Come winter and the local markets get flooded with fresh green vegetables. From radish, cauliflower to different types of saags, the choices are many and recipes umpteen. Check out a few vegetarian cookbook musts to try at home, as you say hello to December.
Puin metulir chorchori
Puin metulir chorchori - Representational image Wikimedia Commons
A tasty torkari with puin metuli aka fruits of malabar spinach to try out this winter.
Ingredients:
● Puin metuli: 15-20 pieces
● Brinjal, cut into small dices: 8-12 pieces
● Potatoes, cut into small dices: 6-8 pieces
● Pumpkin, cut into small dices: 8-10 pieces
● Radish, cut into small dices: 7-8 pieces
● Beans, cut into medium sized pieces: 8-10 pieces
● Tomato, cut into medium sized pieces: 2 large
● Slit green chillies: 2-3
● Panchforon: 1 teaspoon
● Ginger and whole cumin paste: 2 tablespoons
● Grated ginger: 1 teaspoon
● Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon for gravy
● Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
● Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
● Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
● Salt
● Sugar
● Mustard oil
Recipe:
● Shallow fry all the vegetables (except puin metuli) with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder
● Add mustard oil in a kadhai and heat. Add panchforon and one green chilli and temper the spices well
● Now add ginger, cumin paste and all the dry spices. Fry well
● Add potatoes first and cook with a splash of water until 70% ready
● Add the remaining vegetables one after the other, add a splash of water
● Cook with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, check seasonings and turn off the heat
Mulor saak bhaja
Mulor saak bhaja Wikimedia Commons
Nothing of radish goes to waste, and this quick radish green fry recipe is too nutritious and tasty. Try it.
Ingredients:
● Roughly chopped radish greens: 1 large cup
● Bori (Dried lentil dumplings): 8-10
● Slit green chillies: 3-4
● Kalo jeera (nigella seeds): ½ teaspoon
● Dry whole red chilli: 1
● Mustard oil: 2 tablespoons for radish green fry, 3 tablespoons for bori fry
● Salt
Recipe:
● Add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil in a non-stick frying pan and heat well. Fry the bori on medium flame until they are golden brown. Keep it aside
● In the same frying pan, add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil and heat
● Add kalo jeera and dry whole red chilli and temper the spices
● Now add chopped radish greens and salt. Stir well
● Fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Splash some water and cover and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium flame
● Uncover, add slit-green chillies, fried bori and mix well
● Check seasoning and the status of the radish greens
● Once soft, turn off the heat and serve
Notun alur desi phulkopir dalna
Notun alur desi phulkopir dalna Shutterstock
A simple recipe with seasonal cauliflowers and baby potatoes.
Ingredients:
● Cauliflower cut into medium sizes: 2 cauliflowers
● Baby potatoes cut into half: 8-10
● Whole cumin: ½ teaspoon
● Bay leaf: 1
● Whole dry red chilli: 1
● Paste with whole cumin, ¼ ginger, 2 green chillies: 1 tablespoon
● Slit green chillies: 2
● Tomato cut into cubes: 1 large
● Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon for the vegetables, 1 teaspoon for the gravy
● Salt
● Sugar
● Mustard oil
Recipe:
● Boil baby potatoes in a pressure cooker to 1 whistle
● Marinate the cauliflowers and potatoes with salt and turmeric powder and shallow fry until golden brown. Leave it aside
● In a kadhai, add mustard oil and heat. Add bay leaf, whole dry red chillies, whole cumin seeds and temper well
● Add ginger, cumin and green chilli paste, turmeric powder, a pinch of salt and sugar and the tomatoes. Saute well
● Now add the potatoes and cauliflowers and mix well with the spices
● Cook without lid for 3-5 minutes. Add slit green chillies, desired amount of water to make a light gravy and cover
● Cook for 10-15 minutes, check seasoning and turn off the heat
Panch torkari
Panch torkari Shutterstock
A zero-hassle mixed vegetable recipe.
Ingredients:
● Cauliflower, cut into medium size pieces: 8-10 pieces
● Sweet potato, cut into medium size pieces: 7-8
● Pumpkin, cut into medium size pieces: 8-10 pieces
● Cauliflower stems (kopir danta), cut into medium size pieces:: 7-8 pieces
● Brinjal, cut into medium size pieces: 8-10 pieces
● Tomato, cut into medium size pieces: 1 large
● Slit green chillies: 4-5
● Finely chopped coriander leaves: 2 tablespoons
● Ginger, green chilli and whole cumin paste: 1 tablespoon
● Whole cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
● Bay leaf: 1
● Crushed whole coriander: ½ teaspoon
● Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon for gravy
● Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
● Salt
● Sugar
● Mustard oil
Recipe:
● Shallow fry each vegetable (except green chillies and tomatoes) with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder
● Take a kadhai, add mustard oil and heat. Add bay leaf, whole cumin seeds, coriander seeds and one slit green chilli. Saute well
● Now add the spice paste, turmeric and red chilli powder, salt and sugar. Cook well
● Add those vegetables that take longer to cook — cauliflower stems and sweet potatoes. Cook with a splash of water
● Add cauliflowers, pumpkins, brinjals, tomatoes and remaining slit green chillies next
● Mix all the vegetables well, add enough water to make a thick gravy. Add salt, sugar and cover. Cook for 7-8 minutes
● Check seasonings, sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and the panch torkari is ready
Bandhakopir paturi
Bandhakopir paturi Shutterstock
For the love of paturi, here’s a vegetarian option.
Ingredients:
● Cabbage, roughly chopped: 1 small
● Make a paste of coconut, poppy seed, mustard seed, lemon juice, salt and green chillies: 8-10 tablespoons
● Slit green chillies: 7-8
● Salt
● Sugar
● Mustard oil
● Banana leaves: 3-4 large
● Thread
Recipe:
● Blanch the cabbage
● Drain any excess water from the shredded cabbage
● Marinate the cabbage with the spice paste, add salt and sugar, and a bit of mustard oil
● Take medium sized pieces from the banana leaves. Place them on a tawa and roast for 30-seconds each side
● Grease the leaves with mustard oil on both sides
● Now place a dollop of cabbage at the centre, place one green chilli and sprinkle some mustard oil
● Tie it with the help of a thread like it is done for ilish paturi
● Place the paturis on a non-greased tawa, cover and cook for 7-8 minutes on both sides
● Serve hot
