Menthya Bhaath

We had a lot of fun celebrating the Gowri-Ganesha festival with family. For a change, after a long long time we did go to the temple as well. And after the temple visit it was all about eating. It is so very important for me to put a festive spread every traditional festival. After all, most of my early childhood memories are connected to food. Hopefully Sunny boy will remember his childhood similarly. Living in a country where traditions are very different from my own, it is quiet difficult to give Sunny boy a piece of my own childhood. He will never know what it is to go to the temple first thing in the morning on Gowri Habba, tummy rumbling yet dressed in crisp and new 'Reshme-langa' the traditional silk skirt and new colorful glass bangles. And then it would be waiting for the seemingly for-ever-lasting pooja to finish so that we did get some prasada to eat. He will never know what it is to get 'Tambula','Bagina' something he would quite simply term it as a 'return gift'. Then coming back home from the temple after demolishing the assorted fruits, Kosamabari, Tambittu and all the goodies the come along with the Tambula and sitting down to a hearty meal of Kadubus and Holiges. The last is probably the only part that I can still pass on to my Sunny boy. If not all the little joys that comes as a package back home, I can put a festive spread on the table and hopefully he will remember the food as well as the good times around the table.
Traditionally our festive meals will have one sweet Payasa -pudding, one or more sweet dishes, one or more vegetable palyas, one or more salads like Kosamabari, spiced rice dishes, fried goodies like papads, fritters and spiced yogurt etc.
This time for the Gowri Habba, we had lemon Chitranna and Menthya Bhaath
 

We will need,

Cooked rice (preferably short grain) 4 cups
Peanut oil 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Jeera 1/4 tsp
Hing a dash
Curry leaves 10-15
Fresh Fenugreek greens1 big bunch
Tomatoes 2 medium

for the spice blends

Channa Dal 1 tbsp
Urad dal 1 tbsp
Dhania seeds 2 tbsp
Dried red chillies 8-10 (Preferably the Byadagi variety, adjust according to taste)
Cinnamon 1/2"
Marathi Moggu 1
Kopra 1/2 c (grated loosely packed)

Method:

• Prepare the fenugreek greens. Chop and discard the roots and tough stems. Save the tender stems and the leaves. Tear them into small pieces. Wash and keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a thick bottom wok. Throw the Jeera and mustard seeds. Once they crackle, throw in the hing, curry leaves followed by the washed and cleaned fenugreek. Saute.
• Meantime. Prepare the spice blend. On a dry skillet, toast the spices one after the other till golden brown and fragrant. Remove and pulse in a food processor till the spices are powered. Heat the same skillet and throw the Kopra on the skillet. Turn the heat off. Pulse the Kopra into a slightly coarse powder as well.
• Once the fenugreek is tender, throw in the spice blend. Saute for a few minutes till the mixture is fragrant.
• Throw in the chopped tomatoes and cook till oil separates from the mixture. 
• Dump the ground Kopra adjust salt. Cook and stir well to combine everything.
• Remove from heat. 
• Mix the prepared fenugreek and the rice with some ghee and lemon juice if desired. Adjust salt and serve immediately. 

For best results use cooked and cool rice. using hot rice will break the grains and the presentation will be poor.