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Methi aloo, as the name implies, consists of methi leaves and potatoes, cooked with onions, garlic, chilies, and a variety of Indian spices. It is very easy to cook methi aloo at home. My simple recipe will guide you through the process, if you are unaware of it.

Table of Contents

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Methi aloo is a favorite dish in many Indian households.
Serve it with roti, paratha, or steamed rice.
Methi aloo tastes mildly bitter, spicy, and flavorful with a hint of earthiness.

Other similar recipes are methi matar, sarson ka saag, and aloo palak.

The Ingredients:

5 bundles methi saag (leaves only, finely chopped)
3 pieces potatoes (medium size, peeled, washed and diced)
2 pieces onions (medium size, finely sliced)
10 cloves garlic (peeled, chopped finely)
2 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
Cooking oil (adequate amount to deep fry the potatoes)
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafetida (hing)
5 pieces dry button red chilies (crushed or split)
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala powder
½ tsp dry mango powder (amchur)

This recipe came to me in the most homely way — during a casual family video call. The mother-in-law of my husband’s cousin suggested that we youngsters should try this once. The dish is very easy to make and tastes awesome. I took note of the steps.

I made it the very next day. My husband said that the dish took him back to the days when he visited brought back memories of visiting his cousin’s house in his childhood. My sons loved the taste and its “grandma-style” flavor. It has now become a frequent family-call favorite. That day made me realize how beautifully recipes and memories can travel through generations — even over a phone screen — carrying the same warmth as an old handwritten note.

How to Make Methi Aloo? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Take 5 bundles of fresh methi saag. Remove the stems first and then the leaves as shown in the images below. Wash the leaves very nicely under running water to remove the mud and dirt from them and keep them on a bowl or a strainer aside to dry.

(Pro tip: Take adequate quantity of methi saag because it will reduce to almost half of it after cooking).

Step 2: Now, take a bunch of methi leaves and chop them finely. Repeat the process to chop all of the methi leaves and keep them aside.

Step 3: Then take, 3 pieces of medium-sized potatoes, peel them, wash, them and dice them in big chunks as shown in the image below. Keep them in a bowl with water.

(Pro tip: Keeping the diced potatoes in water will prevent them from changing their color to black).

Step 4: Now, take 2 medium-sized pieces of onions and slice them finely. Also, peel 10 cloves garlic and 2 pieces of green chilies and finely chop them as shown in the image below and keep them all on a plate aside.

Step 5: Now, heat an adequate amount of cooking oil in a kadai or a pan on a high flame. When it is hot, reduce the flame to low to medium and put the diced potatoes in it. Stir and fry them until they turn slightly golden brown in color. Remove them and transfer them onto a plate with a tissue paper to absorb the excess oil.

Step 6: Now, take out some oil from the kadai, leaving just 3 tbsp behind. Put in 1 tsp of cumin seeds and ¼ tsp of asafetida (hing) in the oil. Follow it with the finely chopped garlic and green chilies. Stir them and fry them on a medium flame for about a half a minute or so.

Step 7: When the garlic is fried nicely, add the sliced onion to it. Stir continuously and fry it as well until the onions turn translucent or slightly golden.

Step 8: Then, add 5 pieces dry button red chilies (crushed or split) to it. Fry them for another 20 seconds or so until everything is nicely fried, reduced, and gets a lovely color as shown in the image below.

(Pro tip: Adjust the number of red chilies according to your tolerance. Remember there are green chilies in it already).

Step 9: At this stage, add the chopped methi leaves to it. Do not mix them. Just spread them evenly on the top. Cover the kadai and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame.

Step 10: Now, remove the cover. The methi leaves will have reduced by now and have released water. Now mix them nicely and leave for about a minute so that the moisture released from the saag evaporates.

Step 11: Now, add the fried potatoes to it. Mix them nicely with the saag.

Step 12: Now, add salt to taste along with 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, and ½ tsp of dry mango powder (amchur). Mix the dry spices nicely with the methi leaves and potato pieces. Cover the kadai and let it cook on a low flame for about 2 minutes. Remove the cover, stir it to prevent the methi leaves from sticking to the bottom and getting burnt. Cover again and cook for 2 more minutes.

(Pro tip: Always add salt after the methi leaves reduces and the water evaporates. This will help you know exactly the right amount of salt to add to it).

Step 13: Finally, remove the cover and stir continuously to fry the methi aloo sabzi on a low flame for about 2 minutes more. When done, remove it on a plate.