Methi & Chard Gotas with Kadhi

I was finally able to recreate one of my favorite Gujarati recipes after growing my own fenugreek leaves from seeds.

They are actually quite easy to grow, very low maintenance, and quick yield.  They'll grow indoors if it's cold in the winter and replenish the outside soil with nitrogen, so it's nice to grow them in several places one after the other to prepare the soil for something more needy afterwards.

I got garden side-tracked.

I've had these growing up, had them in India, and most recently had them in New Jersey every day for breakfast...which I really looked forward to each morning.

Instead of making me tired of it, it actually sparked my desire to make them myself.

Of course, sourcing the methi (fresh fenugreek leaves) is the hardest part.  You can't just go to the store and buy a "bunch" of methi like you would buy a bunch of cilantro or parsley.  Even cilantro is not always guaranteed here (I just grow that too).

My methi leaves are still a bit too small, but I felt I needed to make this right away because I wanted them RIGHT NOW.

So, I added some finely chopped swiss chard greens (also from the garden).  I have a different thinner Kadhi recipe here as well.  This Kadhi is thick like a dipping sauce.

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients

For Gotas:

1/2 cups packed methi leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup packed chard leaves, finely chopped

1 green chile, coarsely chopped (add more if you like it extra spicy)

1/2 inch ginger, grated

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

pinch hing (asafoetida)

juice from 1/2 lime

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

1 1/2 cups besan (chickpea flour)

3/4 cups water

1/4 tsp baking soda

Vegetable oil for frying

For Thick Kadhi:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (half yogurt, half milk)

1 cup water

1/4 cup besan (chickpea flour)

pinch turmeric

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

pinch hing (asafoetida)

1 slit green chile

1 sprig curry leaves

pinch of salt

cilantro to garnish

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

For Gotas:

1.  Mix all the ingredients together gently until it forms a thick mixture.  It shouldn't be liquidy, but shouldn't be dry either.  You should be able to spoon it and have it slowly drip off.

2.  Heat the oil.  You dont need a deep fryer but you need a deep enough layer so the gotis can be submerged.

3.  Carefully spoon 1 heaping tsp of mixture into the oil at a time, frying until it turns golden, then removing with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel.

For Kadhi:

1.  Heat the oil in a wok or tadka or deep sautée pan.

2.  Add the seeds and cook until they crackle, then add the turmeric and hing.  They should fizz.

3.  Add the slit chile and curry leaves and fry for about 1 minute.

4.  Add the besan and buttermilk and cook, whisking until it thickens.  The buttermilk might separate but it's ok.

5.  Add water until the mixture reaches desired thickness.  Add salt to taste and garnish with cilantro.

For eating:

Either pour the kadhi all over the gotas and eat them one by one on your own plate...

or

keep it communal and use the kadhi as a dip..

Either way, enjoy and wish you had made more..