Mung Methi Muthiyas (Mung flour and Fenugreek steamed snack)

Weekends are all about spending quality time with my family and a major component of that is enjoying meals together. For me, that means savoring healthy, soul food which can be enjoyed together. This weekend, i prepared a regional Indian savory dish which is steamed, loaded with greens and is finger licking good. Presenting Mung Methi Muthiyas. If you think being a diabetic patient holds you back on enjoying appetizers, this dish is the perfect answer. Muthiyas is a steamed appetizer which is made using loads of vegetables and …. it is Gluten free and Vegan ! Now, lets look into the goodness of these Muthiyas ! But before that,

Disclaimer – This is a completely new territory for me to explore as i have no personal experience with it. I will improve my knowledge about the disease, its causes, effects and prevention/control in the days to come. My recipes are based on the knowledge i am gaining from various internet sources and they aim at contributing towards a controlled diet. I am not a professional nutritionist or a medical doctor. Please consult your doctor for your personal dietary specifications as needed. Thanks!

Lets check out the components of this dish :

Mung Flour – Gluten free, High protein, Vegan. Just 1/4 cup of mung bean flour packs a powerful 13 g of protein, 9g of fiber, 30 g of carbs, 180 calories, 3 g of sugar, and zero fat. Not only this, it is high in iron, folate, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium. Although it is higher in calories and carbs than grain flours, mung beans are considered a low glycemic food (38) WOW !
Spinach – one cup of spinach contains 40 percent of your daily value of magnesium, a mineral that can help regulate blood sugar levels — important because people with type 2 diabetes frequently have low levels of magnesium … and .. and… just 7 calories !
Fenugreek – Helps reduce cholesterol, aids digestion, Helps control blood sugar. Galactomannan, a natural soluble fibre present in fenugreek slows down the rate of sugar absorption into blood. Fenugreek also contains amino acid responsible for inducing the production of insulin
Coriander – In some parts of Europe, cilantro has been referred to as an “anti-diabetic” plant because its seeds have hypoglycemic effects. This herb is an excellent source of iron, phytonutrients and flavonoids. It protects the body against urinary tract infections, prevents nausea, lowers blood sugar levels and aids in digestion. It is also known to purify blood.
Cabbage – Eating cabbage is an inexpensive way to add vitamins K and C and antioxidants to your diabetic diet. Cabbage is also a good source of manganese, fiber and vitamin B. Perfect !

So, lets get cooking !

Mung Methi Muthiyas (Mung flour and Fenugreek steamed snack)

Mung Methi Muthiyas (Mung flour fenugreek steamed snack

Time: 45 mins
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Recipe

1.5 cups Mung Flour (easily available in Indian Stores or make your own with yellow mung beans)
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup fresh Methi/ Fenugreek leaves, chopped (u can also use 1/3 cup of dried fenugreek leaves instead)
1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup cabbage, Julienne
1-2 green chilies (finely chopped)
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
1 tsp dry mango powder
1 cup sour yogurt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of oil

Method

Take a big bowl for this. Add in the spinach, fenugreek leaves, coriander leaves and cabbage and mix well.
On on top of this, add in the mung flour, spices, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon oil and mix well. once well combined. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. After adding the salt in the mixture, the green leafy vegetables will release some water and you can then control the consistency of the mixture.
After the resting period is over, slowly start to add in some sour yogurt at a time and mix well to form a sticky, soft dough.The consistency depends on your preference. I like to keep it pretty loose but still enough to be able to form into shape. The more the moisture, the softer the muthiyas.
Now, apply some drops of oil on your palms and take a handful of the mixture to form sausage type rolls. Applying oil on palm prevents the mixture from sticking to your hands and is easy to handle.
Steam the rolls for about 15-20 minutes. You would notice that the size of the rolls will increase a little upon steaming. Remove the rolls from the steam pot and keep aside for 10 minutes or till they are slightly cooled down.
Now, taking a serrated knife, cut the rolls into thick discs and keep aside.
Take a skillet and add some drops of oil to it. Place some discs of Muthiyas and pan fry on high heat on both the sides (will take just a couple of minutes). The Mung Methi Muthiyas are ready to be served and enjoyed.

Serve this with a bowl of home made hummus or make yourself some tangy spicy Sichuan sauce for munching on these amazing dish. After pan frying, it forms a crunchy outer layer with moist inner and the fragrance of fenugreek lends a beautiful flavour to this dish with the low calorie bulk coming in from Spinach. Perfect !

Please Note : If any of my readers have things to add to my knowledge or give me insights about the ingredients, cooking techniques etc, i would love to hear from you all. Also, if you think i went somewhere wrong with my suggestions, please feel free to discuss with me. I would love to know about your personal experiences as that would enrich my research and it would help me create better recipes

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