Methi Per Eedu/Fenugreek Leaves with Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My very dear friend Meher is a Parsi. We regularly exchange notes on what’s for dinner in our respective homes and she often mentions methi (fenugreek leaves) or bhinda (okra) with eedu (eggs). Parsis love their eggs and add them to many vegetables during the final cooking stage.

I had fenugreek leaves left over after I had made the muthia and wanted to try something totally new. I thought of Meher’s eggy dinners and came up with my interpretation of methi per eedu (fenugreek leaves topped with beaten eggs).

The final dish is a soft, spongy vegetable and egg mixture which is totally divine. Definitely on my “make again” list!

serve with some crusty bread or rotis

Note:

1. I am not claiming this to be an authentic Parsi recipe, just my take on their famous “per eedu” vegetable dishes.
2. If you don’t have fenugreek leaves, try it with okra, potatoes or spinach. It will taste just as good.

Ingredients

2 Cups fenugreek leaves

2 Onions

2 Tomatoes

3 Green chillies

2 Tablespoons ginger-garlic paste

1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce* (optional)

1 Teaspoon turmeric powder

1 -2 Teaspoons chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon oil

2 Eggs

1-2 Teaspoons coarsely ground black peppercorns

Method

1. Finely chop the onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
2. Heat the oil in a wide base frying pan. When hot, add the onions, green chillies and the salt. Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes on low heat.
3. While the onions are cooking, chop and wash the fenugreek leaves (or whichever vegetable you are using).
4. Now, let’s go back to the onions. Once the 5 minutes are up, add the ginger-garlic paste to the onion mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
6. Mix well, cover and cook for further 5-7 minutes (or till tomatoes are well cooked).
7. Add the fenugreek leaves and mix everything together. This may take some time. In the process, you will notice that the leaves wilt.
8. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
9. While the fenugreek leaves are cooking, beat the 2 eggs with a pinch of salt and ground peppercorns.
10. Open the lid of the frying pan and pat down the fenugreek mixture with the back of a spoon. Once it is level, pour the beaten eggs all over the surface. Do NOT stir or touch.
11. Cover and let it cook for 20 minutes.
12. Switch off the burner and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*Worcestershire sauce is usually not used in Indian cooking. I had read a recipe in a Parsi cookbook by Jeroo Mehta which listed this as part of a “per eedu” recipe. Since I had a bottle on hand, I thought I would try it. Although it is optional, it definitely gives the end dish a nice zing.

This is what the spinach mixture looks like once you level it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After which, you pour the beaten eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final result, once the eggs are cooked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cut in wedges and serve

 

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• Beet and fenugreek greens curry/soup (kuzhambu) (eatingwelldiary.wordpress.com)
• Methi Murgh – Fenugreek Chicken (rohanghadi123.wordpress.com)