Ankurit Methichi Usal / Sprouted Fenugreek Seed Stir-Fry

Ankurit Methichi Usal is a healthy and delicious side dish from Maharashtrian Cuisine. It is a simple stir-fry made from sprouted fenugreek seeds (methi dana) and pairs well with chapati or phulka and some salad.  Methichi usal is flavorful as it is mildly spicy, sweet, tangy and bitter, all in one go. The recipe calls for few basic ingredients and is ready in a jiffy. This dish is one of the best ways to include the super-food, fenugreek seeds (methi dana) in our regular diet with all its health benefits without compromising on the taste.

Heart and Diabetes patients are advised to include methi seeds in their daily diet. Weight watchers consume soaked methi seeds the first thing in the morning as it suppresses appetite, boosts metabolism and thus helps in weight loss. Fenugreek seeds, known as methi dana in Hindi are tiny amber-colored seeds packed with nutrients essential for the body. It is used as a spice in Indian kitchens since ages. Fenugreek seeds are hot in nature, hence it is customary in many Indian families to consume Methi Ladoos during Winters.

Health benefits of Fenugreek seeds : Source

• Fenugreek in any form is loaded with medicinal properties. It is a rich source of Vitamin C, protein, fiber, niacin, potassium, iron and alkaloids. It is also rich in anti-oxidants.
• Fenugreek is excellent for regulating blood sugar levels. 
• Fenugreek aids in weight loss - rich in polysaccharide known as galactomanan it gives a feeling of fullness thus discouraging over eating.
• Fenugreek for lactating mothers- Fenugreek water is excellent for lactating mothers as it aids in milk production.
• Fenugreek seeds for cardiac health: Studies have shown that people consuming fenugreek seeds daily have low cholesterol levels and hence lower risk of heart attack.

I learnt this sprouted fenugreek seed stir-fry from my mother-in-law. She makes this regularly for my Father-in-law who is diabetic. Fenugreek seeds are soaked in water overnight. Drained and tied up in a kitchen towel for 24-48 hours to get sprouts. The sprouts are then stir-fried with onion tomato, green chilies. Peanuts are added for the crunch and for our (Maharashtrians) love for it. Little Jaggery powder is added to suppress the bitterness along with the tanginess from tamarind pulp. I have used tomatoes and lemon juice for tangy taste instead. My family loves this stir-fry and i make it once in every 10 days. Even my 10 year old son enjoys it, he thinks it is a moong sprouts stir-fry as we can hardly make out the bitterness in this preparation. You need to give it a try yourself to believe me.

This recipe is a part of the A-Z recipe Challenge Group of which I am a member . The group is an initiative by my friends and fellow bloggers, Vidya Narayan and Jolly Makkar. Members of this group post every alternate months the food recipes with a key ingredients with a particular alphabet. For this month F is the alphabet and i choose the keep ingredient to be Fenugreek seeds.

                                 

Preparation Time: 5 minutes (does not include time required for sprouting the fenugreek seeds)
Cooking Time: 7-10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fenugreek Sprouts
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon peanuts
• 1  tablespoon jaggery powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander leaves
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 2 tablespoon grated dry coconut
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon goda masala / garam masala
• Pinch of asafoetida / hing
• 1 1/2 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Keep all the ingredients ready. Wash the sprouted fenugreek seeds , drain. Make a paste of ginger, garlic and coconut using a grinder jar without adding water. keep aside until use. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds splutter, add cumin seeds followed by raw peanuts. lets the peanuts crackle on low heat. Now add curry leaves and green chili pieces. Fry for few seconds.

2. Add finely chopped onion and saute for 1-2 minutes. Next add tomato and stir fry for further 1 minute. Now add the ginger garlic coconut paste and saute for another 1 minute.

3. Lower the flame and add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and goda masala. Stir well. Now add the drained fenugreek seed sprouts. Stir fry everything for a minute or so.

4. Season with salt and jaggery powder. Add finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and cover cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame. We do not want the sprouts to turn mushy. The sprouts should retain their crunch. Put off the flame. Squeeze lemon juice , stir well and serve the delicious Ankurit Methichi Usal with hot phulka or chapati.

Recipe Notes:

• You may use half quantity of mung sprouts and half quantity of fenugreek sprouts in this stir-fry.
• 1-2 tablespoon of tamarind pulp can be added in this recipe. I have used lemon juice instead.
• Peanuts are optional , but they do lend a lovely crunch to the stir-fry.
• Do not over cook the sprouts as they may loose the nutrition and taste. Fenugreek sprouts should retain their crunchiness in this stir-fry.
• The quantity of green chilies and red chili powder can be adjusted as per the spice tolerance.
• Do not skip jaggery powder in this recipe as it balances the bitterness of the fenugreek sprouts.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below.

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For more recipes with fenugreek, do check out the following links from this blog

• Meethi Goand Ke Ladoo

                                      

• Bharvan Lal Mirch Ka Achar

                                      

• Multigrain Methi Muthia

                                     

• Methi Matar Malai

                                     

• Methichi Patal Bhaji

                                     

• Baked Methi Matri