manju says
Thank you, Bhuvana! That makes me so happy, especially to hear that kids loved something with greens in it. Your kids must be wonderful eaters. Kudos!
Maria says
Thank you for posting- I sent my husband to buy some fenugreek and he came back with a big bunch of fresh methi so your recipe saved the day. After salting we couldn’t taste the bitterness at all and it gives an interesting and very tasty spin to the potatoes. I will be looking for methi now every time I pass by the Indian store. Delicious recipe, thanks again.
Manju says
Absolutely, my pleasure, Maria! Thank you so much for reporting back how much you loved it! I am sorry I just got back to you, your comment was stuck in spam and I just got around to seeing it 🙂
Ann Drosendahl says
Happy to make something I've only experienced in restaurants prior to this. SO good!
Manju says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed making it at home 🙂
Marynda Juelle Manning Wright says
I've been looking for recipes that have fenugreek and this one sounds perfect. I recently started foraging and came across a huge fenugreek bush and I cannot wait to cook with it!
Manju says
How fun is that! I hope you try this recipe and look for the tip in the post to make the fenugreek less bitter when you cook it 🙂
Paula Veronie says
I have frozen methi. Can it be used in this recipe? If so, how much thawed methi?
Manju says
Yes, you can use it. Thaw well and follow the instructions in the recipe.
Maggie says
I just made this recipe for tonight's supper (if there is any left too much sampling going on). Honestly your recipe is absolutely so tasty and the directions were very well given out. I am going to make this again, this time for my company who is coming over on Saturday. Thank you for such a beautiful recipe..................Maggie 🙂
Manju says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Maggie! I am so glad you loved this recipe.
Lem says
Can you use dried fenugreek leaves
Manju says
You can, it wont be the same though. I would use spinach in place of the fresh methi leaves to get that leafy green vegetable part and finish off with kasuri methi for the flavor.