Methi leaves dry curry (Methiyae playa sukkein)

Methi leaves dry curry (Methiyae playa sukkein) is a dish made out of methi leaves and coconut. ‘Sukkein’ is called as ‘Thoran’ in Malayalam. ‘Sukkein’ is any dish prepared out of coconut scrapings. You can use any kind of vegetables, pulses, leaves for preparing sukkaein.  Methi leaves dry curry (Methiyae playa sukkein) is usually prepared as a side dish for lunch. This is not a spicy dish. You have to add more coconut and tamarind/darambo to the dish than what you add for the preparation of usual sukkein since methi is bitter to taste.

Ingredients

You need

• A bunch of methiyae pallae (Methi leaves)
• 3 to 4 tbspns of grated coconut
• A lemon size piece of tamarind or equivalent piece of brindle berry or garcinina or ‘Darambo’ in Konkani, or ‘Kudampuli’ in Malayalam
• 1 tspn chilli powder
• 1 small spoon turmeric powder
• 1 tbspn thuvar dal or thuvara parippu or lentil
• 1 tspn coconut oil for mixing
• Salt to taste

Seasoning

• 1 small spoon mustard
• 1 small spoon urd dal
• 1 tbspn coconut oil

Method

Soak the thuvar dal for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the water. Pressure cook the dal in the separator of a cookerwithout adding any water. It you do not have a separator use a wide mouth utensil which goes inside your pressure cooker. I usually pressure cook it as follows: One whistle and simmer it for 5 minutes. Switch off the flame. Take care that the dal is not overcooked. You should be able to bite it. That is why while pressure cooking I am not adding water to the dal as well as I am soaking the dal prior to pressure cooking.

Now keep the cooked dal aside.

Remove the roots of the methi leaves. Take only the leaves. Wash them thoroughly to remove any sand or soil particles sticking to it. Chop it into small pieces.

Mix methi leaves, grated coconut, darambo/tamarind, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and coconut oil with clean hands.

Add the cooked dal to it and again mix thoroughly.

Leave for 10 to 15 minutes for marinating.

Heat coconut oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add urd dal. Add the above mixture. Sprinkle a little water for cooking (only if required). Close with a lid and simmer and keep for 4 to 5 minutes for cooking. In between open the lid and mix the sukkein gently with a spatula. Keep cooking till the raw flavor of the methi leaves goes off.

Methi leaves dry curry (Methiyae playa sukkein) is ready to be served with meals as a side dish.

Tips

So not add too much water. Too much water will over cook the leaves and you will loose the taste of the leaves

Do not overcook the thuvar dal. Be careful while pressure cooking. Always soak the dal in water prior to cooking.