Menthe Kadubu/ Menthya kadubu/ Wheat flour dumpling in spicy fenugreek leaves gravy

Menthe kadubu is a recipe originally from North Karnataka. It was introduced to me from a friend Anuradha & the recipe that I follow is the one which I learnt from her. There are various methods to do it. It can be soupy (with liquid consistency) or dried version.  It works as a main dish for the gloomy weather in winter season or you can serve it as a started too.

The process is bit lengthy, that is it calls for parallel processing of making the gravy & wheat dumpling and at the end combining both. It can be made sweet & spicy or less spiced one too. HuLi Kadubu (dumpling in sambhar) is another similar dish which tastes heavenly and I will post the recipe soon.

Now let us come to the point of making Menthe Kadubu.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

Menthe soppu/ Fenugreek leaves – 1 bunch

Onion – 1 (medium)

Garlic – 10-12 cloves

Tamarind – gooseberry sized

Jaggery – lemon sized

Chilli powder – 1 tsp or green chillis – 2, Adjust to taste

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Sambhar powder – ½ tsp (optional), adjust to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Asafoetida (hing) – 1 pinch

Coriander leaves – to garnish

Rice flour – 1 tsp (optional), to thicken the gravy

Chapathi/ roti dough – 1 large orange sized

Method:

• Prepare chapathi dough with wheat flour, salt, water and little oil. Keep aside covered.
• Clean, wash green leaves (menthe soppu). Remove stems. I normally add stems which are tender. Stems bring slight bitter taste.
• Chop methi/ menthe leaves finely. Keep aside.
• Peel and chop onions fine.
• Peel garlics & mince.
• Slit or chop green chillis.
• Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of water.
• Prepare a seasoning of mustard, hing & cumin seeds in oil. On spluttering, add minced garlic, sauté for couple of minutes.
• Add chopped onions & green chillis (if using) and fry until translucent.
• Add chopped fenugreek leaves. Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt to taste. Add chilli powder too.
• Let the leaves cook for a while.
• When it is almost done, add tamarind extract prepared (soaked in water), jaggery and sambhar powder. Add water to adjust the consistency. Allow boiling.
• Add 1 tsp rice flour, dissolved in little water to the gravy to adjust the thickness. This is just optional.
• Meanwhile, make chapathis of medium thickness (little thicker than regular chapathi) from the dough.
• Apply oil on both sides, cut into small chunks.
• Boil 2-3 cups of water in a separate vessel adding little salt and 1 tsp oil.
• On boiling, add cut pieces of chapathi to it, bring to boil, close the lid for a minute.
• Now, Drain water from the wheat dumplings. Add these dumplings to the boiling gravy.
• Bring to a boil. Mix once well.
• Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Notes:

• Adding rice flour is optional & it is just for thickening the gravy. If the gravy becomes thick by boiling, then you can leave it.
• Menthe kadubu can be made dry or gravy like soup.
• Addition of garlic enriches the taste, though there is a recipe of without garlic.