Mum's Methi Murgh | Fenugreek Chicken from Northern India

Devaki Das
11 minutes ago
5 min read

For as long as I can remember, I have always craved my Mum's Murgh Methi.

It is a long tradition that begins with buying bunches of fresh fenugreek leaves with roots intact. I have always known Mum to spread the lot over a newspaper where she would then separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens.

It is a process that is quite a time consuming and I would often help as a kid which also encourages long mother-daughter chats over some hot chai. As I watch her repeat this over some 40 years, I realize that some things have not changed. She painstainkingly separates the leaves in preparation for lunch just as she always has. She may be a little slower and in her face, I see remnants of the stunningly beautiful woman I remember as a kid. That woman has now given way to an older, graceful, and elegant woman she is today.

We're very different in the kitchen - mum and I. She calls me a hurricane. My mum on the other hand never rushes. She does everything with care following the rituals she always has. Watching her cook makes me smile. It reminds me of simpler times when perhaps everything wasn't on a deadline and it was alright to spend a couple of hours slowly in preparation for lunch.

It seems as though in my life, multi-tasking has become second nature. My mother wouldn't dare, especially when it comes to her signature Murgh Methi.

Make no mistake, she is isn't the only one who makes Murgh Methi. In fact, you'll often find this on restaurant menus and in homes where everything from heavy cream, tomato puree to half the spices from the pantry are emptied into the pot. And the result in my humble opinion is far from gratifying.

Mum uses none of that. She is a purist and with just a handful of ingredients and her signature technique - slow-slow sauteing, she achieves what I believe is one of her finest contributions to chicken.

warmly,

Devaki

Recipe for

Murgh Methi | Fenugreek Chicken from Northern India

Shopping list: Serves 4-6

1 qty 4 lbs whole chicken or 2 smaller chickens

2-3 large bunches fresh fenugreek leaves

3 yellow onions, 2-inch fresh ginger root

2-3 Thai green chillies

10-12 cloves peeled garlic

1/2 cup ghee

Spices:

2 qty 1" cinnamon bark

4-5 cloves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

Prepare the ingredients,

Preparation:

Chicken: Skin the chicken and discard. Cut and separate pieces at the joints. Cut each breast into 3 pieces. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you.

Fenugreek: Separate the leafy tops from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens. Just before using wash thoroughly and drain all excess water.

Onions: Peel and discard ends. Finely slice lengthwise and set aside.

Garlic: Crush and finely chop. Set aside.

Ginger: Wash and finely chop. No need to peel.

Green chillies - Chop into circles and set aside.

Method:

In a large saute pan or a chicken fryer, heat the ghee on medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns.

As soon as they sizzle, add the onions and ginger. Saute for 10-15 minutes until softened but not brown.

Add the garlic, chilies and ground spices and saute for a minute or so.

Add the chicken and saute for about 10 minutes or so until the chicken is no longer pink but opaque.

Mound the fenugreek leaves over the chicken and allow to wilt by stirring off and on to help.

The fenugreek will release copious amounts of water. Lower heat to medium heat and saute for the next 30-40 minutes until all excess water has evaporated and the fat begins to simmer around the edges.

Taste and adjust seasonings and increase to medium-high heat. Saute for another 10 minutes or so until the onions are caramelized, the fenugreek leaves break down and the chicken is a nice golden brown.

Serve hot with Rotis, naan, or whole wheat pitas in a pinch.

Enjoy!

Murgh Methi (Fenugreek Chicken)

A classic North Indian chicken dish where fresh fenugreek leaves impart a wonderfully earthy, slightly bitter flavor that balances the richness of the chicken and ghee.

Serves: 4–6 people

Shopping List

Main Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), or 2 smaller chickens
2–3 large bunches fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves
3 large yellow onions
1 piece fresh ginger root (about 2 inches)
10–12 cloves garlic, peeled
2–3 Thai green chilies
½ cup ghee

Whole Spices:

2 pieces cinnamon bark (about 1 inch each)
4–5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Ground Spices:

2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili powder

Preparation:

Chicken: Remove and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into serving pieces at the joints, cutting each breast into three pieces. Alternatively, ask your butcher to prepare the chicken for you.

Fenugreek Leaves: Separate the leaves and tender tops from the thick stems, discarding any wilted or browned pieces. Wash thoroughly just before cooking and drain well.

Onions: Peel and trim the onions, then slice them finely lengthwise.

Garlic: Crush and finely chop the garlic.

Ginger: Wash and finely chop the ginger. Peeling is not necessary.

Green Chilies: Slice the chilies into thin rounds.

Method:

Heat the ghee in a large sauté pan or chicken fryer over medium-high heat.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns. Cook until they begin to sizzle and release their aroma.
Add the sliced onions and chopped ginger. Sauté for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
Stir in the garlic, green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the chicken pieces and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is opaque and no longer pink.
Pile the fresh fenugreek leaves over the chicken. Stir occasionally as the leaves wilt and reduce in volume.
The fenugreek will release a significant amount of moisture. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 30–40 minutes, stirring from time to time, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the ghee begins to separate around the edges.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the onions to caramelize, the fenugreek to break down completely, and the chicken to develop a rich golden-brown color.

