Methi-Zucchini ki sabzi :)

Here's one more from the squash and greens fan :). Two of my favorite vegetables put together-simple magic! Both green.....one very aromatic and leafy and the other one a great squash (without seeds, may i add). Methi (Fenugreek) is a very valued spice in Indian cuisine. Green leaves are used as vegetables and dried ones as garnish. Even the seeds (methra/methidana) occupies a coveted place in the spice-box. There are two varieties of methi available in Punjab-methi and methra. The latter has bigger leaves and more aromatic. Methi is considered to be "garam" in essence. Its predominantly a winter time product in India. Zucchini on the other hand is the best equivalent to ridge-gourd (which incidently is a summer vegetable). Grilled zucchini is good, so is aloo-methi. However, today lets try something that gets the best of both worlds :).



So, lets get, set and go.....

We need:

• 2 bunches fresh methi (chopped fine)/frozen (1 packet)
• 2 medium sized zucchinis (cubed)
  
• 2mild long red peppers (chopped)/you may like red sweet-pepper instead
• Jeera (1 tsp.)
• 1/4 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 big tomato (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• Turmeric (1/2 tsp.)
• Salt and chilli powder to taste

Heat oil and splutter jeera-saute onions and add tomatoes (the usual). Cook and then add turmeric and chilli powder. Now add zucchini cubes and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Add methi and stir. Add salt and cook on low heat after covering the pan. Half way through add chopped red pepper of your choice (I used Holland pepper) and cook till done. Ready to go. No garam masala etc. is needed, because methi is highly aromatic and anything else will only take away from the fragrance. The red pepper along with tomatoes adds color to the vibrant green sabzi. Serve hot with chapati, paratha or daal-chawal.



This recipe also works well with spinach and other squashes like doodhi. In that case you might like to add some garam masala. Fresh methi leaves have slight bitter (kasaila, not kadwa) taste-if you don't like slightly bitter flavor then you may like to go light on methi. Frozen methi isn't bitter. I enjoy the slightly bitter flavor with parathas a lot :).


Next: Tomatar-soya wadi di kadhi : For JFI tomato.