Methi Mutter Pulav

I am a big fan of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). You will always find some in my fridge. I love the flavor and fragrance it imparts when added to meat, veggies, parathas or rice dishes.Fenugreek is very nutritious and has many health benefits. In India it is used for digestion, skin problems, blood purifier, weight loss, to prevent hairfall etc. etc.

I was surprised when my friend from Yemen cooked few dishes using fenugreek (seed) powder. They use it extensively to cook flavorful fish and chicken dishes. I wasn't sure when she added a heap of fenugreek powder as I have always known it to be bitter but I was surprised how it complimented the meat and the fish dish and those dishes have become my favorite Yemeni dishes now.

Ok so coming to how I came up with this dish, it was late at night around 10pm and both Kartick and I had late lunch so we weren't really hungry till 9.30pm and then none of us wanted to step out as usual in the cold November night to get pizza or burgers as all the other restaurants in Oxford shut at 9-9.30pm ;( yeah that's true!

So I decided to make something simple and didn't want to grind or chop much. I looked in my fridge and I didn't have any veggies. I just has 2 small pieces of chicken thighs and some frozen peas. So I decided to make a simple pulav and served this with Chicken Kebabs. I marinated the chicken for 15 mins and fried it with my PAM olive oil spray while the rice was cooking. I will be posting that recipe soon as well.
This pulav turned out to be such a hit Kartick loved it as it was simple and not "masaledar"(spicy). We both were happy to eat a good home cooked meal and have leftovers the next day for lunch as well. (This pic was taken when I cooked the same dish for a friend).

Ingredients:

1.5 cups rice (washed & soaked for at least 10 mins)
1/2 cup peas (if using frozen soak in hot water for 5mins)
2-4 cloves garlic chopped finely
1 onion chopped
1-2 tbsp Kasuri Methi crushed with fingers
1 tsp Jeera/Cummin seeds
2.5-3 cups hot water
Oil/Ghee 2 tblspn
Salt

Heat oil/ghee in a wok/kadai when hot add Jeera when it sizzles add garlic and onion. Fry well till onion turns golden brown. Now add the Kasuri methi and fry for 1 min, add the peas and mix well. Cook for 2 mins. Add the rice fry for 2 mins and add salt & mix well.
Now add hot water 2.5-3 cups cover and cook till the rice is done.

Serve with raita/fried fish/papad/pickle/kebabs or any curry.

Note:
Kasuri Methi has a strong flavor so start off with 1 tbspn first since we like the flavor I tend to go a bit overboard with it.
If you don't like peas you can skip it.
I have also skipped peas once and added turmeric to this dish after adding the Kasuri Methi and made a simple yellow methi and onion pulav which was loved by all my friends at a pot luck party.