Methi Pulao | Methi Rice

Methi pulao or methi rice is an easy, healthy and tasty pilaf made with fresh fenugreek leaves, basmati rice, mix vegetables, herbs and spices. Gluten-free and vegan recipe.

More on this Methi Pulao

This Methi pulao or pilaf is a one-pot nutritious meal with the goodness of fenugreek leaves (known as Methi in Hindi) and mix vegetables.

I add carrot and peas in my methi pulao to balance the slight bitterness of methi and make it mild. The methi rice has a lovely aroma of the whole spices and the bitter-fragrant methi leaves.

My favorite vegetables that I add at various times are potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper), eggplant, baby corn, broccoli and zucchini. You can always add veggies you like or simply omit them.

Nevertheless, fresh, vibrant, seasonal vegetables makes the methi pulao not only more healthy, nutritious, flavorful but also more filling and wholesome.

While the recipe is for methi rice, but if you do not like methi, then replace it with other greens like spinach or amaranth leaves.

How to remove bitterness from Fenugreek Leaves?

Sometimes the fenugreek leaves have a very intense bitter taste. Try these simple methods to remove the bitterness from methi leaves:

• Sprinkle some salt on the methi leaves and thoroughly mix. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Salt extracts the bitter juice from the leaves. Then rinse them in fresh water.
• You can even blanch the leaves in hot salted water for one to two minutes. Drain, rinse and then use.

How to make Methi Pulao

Preparation

1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice (200 grams) in water first very well. Then soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.

2. After 30 minutes drain the rice and set it aside.

3. When the rice is soaking, rinse and chop the methi leaves and other veggies.

You will need about 2 cups of chopped fenugreek leaves and 1 cup of chopped vegetables.

Crush 1 inch ginger, 3 to 4 small to medium-sized garlic and 2 to 3 green chilies in a mortar pestle. You can also grind them in a small chutney grinder.

Sautéing onions, fenugreek leaves

4. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a pressure cooker and fry the following spices until they crackle and are fragrant –

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 3 to 4 cloves
• 1 or 2 single strands of mace, optional

5. Then add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.

6. Stir often and sauté the onions until they start turning golden.

7. Then add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chili paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.

8. Now add the finely chopped methi leaves.

9. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame.

10. Then add ¾ cup chopped mix vegetables and stir well. You can add veggies of your choice like potatoes, cauliflower, capsicum, corn kernels, baby corn, broccoli, french beans, carrots, zucchini, brinjal etc.

11. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. Mix very well again.

Making Methi Rice

12. Add the soaked basmati rice.

13. Stir and sauté for a minute.

14. Pour 2 cups of water. You can also prepare the methi pulao in a pan or pot. Simply add 2 to 2.5 cups of water if making in a pan.

15. Season with salt as required. Stir again.

16. Pressure cook the rice on medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 9 minutes. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the pulao.

If you want to add paneer or tofu to the dish – then lightly pan fry them and add to the prepared methi rice. Or you can garnish with them when serving.

17. Serve methi pulao hot or warm.

Love fenugreek leaves? Check this collection of 18 Methi Recipes.

Serving suggestions

• Raita: Serve methi rice with plain curd or raita. In the photos, I have served it with potato raita. Methi pulao will pair nicely with most raita varieties like onion raita, cucumber raita, boondi raita or onion tomato raita.
• Dal: Even with a simple dal fry or dal tadka, methi pulao tastes delicious.
• Lunch box: Methi rice also stays good in the lunch box for some hours. When packing it in a lunch box, add a side of veggie salad or a mango or lemon pickle.

Storing

I would not suggest to freeze or make a large batch for freezing. Cooked rice is better had fresh on the same day. If you have any leftovers than store in the fridge for a day only and not more than a day. Before serving, steam in a pan or Instant pot for 5 minutes.

Variations

• Veggies: Mix vegetables not only make the taste more flavorful but also boost the nutrition. The veggies that make a perfect combination with fenugreek leaves in this pulao are – cauliflower, capsicum (bell pepper), corn, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, button mushrooms, carrots and green peas.
• Spices: You can make a non-spicy pulao, by simply skipping the ground spices and green chillies.
• Protein: For a flavorful protein rich pulao, add some tofu or paneer. Lightly pan fry them and mix with the prepared methi rice before serving. Cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas also make a great addition.
• Whole spices: You may not have all the whole spices in your pantry. My recipe is highly adaptable and you can add whichever spices you have.
• Rice: A short grained rice or even brown rice works well in the recipe. Simply add water as required with the type of rice you use.

Instant Pot Methi Pulao

1. Press the sauté button on normal mode of your IP. Add oil in the steel insert. When the oil becomes mildly hot, fry the whole spices for a few seconds until they crackle. Do not burn them. 
2. Tip in the thinly sliced onions. Stirring often, sauté the onions until they start turning golden.
3. Add the crushed ginger+garlic+green chilli paste. Mix and saute for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
4. Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. Mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add in chopped mix vegetables, turmeric powder, red chili powder and  coriander powder. Mix well.
6. Add the soaked basmati rice. Mix gently and sauté for a minute.
7. Pour 1 cup of water and deglaze the pan. Season with salt as required and mix.
8. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Do a quick pressure release after 5 minutes. Open the lid carefully and fluff methi rice. Serve hot.

Moderate • 25 minutes mins

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This methi pulao recipe from the archives (March 2015) has been republished and updated on 22 December 2020.