To Serve

Serve piping hot with freshly made rotis, naan, or, in a pinch, whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!

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For as long as I can remember, I have always craved my Mum's Murgh Methi.

It is a long tradition that begins with buying bunches of fresh fenugreek leaves with roots intact. I have always known Mum to spread the lot over a newspaper where she would then separate the leafy tips from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens.

It seems as though in my life, multi-tasking has become second nature. My mother wouldn't dare, especially when it comes to her signature Murgh Methi.

Make no mistake, she is isn't the only one who makes Murgh Methi. In fact, you'll often find this on restaurant menus and in homes where everything from heavy cream, tomato puree to half the spices from the pantry are emptied into the pot. And the result in my humble opinion is far from gratifying.

Mum uses none of that. She is a purist and with just a handful of ingredients and her signature technique - slow-slow sauteing, she achieves what I believe is one of her finest contributions to chicken.

warmly,

Devaki

Recipe for

Murgh Methi | Fenugreek Chicken from Northern India

Shopping list: Serves 4-6

1 qty 4 lbs whole chicken or 2 smaller chickens

2-3 large bunches fresh fenugreek leaves

3 yellow onions, 2-inch fresh ginger root

2-3 Thai green chillies

10-12 cloves peeled garlic

1/2 cup ghee

Spices:

2 qty 1" cinnamon bark

4-5 cloves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/2 tsp red chilly powder

Prepare the ingredients,

Preparation:

Chicken: Skin the chicken and discard. Cut and separate pieces at the joints. Cut each breast into 3 pieces. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you.

Fenugreek: Separate the leafy tops from the stalks, discarding any wilted or brown specimens. Just before using wash thoroughly and drain all excess water.

Onions: Peel and discard ends. Finely slice lengthwise and set aside.

Garlic: Crush and finely chop. Set aside.

Ginger: Wash and finely chop. No need to peel.

Green chillies - Chop into circles and set aside.

Method:

In a large saute pan or a chicken fryer, heat the ghee on medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns.

As soon as they sizzle, add the onions and ginger. Saute for 10-15 minutes until softened but not brown.

Add the garlic, chilies and ground spices and saute for a minute or so.

Add the chicken and saute for about 10 minutes or so until the chicken is no longer pink but opaque.

Mound the fenugreek leaves over the chicken and allow to wilt by stirring off and on to help.

The fenugreek will release copious amounts of water. Lower heat to medium heat and saute for the next 30-40 minutes until all excess water has evaporated and the fat begins to simmer around the edges.

Taste and adjust seasonings and increase to medium-high heat. Saute for another 10 minutes or so until the onions are caramelized, the fenugreek leaves break down and the chicken is a nice golden brown.

Serve hot with Rotis, naan, or whole wheat pitas in a pinch.

Enjoy!

Murgh Methi (Fenugreek Chicken)

A classic North Indian chicken dish where fresh fenugreek leaves impart a wonderfully earthy, slightly bitter flavor that balances the richness of the chicken and ghee.

Serves: 4–6 people

Shopping List

Main Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), or 2 smaller chickens

2–3 large bunches fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves

3 large yellow onions

1 piece fresh ginger root (about 2 inches)

10–12 cloves garlic, peeled

2–3 Thai green chilies

½ cup ghee

Whole Spices:

2 pieces cinnamon bark (about 1 inch each)

4–5 whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Ground Spices:

2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon red chili powder

Preparation:

Chicken: Remove and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into serving pieces at the joints, cutting each breast into three pieces. Alternatively, ask your butcher to prepare the chicken for you.

Fenugreek Leaves: Separate the leaves and tender tops from the thick stems, discarding any wilted or browned pieces. Wash thoroughly just before cooking and drain well.

Onions: Peel and trim the onions, then slice them finely lengthwise.

Garlic: Crush and finely chop the garlic.

Ginger: Wash and finely chop the ginger. Peeling is not necessary.

Green Chilies: Slice the chilies into thin rounds.

Method:

Heat the ghee in a large sauté pan or chicken fryer over medium-high heat.

Add the cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns. Cook until they begin to sizzle and release their aroma.

Add the sliced onions and chopped ginger. Sauté for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.

Stir in the garlic, green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the chicken pieces and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is opaque and no longer pink.

Pile the fresh fenugreek leaves over the chicken. Stir occasionally as the leaves wilt and reduce in volume.

The fenugreek will release a significant amount of moisture. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 30–40 minutes, stirring from time to time, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the ghee begins to separate around the edges.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for another 10 minutes, allowing the onions to caramelize, the fenugreek to break down completely, and the chicken to develop a rich golden-brown color.

To Serve

Serve piping hot with freshly made rotis, naan, or, in a pinch, whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!