Dheki-r Saag

      
                              

Dheki-r Saag

Dheki saag looks quite like fern and come in bundles in eastern part of India.
You will need two bundles. Remove the stems and discard. Break off the soft top portion of the stem and the leaves and chop them. Wash the saag very well and drain off water.

 Ingredients:

Dheki Saag  2 bundles

Green Chilly,slit 2-3

Methi Seeds

Dry red chili- 12 pieces.

Roasted hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r shukno bichi)

Potato 1 mediam

Brinjal 1small

Refined Oil 4 tbsp

Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp

Salt as per taste

Method:

Wash under running water. Drain off the water and Chop the saag. Make small cubes of 1 large Potato or 1 medium Brinjal.

Roast the hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r bichi) then boil with salt until become soft , now peel the skin and keep aside.

Now heat 2 tbsp refined oil in a wok and fry the brinjal pieces and remove . Do the same with the potatoes till golden.

Now again heat 2 tbsp refined oil and add methi seeds and dry red chili. Now add the saag and stir it for some time. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix all well. Then add the roast the hyacinth bean dry seeds (sheem-r bichi), fried brinjal and green chili and cover. Let the saag cook in its own juices.

Remove cover and cook stir frying till the saag mixes well with the soft brinjal cubes and dry been seeds. Serve with plain rice.
 
Author : Manna Majumder

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Lal Shak / Laal Saag

Lal Shaak / Laal Saag

Lal shak / saag also called Red Spinach / Amaranth leaves / Chinese spinach. They are very rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium & iron. It is low in calories by volume, but high in protein per calorie. 374 mg calcium per 100 grm. It can be eaten as stir fry or in the soup. They are really very delicious.


                             
Traditionally, a Bengali full meal usually a lunch has to have a shak or leafy vegetable on the side, Lal shak bhaja or stir fried Red Spinach (Amaranths) is a simple recipe that is a favorite at home and served with Steamed Rice and Daal . Made very simply, it is just the garlic that gives a flavor that goes so well with the distinct flavor of these leaves.



Ingredients:

Lal Shak / Red Spinach / Amaranth leaves - 1 bunch
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp ( I use Mustard oil )
Whole dry red chillies - 2
Garlic cloves - 5, crushed

Green Chili- 2 pieces
3 pieces of hyacinth bean or small pieces eggplant(optional)
Salt - to taste

Ifyou don't like garlic, you can try this with a tempering of kalaunji / nigella seeds and dry red chilies or fresh green chilies.



Lal Shaak / Laal Saag- Bengali Recipe

Method:

Cleaned and chopped finely the lal shak / saag  and make small cubes of  hyacinth bean  or eggplant.
Heat oil in a wok  / kadahi. Add the whole red chilies (break them first or they might burst ) and  half of the crushed garlic.  Now fry hyacinth bean little and then add the chopped leaves and rest of the crushed garlic.
Stir well. Add salt and green chili, cover and cook. Remember to stir once in a while so that it does not burn. When it is done and all water had dried up, remove cover and give a final stir.

Serve hot. Goes best on the side with hot rice and dal.

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Palak / Palang Saag

                                                                      

Palak / Palang Saag

Palang saag : Spinach Commonly called “Palak” or Palang saag” in India, this is the most commonly available leafy green. Easily available in all vegetable market. You can buy whole spinach or just the leaves. The whole bunch is cheaper but you have to sort the leaves, wash off the mud and finely chop the leaves before cooking.

Leafy greens called “Saag” in Indian languages are an important part of any diet in all regions. Green leafy vegetables provide important nutrients like iron, vitamins and minerals. They also provide protection against all kind of chronic diseases.

Spinach with egg plant and potato

Ingredients:

• 3 bunch spinach (washed and chopped)
• 1 piece medium egg plant (diced into small cubes)
• 1 piece small potato (diced into small cubes)
• 1 tsp Black jeera (kalonji)
• 2-3 green chilies
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp oil  

Method:

Heat oil in a deep wok. When the oil is fairly hot add the kalonji and 1 green chili. Fry the potato and sauté for 2-3 minutes and add the egg plants in the same. Add the spinach. When all the leaves have wilted and the water has evaporated add salt, turmeric. Keep cooking till all the water evaporates. Garnish with the rest of the chilies and serve with rice.

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Kachu-r Saag / Ghonto

Kachu-r Saag / Ghonto

Kachu-r Saag is an absolutely delightful dish, belongs to bengali cuisine. The method of cooking this dish differs slightly from home to home. Every home has their own touch on it. But the main ingredients are always the same. Colocasia or Taro which is also locally known as kachu in Bengal grows abundantly in the rural areas of India.It is cheap and easily available in the market in many parts of South east Asia and tastes great if cooked properly with the right ingredients. Be careful while chopping and washing the Taro(Kachu) stems as sometimes they might cause slight irritation or itching to your hands,as a precaution you can either use gloves or rub oil to your hands before handling the Colocasia/Taro(Kachu) stems.

                             
 Colocasia/Taro(Kachu) stems are a very good source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-2 and Vitamin B-6.They are also a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, Magnesium and Iron.  I hope that you will like this recipe.

 Ingredients:

 

2 to 3 bunch of edible Colocasia/Taro(Kachu) stems.

Tamarind paste

2 table spoon grated coconut.

1 bay leaf.

1 tea spoon fennel seeds

1 tea spoon ginger paste

100 grm pumpkin (Kumro)

1/2 cup roasted pea nuts. (you can use boiled whole chana / Black chickpeas)

1 tea spoon ghee.

1/2 tea spoon garam masala.

Salt as per taste

1/2 tea spoon sugar.

1/4 tea spoon haldi or turmeric powder.

1/4 tea spoon red chili powder.

1/4 tea spoon Jeera or cumin powder

 oil.

Method:

Wash the young and edible Colocasia/Taro(Kochu) stems properly and cut them in thumb size pieces. Boil slightly salted water in a pot and add the colocasia/Taro stems(Kochu) in the water. Add one tea spoon tamarind paste (optional) to avoid irritation.  Boil them for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain all the water and mash the boiled stems.

Cut pumpkin in small cube like pieces.

Heat oil in a pan or kadhai and fry the pumpkin cubes and keep aside. Now in the same oil add the bay leaf, red dry chili and fennel seeds and sauté for 30 seconds. Now add the grated coconut and saute for 2-3 minutes and now add the boiled colocasia(Kochu) stems into the pan and stir for for couple of minutes. Also add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, ginger paste and cumin powder, salt and sugar and mix well. Water will start oozing out from the mixture, cook it in medium heat till almost all the water evaporates. Now add fired pumpkin pieces and roasted pea nuts and mix well. Cook for another 1 or 2 minutes, add ghee and garam masala, mix and remove from heat.

Serve hot with rice.

Kochu sag is also cooked with the head of the hilsa. In this instance, the whole chana, coconut and milk are not included in the ingredients