Methi na Gota - Savory Indian snack

Prepare this quick and easy Methi na Gota and savor the flavors of fresh Methi!

Methi na Gota is a famous Indian snack that has its roots in Gujarat - a western Indian state. It is usually prepared during winters when Methi (Fenugreek) leaves are available in abundance. Methi na Gota is not only prepared in almost every household in Gujarat but also sold by many snack shops during winter. Eating fried Gota right out of the hot kadhai is such a divine experience. Hence, I try to prepare them whenever I can find fresh Methi (Fenugreek) leaves here in USA. 

What are Methi na Gota?

Methi na Gota are deep fried snack prepared using besan/gram flour, Methi/fenugreek leaves and spices along with some other ingredients. Batter is prepared by combining all the ingredients and then Gota are fried in a kadhai. Methi na Gota are crispy from outside and soft & soft from inside. If you like to avoid frying the Gota, appam/paniyaram pan can be used to prepare them. However, the taste and texture will not be same as the fried ones. You can serve Methi na Gota as appetizers or as evening snack with chai, yellow besan chutney, fried green chilies or yogurt.

 

Methi (Fenugreek) leaves -

Dense in nutrients like Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, C, K and minerals such as folic acid, calcium, magnesium among others - Methi (Fenugreek) leaves have some amazing health benefits. According to sources, Methi leaves can help control diabetes, reduce cholesterol, reduce blemishes, reduce heart problems and provide many more health benefits. There are many ways to add Methi leaves to your diet. Apart from making Methi na Gota, I usually prepare Methi na dhebra, Methi vada, Aloo methi sabji, Methi matar malai, Methi chaman or just stir fried Methi leaves. Any dish prepared using Methi leaves tastes just delicious, so no need to think twice before preparing any Methi delights. 

Important notes/tips - 

• Be sure to add sooji/samolina flour to prepare the Gota, as it will help make the Methi na Gota crispier. 
• Sugar is needed to cut bitterness of Methi, so don't skip it. 
• Fruit salt/ Eno is very important for this recipe as it causes the flour to rise which will help make soft Gota. You can use baking soda or yogurt as a substitute for fruit salt/Eno. 
• Red chili powder, green chilies or black pepper powder can be added for spiciness in Gota. Use them in combination or either one of them per your convenience and taste. 
• Kasuri methi is optional to this recipe but it really gives that extra kick of flavor to Methi na Gota. 

Methi Na Gota

Prepare time - 20 minutes

Cook time - 10 minutes

Serves 4 

Ingredients

1 Cup Besan/ Gram flour 

2 Tbsp Sooji/ Samolina flour

1 Cup Methi/ Fenugreek leaves (Rinsed and roughly chopped)

1/2 Cup Cilantro/Coriander leaves (Rinsed and roughly chopped)

2 Tsp Sugar

1/2 Tsp Red chili powder

1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 Tsp Kasuri methi (optional)

1/4 Tsp Dry coriander seeds (Crushed)

Serrano pepper to taste (optional, roughly chopped)

Salt to taste

1 Tsp Eno/ Fruit salt

3/4 Cup water (as needed)

2 Tbsp hot oil 

Oil to fry 

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, first add besan/gram flour, sooji/samolina flour, crushed dry coriander seeds, kasuri methi, sugar, chopped green chili, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Combine all the spices well with the flour. Next, add chopped cilantro and chopped methi/fenugreek leaves. Combine the leaves with spiced flour mixture. 
2. Now to make batter, start adding water in the batter. First add 1/2 cup water and mix well. After that, add little water (up to 1/4th cup water) at a time to make thick batter. Cover and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
3. In the meanwhile, heat up oil at a medium flame in a kadhai for frying. Also, prepare a bowl with paper towels to absorb extra oil after frying Gota. After about 10 minutes, check if the oil is hot enough for frying. Drop a little batter into the oil, if it sizzles and rises up to the surface immediately, our oil is ready for frying. 
4. Take a spoon and add hot oil to the prepared batter. Combine it well with the batter until the oil is absorbed in the flour as shown in the video. 
5. Finally add fruit salt/Eno to the batter and quickly mix it in the batter. You will notice that the flour will become light and airy. That's the perfect batter to make our Methi na Gota soft. 
6. We will fry Methi na Gota at medium flame to make sure they are cooked evenly. Now take handful of batter and plop it carefully in the hot oil using your thumb to cut it out. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to drop Gota in the oil. Drop about 6-8 gota (or as many as you can fit in your kadhai but do not crowd it) into the hot oil. Fry them for about 2 minute and turn them around using skimmer or spider strainer. Let the Gota fry on the other side for another 1-2 minutes. 
7. Remove Methi na Gota from oil once they turn crispy and become golden brown. Soft and fluffy from inside and crispy from outside Methi na Gota are ready to devour. Serve them immidiately with fried chilies or yogurt. 

