Methi dal recipe - Mix of toor dal, masoor dal and moong dal cooked with fenugreek leaves.
In this Methi dal recipe, I have added onion, tomatoes which give nice taste to the dal. And don’t forget to add little lemon juice at the end.
It is very healthy dal that you can have it on everyday basis. This is my favorite dal. I usually make this dal and plain rice for our meal. If you like the taste of fenugreek leaves then I am sure you will love this.
I make this methi dal very often. It is one of the healthy recipes. Whenever you have fresh methi leaves in your fridge, you should make this delicious dal recipe. When fenugreek leaves are in season, I always have them in my fridge. Hence you will see many methi recipes on the blog. And today I am adding one more in my list.
Fenugreek leaves are slightly bitter in taste but it is very powerful, nutritious green leafy vegetable. When it combines with other ingredients it won’t taste that much bitter but it takes the dish to whole new level. The flavors go well with other ingredients. It tastes just fantastic. When you make this dal, you will get nice aroma from methi leaves.
I have used combination of three different dals. But you can make with only toor dal or mix of any two dals. Use as per your liking or what you have in pantry.
Check out other dal recipes with leafy vegetables
Beet greens dal // Palak dal // Suva bhaji dal // Gongura pappu
How to make methi dal recipe (Step by step photos):
1) Take all three dals - toor dal, moong dal and masoor dal in a colander. Wash them under running cold water till water runs clear.
2) Add dal into the pressure cooker. Also add 1 cup of water. Cover with the lid, put the weight on. Turn the heat on medium heat. Let it cook for 3-4 whistles or till dal get cooked.

4) Now the dal is cooked, turn off the heat. Let the pressure go down by itself. Open the lid and keep it aside.

6) Then add chopped green chili, ginger paste and garlic paste. Saute for a minute or till the raw smell of garlic goes away.

8) Cook till onion gets light brown in color.

10) Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes. methi leaves will get cooked and tomatoes will get soften a bit but not mushy.

12) Mix well.

14) Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. Lastly squeeze lemon juice and mix. Then turn off the stove. Methi dal is ready.
Make this dal in your kitchen and let me know how you like it in comments below.
Serving suggestions: Serve with plain rice or jeera rice. You can serve with vegetable pulao as well. It can be served with paratha or roti/phulka.
Methi dal recipe
Ingredients
For pressure cooking:
- ¼ cup Arhar dal (toor dal or split pigeon peas)
- 2 tablespoons Yellow moong dal (split and skinless)
- 2 tablespoons Masoor dal
- 1 cup Water
For methi dal recipe:
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
- 2 small Green chilies chopped finely
- ½ cup Red onion finely chopped
- 1 small or ½ cup Tomato chopped
- 1 cup Fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) measured, washed and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- ¾ to 1 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
Instructions
Pressure cooking the dal:
- Take all three dals in a colander. Wash them under running cold water till water runs clear.
- Add dal into the pressure cooker. Also add 1 cup of water.
- Cover with the lid, put the weight on. Turn the heat on medium heat.
- Let it cook for 3-4 whistles or till dal get cooked.
- Meanwhile prep other ingredients. Chop onion, tomato and methi leaves. Chop green chilies and ready ginger paste and garlic paste.
- Now the dal is cooked, turn off the heat. Let the pressure go down by itself. Open the lid and keep it aside.
Making methi dal recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.
- Then add chopped green chili, ginger paste and garlic paste. Saute for a minute.
- Mix in chopped onions. Cook till onion gets light brown in color.
- Then add chopped tomato and methi leaves. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Now add cooked dal.
- Also add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add ¾ to 1 cup of water and stir. Adjust the water quantity as per your liking consistency.
- Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Lastly squeeze lemon juice and mix.
- Then turn off the stove.






The dal looks yummy. Atleast this way I can feed methi to my one year old daughter. Great receipe and easy too.
Thanks Medha.
looks very appetising and healthy.
~Rashmi
yummy and comforting dhal
Very luscious and tempting dal. Comfotable combo.
Oh this looks so delicious! LOVE the picture! I love methi dal with white rice! can't have it any other way.