Fenugreek Salad with Curry Leaf Tempering
Fenugreek Salad with Curry Leaf Tempering
About this Recipe
My garden keeps me on course with seasonal eating, challenges me to be creative, and is the inspiration for this salad. Methi or fenugreek greens are Indian super greens, rich in antioxidants. I like mixing fenugreek leaves with carrots, beets, and fresh coconut for their sweetness and textures, a perfect foil to methi’s inherent bitterness. For the dressing, I use a tadka (tempering), which involves briefly heating spices in hot oil or fat before adding them to a dish.
Note: For the seasoning, I use mor molaga, which are chiles cured in curd and sun-dried. You can find this kitchen staple in South Indian stores. Fry to a crisp, crush, and use as a condiment for a hot, spicy, and salty kick.
The Benefits
Fenugreek greens are rich in antioxidants and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Coconut helps promote healthy tissue growth and immune function, while carrots and beets are good sources of vitamins. The tempering enhances both the aroma of the spices and their nutritional properties, making them a flavorful and nourishing addition to the salad.
Ingredients
2 Servings
For The Salad
- 1 cup (150 g) fenugreek greens
- 1 medium (60 g) red onion, cut into thin slices
- 1 medium (100 g) carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 small beet (100 g), peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 3 Tbsp (15 g) unsweetened grated coconut
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Garnish
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) old pressed coconut oil
- 2-3 mor molaga
Curry Leaf Tempering
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1-2 green chiles, finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 Tbsp powdered jaggery
- 1½ Tbsp lime juice
Directions
-
Step 1
In a heat-proof mixing bowl, add the fenugreek greens. Separate the onion slices and sprinkle into the bowl, followed by the carrots, beets, and 2½ Tbsp of the grated coconut. -
Step 2
To make the garnish: In a tempering pan or a small frying pan, heat the coconut oil and fry the mor molaga to a crisp golden brown. Remove molaga from pan with a ladle and drain on a kitchen towel. -
Step 3
For the tempering: In the same pan — using the same oil — add the mustard seeds and cook over medium heat. When the seeds begin to pop and crackle turn off the heat, then add the green chiles and the curry leaves. Sauté these in the residual heat; you want the chiles and curry leaves to retain a bright green color. Add the garlic and sauté while stirring gently to prevent it from browning. Add the jaggery and the lime juice, mix well. The jaggery should melt in the residual heat. If needed, you can turn on the heat, set to low, to nudge the process. -
Step 4
Pour the tempering over the greens. Add the salt and pepper and toss gently to mix. Plate the salad in a high pile; it’s a feast for the eyes. Crumble and sprinkle the mor molaga and garnish with the leftover grated coconut before serving.
Zero Waste: Compost the vegetable peels and scraps from the fenugreek leaves.
About the author
Nandita Iyer
Nandita Iyer brings together her degrees in medicine and nutrition with her love of cooking to enable people to pursue healthier lifestyles through her bestselling vegetarian cookbooks and blog. Sattva, her newsletter on simple and mindful living, reaches thousands of engaged readers every fortnight.
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