Mediterranean Chickpeas salad with Tahini dressing

Have you been struggling to eat salads like me? I love salads as a side but it is difficult for me to eat them as a meal. I like cooked food more over raw vegetables to feel satisfied. If I have an option, I would choose soup over salad to eat healthy.  However I feel that sometimes salads can provides an array of flavors and textures that can't be found in soups. Therefore, I have been trying to come up with the salad that I can enjoy as a meal and this Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad is just what I needed. It is a perfect blend of vegetables, flavors and cooked spiced chickpeas! Needless to mention, this salad is my perfect balanced meal that is rich in nutrients, fibers and protein. 

The Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad is refreshing and very simple to prepare. The recipe is very flexible as far as the blend of vegetables that can be used to prepare it. But the two star ingredients of this salad are the spiced chickpeas and the tahini dressing. These two are a must to enjoy that delicious tasting Salad. 

Vegetable blend -

I have used fresh baby spinach, baby cucumbers (Turkish cucumbers), avocado, cherry tomatoes and parsley. But if you don't have these veggies, here are some fresh veggies that goes well with this salad - broccoli, green or red bell peppers, red onions, corn kernels, kalamata olives, etc. For leafy greens, you can try arugulas, baby lettuce or chard. Also, you can use chopped roma tomatoes if you can't find cherry tomatoes. 

Chickpeas - 

In an effort to save time I have used canned chickpeas but you can also use dried chickpeas. Just soak the dried chickpeas overnight and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Just remember to not overcook them as we don't want to mash them. 

Tahini -

As I mentioned earlier, tahini dressing is very important for this recipe. So, try to find store brand Tahini to save time. You can also prepare it at home easily, it refrigerate well for up to 2 weeks. 

Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad with Tahini dressing

Prepare time -15 minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Salad vegetables

1 Large Avocado cubed

2 Cup Baby Cucumber diced

8-10 Cherry tomatoes halves

1 Cup Baby spinach

1/4 Cup Parsley finely chopped

1/4 Cup Red onion thinly sliced (optional)

Tahini dressing 

1/4 Cup Tahini

2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Black pepper powder, to taste

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 Medium Lemon

1 Tbsp Maple syrup or honey

2 tablespoons water, more as needed

Salt to taste

Spiced Chickpeas

1 Can (16 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed (1 1/2 Cup boiled Chickpeas)

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1/4 Tsp Cumin powder

1/4 Tsp Black pepper powder, to taste

1/4 Tsp paprika

Salt to taste 

Instructions

Begin by heating up a pan on medium flame and add olive oil. Add drained and washed chickpeas along with the remaining ingredients listed under Spiced Chickpeas. Combine well and cook the chickpeas for 3-5 minutes. 

Turn off the flame and transfer the Spiced Chickpeas to a bowl. Keep it aside.

Now in a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients listed under Tahini dressing except lemon and water. Squeeze in the lemon juice and whisk everything together until well combined. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of water for better consistency of the dressing. Keep the Tahini dressing aside.

Finally in a big mixing bowl, add all the vegetables listed under Salad vegetables followed by the Spiced Chickpeas and Tahini dressing. Combine everything well so all the ingredients of the salad are nicely coated with the dressing. 

Serve this deliciously blended Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad in a big Salad bowl or a plate and enjoy your meal! :)