Oh My Yum-ness! Methi Tortilla and Kadhi

Top: Methi Thelpa, Left: Kadhi. Right: Tempeh Curry, Bottom: Cabbage

I visited our local Indian grocer today and was really disappointed not to be able to buy one of my favorite Indian treats--methi thelpa. It's a tortilla-like flatbread with fenugreek leaves and lots of spices. But after reading the label, I should not have been surprised that it contained yogurt and ghee, as so many Indian recipes do. So I went home and did some research, and here's what I came up with. I won't link any particular website because this is a combination of many different sources, as is the Kadhi recipe below. Methi Thelpa is something that is often taken on the go. They are very wholesome, with greens (nutrients!), garbanzo flour (protein!), spices (antioxidants!), and substance.

Kadhi is a Gujrati dish that I must say is another favorite of mine. If you haven't tried it, you can copy my recipe but I suggest using soy yogurt if you like it (I don't, so I used coconut). IMO it's best served with white rice but we eat brown rice nowadays.

Don't mind the shape...my dough was too moist so it was hard to roll a nice circle.

Vegan Methi Thelpa

5 stars from the omnivore (he's so easy these days)

Makes 8

Mix together, first sifting dry ingredients and then adding the remaining (oil, too):

1 cup methi (fenugreek) leaves, dried or fresh or chopped spinach (I used 1/2 cup dried methi and 1/2 cup fresh spinach)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup unbleached white flour

3 tablespoons besan (garbanzo) flour

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon tumeric powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder

salt to taste

sugar (optional, I did not add any sugar)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Add just enough water to make into a soft dough, and make a nice ball.

Separate the ball into 8 small balls, and roll them out, using enough flour to keep them from sticking. Cook on skillet or tali over medium heat, using a tiny bit of oil for each side. Cook until they are brown.

Vegan Kadhi

Makes two servings

Again, this would be better with "real" yogurt (e.g. soy)

Whisk together:

1 cup coconut (or other) yogurt

1 cup water

1 tablespoon besan (garbanzo) flour

Add:

1/2 inch piece ginger, minced

In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add:

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

When they begin to pop, add:

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 green chile, cut lengthwise

1/2 red chile, cut lengthwise

2 cardamom pods

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1/8 teaspoon asafetida powder

2-3 curry leaves

Add oil to yogurt and water mixture, stirring in well. Bring to boil, then remove from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and just a few drops of lemon juice.