Methi Bhaji

Fenugreek greens with peanuts — fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves stripped from stems, washed, and salted briefly to reduce bitterness, then stir-fried in oil with mustard seeds, garlic, dried red chilli, curry leaves, turmeric, and a generous handful of roasted peanuts until the leaves are wilted and dry. Seasoned with salt, red chilli powder, and a small amount of jaggery to balance the fenugreek's inherent bitterness. The peanuts provide crunch and protein; the garlic amplifies the methi's savoury quality; the jaggery just softens the bitterness without eliminating it. The bitterness of methi is considered medicinal — beneficial for blood sugar and digestion — and Vidarbha's predominantly farming community values bitter vegetables. Eaten with bhakri and thecha; one of the most nutrient-dense everyday bhajis in the Maharashtra kitchen.