The Scaffolding of Life - Methi Aloo (Potatoes with Fenugreek)

Routines are like airport runways lit up at night. It is not until they are covered in darkness that we realize their importance in our lives. I have found routines reassuring, especially over the last year and a half. They have provided a structure and scaffolding to my day today.

G and I had one of our first dinners together at a local seafood place. I remember our first evening out there. It was a cold and blustery February evening. Their door was always way too heavy and had a sign saying push hard. As you entered, it was lively and bustling, with people wall to wall. We waited patiently for a table, watching the chef expertly make savory and sweet crepes with a swirl and a swish. We enjoyed hot steaming bowls of mussels with crusty bread and their signature fries. The mussels were delicious, buttery, and rich all at the same time. But it was not the mussels that kept us coming back. It was the comfort of the restaurant, the familiarity of the staff, and the routine of it all.

Years later, it would become our weekly go-to after the kids were born. We would go on Thursday evenings. The kids could sit on the leather banquettes and scoot back and forth with abandon. There was a new condo building going up across the street, and the children would happily watch the cranes and bulldozers while G and I could have a few minutes to ourselves. The waitstaff slowly got to know us, and Poet and Flower would excitedly chat each week. The routine of dinner, a glass of red wine, the mussels, and the kids slowly growing up is a routine I will not forget.

And with the pandemic, everything came to an abrupt halt. A routine no longer, I have always wished for the day that we could return. But, in the first few months, they were one of the first casualties of the time. We drove by months later only to find that the building had been razed as well, ironically likely giving rise to a condo building that we had similarly spent watching go up over dinner. Poet and Flower asked where the mussel place had gone.

Methi dishes were part of my routine growing up. Methi, or fresh fenugreek leaves, is a delicious complement to potatoes. Aloo methi, or potatoes with methi, is easy and delicious. You can find fenugreek seeds and dried methi in the store, but fresh methi is something to try. It is like spinach but with a little bitter herbal flavor as well. My mother would get large bunches from the local Indian store, roots and all. She would methodically pick the leaves (or sometimes recruit my dad) as the stems are extra bitter and then wash them several times until the water ran clear.

Our favorite restaurant came back as a pop-up a few weeks ago. We sat outside on a warm, sunny day. We chatted with the owners again and enjoyed mussels. Not quite our routine, but pretty close.

Methi Aloo (Potatoes with Fenugreek)

A bright potato dish with fresh methi or fenugreek leaves. Methi is similar to spinach with just a little bitterness and spiciness, This classic Indian dish is a must try.

Serves 6-8

• 1 pound potatoes (cut into 2-3 inch pieces)
• 4 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 bunch fresh methi (chopped (about 16 ounces))
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 inch ginger (minced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup water

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until soft when pierced with a knife.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until it just begins to brown and stick.
3. Add yogurt, salt, chili powder, garam masala and give it a few stirs.
4. Add the methi, potatoes and water. simmer for 10- 15 minutes saute until the spinach is soft and wilted.