Methi na gota are fluffy fenugreek fritters with crispy outsides and soft insides. They have that savory, slightly bitter taste that you get from fresh fenugreek leaves. This is an essential Gujarati snack, often served with afternoon cha.
About the Recipe
This recipe is a family specialty. My mom and my grandma both taught me to make them this way. What is unique about it is that you use a mashed banana for a slight amount of sweetness and to soften the gota.
If the banana sounds off-putting, don’t worry, the flavor of the banana does not come across in the final gota. The banana somehow gives the fritter some rise and softness.
Many people add baking soda to make them fluffier. I don’t like the taste of baking soda so I don’t like to add it. If you are not serving these immediately, add the baking soda because they won’t keep well for any length of time. Add 1/8 tsp of baking soda to fluff it up, and it will retain a soft texture once it is cooled.
What is Gota?
Gota means “something round.” It is a description for the fritter of methi na gota. These are made much more rounded and uniform than many other Gujarati fried snacks. Bhajiya, for example, are usually irregularly shaped, but gota ought to be rounded before they are fried.
Dakor Na Gota
Another name for this dish is “Dakor na gota.” This is the snack of Dakor.
Dakor is a city in Gujarat where there is a very significant Krishna temple for Gujarati veshnus. These gota are served everywhere on the streets of Dakor with spiced yogurt. The spiced yogurt is made very simply with a vaghar, salt, and chilies.
Recipe
Methi na Gota | Methi Pakora | Gujarati Fenugreek Fritters
Ingredients
- ½ ripe mashed banana
- 1 cup besan
- 1 Tbsp semolina / cream of wheat rava
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1-2 green chilies
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cups methi leaves washed and chopped finely
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
Instructions
- Combine besan (chickpea flour), rava (semolina), salt, and turmeric in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix and break up any lumps of flour.
- Add in the mashed banana, garlic, green chilies, black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Whisk in water to form a batter with the consistency of pancake batter. Mix in methi leaves.
- Fry in hot oil until golden. Form fritters of about 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon, depending on how large you like them.
Video
Nutrition
Variations
- As mentioned above, you can add 1/8 tsp of baking soda for fluffiness.
- You can leave out the banana. You might be tempted to leave it out because the flavor of banana sounds odd, but you don’t taste it in the end, it just improves the texture. That said, you can choose to leave it out, especially if you use baking soda.
- If you don’t have fresh methi, you can use dried or kasoori methi. It will change the flavor a little bit. Use 2 tablespoons of dried methi.
- Alter the spice level by adding more or fewer chilies to taste.
Serving Tips
- Serve warm as soon as they come out of the oil. The texture quickly degrades.
- You can store them a little longer if you use baking soda, but I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating them or freezing them.
- If you don’t want the yogurt dip, you can eat them with chutney or ketchup.