This dish belonging to the North Indian repertoire features the use of fenugreek leaves, which taste uniquely bitter and develop a flavour so pleasant that any fan of this herb would happily opt for the dish. Added with creamy paneer or Indian cottage cheese, this dish tastes truly rich and colourful, healthy and satisfying, thus perfect for inclusion in your meal menu card. The recipe of methi chaman calls for fresh methi leaves, which give the dish an almost slight bitterness and earthy aftertaste, which to be washed and chopped. Starting with a preparation of saut ed onions, ginger, and garlic in ghee or oil until golden brown gives a great fragrance. Then to this mixture are added the chopped tomatoes, spices such as turmeric, red chilli powder, and garam masala, which give it a great flavour and colour to the dish. Once the tomatoes are cooked down and mixed with the masala, methi leaves are added to it, saut ing it until wilted. Then cubbed paneer is folded into the mixture, allowing all of the various spices and the greens to cook with it. Add some cream or yoghurt and give it a splash of rich, creamy texture and combat the bitterness of the methi. This would be best if the methi chaman recipe is paired with some naan, roti, or steamed rice. Bubbly with flavour and packed full of nutrients, methi chaman can be one of the best ways to have the health benefits of fenugreek along with this hearty comfort food that depicts the Indian flavour.

• 75 gms methi
• 40 gms palak
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 pinch hing
• 200 gms paneer
• 1/4 tsp kasuri methi
• 2 tsp sugar
• Salt

• First, take 2 tablespoons of mustard oil in a pan or kadai. The oil gives a distinct flavour to the dish, which goes so well with it. Now reduce the flame and let the oil heat up until it starts to smoke a little.
• This is done because it enhances the flavour of the oil and ensures the effective release of aromas from the spices.
• Now, when the mustard oil is nearly about to smoke, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, and 3 cloves in that oil. Let the spices splutter for a few seconds.
• The sound of sizzling will tell you that the spices have begun emitting their essence and flavour for you to make a fragrant base for your dish.
• Turn off the flame for a while so that the spices don't burn. Add, one by one, to the pan: the spice powders. ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (or Kashmiri garam masala for a milder flavour), 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon fennel powder, and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing).
• The mixing is at this stage so that the spice powders combine well and do not burn. Now mix well and add the puree of methi-palak.
• To make this puree, grind fresh fenugreek leaves and spinach together smoothly. Again, turn the gas to low and add the puree to this spiced oil mixture, allowing the spices to infuse in the greens and flavour the dish.
• Season the gravy with 2 teaspoons of sugar to neutralize the bitter flavour of the fenugreek and salt to your taste. Mix all the ingredients well together, so the seasonings are mixed evenly. Add 1/2 to ⅔ water cup according to how runny or thick you'd want the gravy to be.
• If it is a relatively thick gravy you are after, add only 1/2 water cup. Get the water stirred into the gravy so that the gravy will mix every ingredient.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer on medium-low heat. Let the methi gravy simmer for about 9 to 10 minutes. You'd see oil specks coming to the top and the gravy turning thicker. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking at the bottom and cooking evenly.
• Through this simmering, all the flavours come together so perfectly.
• Once the gravy becomes thick, lower the flame and add ¼ cup low-fat cream. Now mix the cream into the gravy; this gives a creamy velvety texture to the gravy that is perfect for balancing the flavour of the dish.
• You could also fry pieces of paneer in 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil and toss it into the gravy for a more robust flavour. Turn off the flame once you mix the paneer with the gravy.
• Finally, crush ¼ teaspoon of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) between your palms and add to the dish.
• Kasuri methi gives a wonderful aroma and elevates the flavours of methi chaman, so do include it if you can have this on hand.
• Serve hot, garnished with a dash of cream or some grated paneer on top—it would look quite elegant.
• Creamy and spicy at the same time, this can be had with roti, naan, or even paratha.
• This dish will be quite wholesome because the flavours have aptly merged with the textures and may leave your guests asking for seconds.