There are some recipes that are just so perfect for winter and as soon as it gets a little bit cold you just have to make it. Methi Murgh is just one of those ones.
What is Methi/Fenugreek?
Methi/Fenugreek is a plant mostly native to Eastern countries and is used widely in Arab and South Asian cooking. The seeds and leaves are rich in iron and for years both have been used in traditional medicine and home remedies.
I was always told by my family and elder that Fenugreek leaves should be eaten a lot during the colder months to retain heat in the body. I was told that fenugreek is exceptional for your bones, and interestingly skin and hair also. Whenever we visited India, it was winter in the northern hemisphere which meant I was served a whole lot or methi/fenugreek while staying there. In the time between graduating University and starting my Graduate Program, I stayed in India and I learnt so many wonderful recipes using this fabulous ingredient.
What is Methi Murgh?
Methi Murgh was one of the recipes I learnt, and is one recipe I absolutely love making at home. It’s made with chicken (usually chicken thigh, but I usually use lean chicken breast), fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves, some tomato paste and onion with some simple spices. This particular recipe is very common in the North of India where temperatures are colder – in fact the North Western state of Rajasthan produces 80% of the methi grown in India alone.
My recipe makes for a drier gravy, but you could absolutely puree the methi and other ingredients prior to adding in the chicken to give you a rich gravy that you can pour over rice. Make it your own!
For most people, chicken and Indian food means really heavy and creamy dishes that usually make you feel horribly bloated the day after. I don’t blame you! Most Indian restaurants only really serve those heavy and creamy chicken recipes which is such a shame because there is just so much more in the Indian cuisine. Methi Murgh might be one of the homestyle meals, but it is actually one of the most requested recipes by my guests at home.
How to make Methi Murgh?
The recipe is really quite straight forward. There are 2 key parts to the recipe. The first is to marinate the chicken really well and for at least 30 minutes, and the second is to ensure you cook the fenurgeek leaves / methi leaves are cooked through really well which will ensure the leaves start to sweeten. There is a bit of a juggling act here because adding the methi in too late, or after the chicken might result in overcooked meat which you absolutely DO NOT want. Follow the recipe carefully and make sure the methi has had a good 10 minutes to cook before stirring through the chicken.
The chicken is marinated in a basic Indian marinade, and it’s one that I think works in almost every single South Asian recipe including chicken. If you are using chicken thigh, you can get away with marinating the chicken for 10-15 minutes, but if you use chicken breast then make sure you marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to properly tenderise. To make the marinade, combine some yogurt, crushed ginger, crushed garlic, fresh chopped coriander leaves, salt and pepper, some red chilli powder (or paprika if you don’t want too much spice) and ground turmeric.
How to make Methi murgh
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 250 g chicken breast or chicken thigh
- 1 tbsp. Greek yoghurt
- ½ tbsp. crushed ginger
- ½ tbsp. crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves also called cilantro
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. crushed Kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 tsp garam masala available at local South Asian grocers or supermarkets
- ½ chopped green chilli
- ½ tsp. ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp. ground red chilli powder use paprika if you don't want too much heat
- pinch of asafetida available at local South Asian grocers. Omit if you cannot source this
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tsp. vegetable or mustard oil
Instructions
- Start by marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes using the yogurt, ½ tsp. of the crushed ginger, ½ tsp. of the crushed garlic, ¼ tsp of turmeric, a pinch of red chilli powder, salt, pepper, and some fresh coriander. Set this aside for at least 30 minutes
- After marinating, heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a griddle pan or fry pan and heat over a medium heat. Add the chicken once the hot and sear the chicken. We want to develop good colour on the chicken, but not necessarily cook it through. Once the chicken is browned nicely and has developed some char, remove from the pain and set aside
- In a pan, heat up the remaining vegetable oil. Once hot, add the dried fenugreek leaves, asafetida and chopped green chilli, until fragrant then add the onions and sauté with a pinch of salt until soft. (You could puree the onions after they have softened but I personally don't mind the texture)
- Add the remaining crushed ginger and crushed garlic to the onions and sauté until the raw smell is cooked off
- Now add the remaining spices and tomato paste along with the fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves and mix everything well. Add a little bit of water here to help the cooking process and let the fenugreek leaves wilt and cook through
- After cooking the fenugreek for at least 10 minutes (remember to add water sparingly if the pan looks too dry), add in the chicken and stir through so that the chicken is covered by the fenugreek mixture
- Cook for another 10 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked and the fenugreek is completely softened. Taste the fenugreek and adjust the salt per your taste. You may want to add a pinch of sugar if the fenugreek is particularly strong for your liking
- Serve hot with fresh roti, naan, or some rice and top with some fresh coriander
Hope you all enjoy this delicious homestyle recipe. It’s one of my favourites to make at home! Share your attempts with me @theminiaturelife on Instagram and be sure to DM me your photos.
