Moong Dal And Fenugreek Leaves (Methi,Vendaya Keerai) Paniyarams

          When I get tired of making the same idlis and dosas, I like to make these paniyarams, most of the time, I'll use the same idli/dosa batter for making it, but sometimes I make a different and separate batter. When I saw this Moong Dal Paniyarams, I wanted to give it a try. The batter is made with split moong dal/payatham paruppu ( with skin ) and to make it more flavorful and nutritious, I have also added some sauteed methi leaves. The paniyarams came out soft and fluffy, you can serve it as a snack, for breakfast or dinner and it goes very well with a spicy chutney..

Need To Have

• Split Moong Dal With Skin - 1 cup
• Aval/Rice Flakes/Poha - 1/4 cup
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Jaggery - 2 teaspoons
• Urad Dal/Husked Black Gram - 2 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Onion - 3 medium, chopped
• Chopped Methi/Fenugreek Leaves - 1+1/2 cup
• Salt to taste

Recipe adapted from here

Method

          Wash and soak the moong dal and rice flakes for 2 hours.

          In the meantime, heat some oil, add the mustard seeds and urad dal, when the seeds start sputtering, add the hing followed by the onions.

          Saute the onions till translucent, then add the chopped methi and salt, saute well till the methi is cooked, remove and keep.

          Now grind the soaked dal, poha, red chillies, cumin seeds and jaggery into a coarse mixture.

          Remove the batter from the blender, add the sauteed methi, check the salt and keep, the batter should be like thick pancake batter.

          Heat the paniyaram pan, add a little oil in all the molds, then add the batter, the molds should be at 3/4th filled.

           Cover and cook on medium heat till the top is set and the paniyarams look cooked, flip it with a stick, cook on the other side ( lid not needed ) and remove. Serve it with the chutney of your choice, we had it with a spicy coconut chutney.

Note
You can use the regular moong dal without skin.
Can replace fenugreek leaves with spinach.
I have added the jaggery to balance the bitterness from the methi leaves.