Methi Rice With peas and Ricotta /Fenugreek Rice

I don't know how your grocery list looks like. But it is pretty much the same list when I go to Indian grocery store. The vegetable part that is. And every time I visit that store, I bring home one bunch (at least) of Fenugreek leaves and one bunch Dill leaves. So, I can say this green is a staple in my home and many other Indian households. Since I buy this almost every week, we cannot possibly eat the same thing every week. So, I come up with different ways of using this wonderful greens. This rice dish is based on the well known 'Methi Malai Mutter' that is a curry served with roti or naan.

One Year Back - Quick Chocolate Cupcakes
Two Years Back - Palya Bun / Stuffed Potato Buns
Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups (I used jasmine rice, you could use basmati, uncooked)
Oil - 6 TBSP
Bay leaves - 2
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 6 - 8
Black Cardamom - 3
Ginger - 1/2" piece peeled and grated
Garlic - 2 pods grated or minced
Cashews - 1/4 cup (optional)
Fenugreek leaves / methi - 1 big bunch washed, cleaned and leaves and tender stem chopped
Red Onion - 1 large sliced thin
Green Chillies - 10 - 12 (as per taste)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Sugar - 1 TBSP (optional, but recommended)
Amchur powder / Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp (Or use juice of 1 lime)
Ricotta - 3/4 cup (I used part skim)
Frozen Green peas - 2 cups
Salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and drain the rice. Cook it with enough water (1 part rice to two parts water) with a pinch of salt. When done, let it cool for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and spread it so that it cools down and the grains are separate. Heat oil in a pan.  When hot, add bay leaves. When the bay leaf gets toasted, add the cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, green chillies. After a few seconds, add cashews, garlic, ginger and let the cashews get toasted. Add onion, sprinkle some salt and let them wilt. When onions are cooked, add peas and mix well. When the peas are half cooked, add the fenugreek leaves and mix everything. After a minute or two, add ricotta cheese or paneer and mix well. Lower the heat. You don't want cheese to burn. Add amchur powder and red chilli powder if using and check for the salt. Add sugar and mix one more time. After about 2 - 3 minutes, add the cooled rice and mix everything well. Adjust the salt if needed and keep it covered on low heat for 3 - 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve warm, at room temperature as is or with some yogurt.

Similar dishes - Methi Bhath,  Methi Pulav, Edamame and Greens Rice.

Enjoy.

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