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Ghotyal Saag|Sindhi Style Spinach|AlifBe40

Alka Keswani — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 09:05:46 +0000

Ghotyal Saag or Sindhi Style Spinach Aisee Palak recipe video AlifBe i.e A-Z of Sindhi Food series is now at the 40th alphabet. I went crazy figuring out name of a Sindhi dish starting with this alphabet but couldn’t find any. The alphabet is گهہ i.e घ (in Devanagari) or ‘Gh’ in Roman Sindhi. ‘Gh’ as in Ghat or Ghee. In January this year when I was making a list of possible dishes for each Sindhi alphabet, I assumed that ‘Ghee’ or ‘Gheehar’ (a Sindhi sweetmeat) would be apt for this alphabet. But when I started referring dictionaries, I was flabbergasted to know that in Sindhi ‘Ghee’, the Golden liquid, is called ‘Geeh’ and hence the term starts with the letter ‘G’ (ग) and not with ‘Gh’ (घ). Somebody please tell me that this ain’t true !!!! And since none of the vegetarian Sindhi dishes start with this alphabet, here I am with ‘Ghotyal Saag^’, the Sindhi style Spinach. The term Ghotyal comes from ‘Ghotna‘ i.e to churn/whisk manually and the saag used could be any variety of leafy greens like spinach, mustard leaves, Amaranth etc. Saag (leafy greens) are prepared in many ways but the most rustic preparation calls for boiling the leafy greens with or without souring agents (tomatoes/curds/buttermilk), using basic spices like turmeric and coriander powder and churned vigorously till a homogenous chutney like texture is obtained. A tempering of ghee/ oil and chillies, garlic, ginger etc is generally given to enhance the flavors. While the Sindhi Saibhaji is made with spinach, sorrel, dill leaves, assorted vegetables and some chana dal, there are other ways that Sindhis love to cook and consume spinach. Ghotyal Saag^ (here, the spinach) is made by cooking greens with garlic, onions and tomatoes, in a pressure cooker. The subzi is then mashed/whisked with a wooden whisker for 10 -15 minutes at least. A spoonful of Jowar/Wholewheat flour is added while mashing so as to get a homogenous mixture. Some add garlic in the beginning, some add the garlic tempering after churning the saag while many add garlic twice i.e add it in the beginning and then add some more in the tempering towards the end of cooking process. Ghotyal Paalak (Sindhi style spinach) is also made in a pan/kadai instead of the pressure cooker and the dish is then called as ‘Aisee’ or ‘Nijji’ Paalak . If an iron kadai is used to cook ‘Aisee Paalak’ the color of the dish turns out to be darker in shade and hence the dish is then called ‘Kaari (black in Sindhi) Paalak‘ While it is mandatory to whisk all the saag preparations really well, the Aisee and Kaari paalak are more like whisked stir fry preparations. The Ghotyal saag (paalak) is smoother in consistency than Aisee but not as smooth as that in Paneer Palak where the spinach is blended instead of whisking. Using electric blender/ food processor/ mixie would alter the flavours of the rustic ‘Ghotyal paalak’ so make sure to mash it with wooden whisker only! Print Ghotyal Saag~ Sindhi Style Spinach ~ AlifBe~40 Spinach cooked with onions and tomatoes, flavored with garlic and whisked or mashed till homogenous. Ingredients Spinach 1 bunch Green chillies 2-3 Onions 2 small Tomatoes 3 (medium sized ) Garlic 8 - 9 cloves Ginger ½ inch piece Turmeric ¼ tbsp Coriander powder 1 and ½ tbsp Ghee/Oil 2 tbsp for cooking and 1 tbsp for tempering Salt as per taste 1 -2 tbsp of Jowar flour/ Whole wheat flour mixed with 3-4 tbsp of water (optional) Method Cut off and discard the hard stems of spinach. Rinse spinach leaves with water, a few times to get rid of mud/ dirt. Chop the leaves roughly and keep aside. Finely chop the ginger, green chillies and the garlic. Divide the garlic into 2 portions. In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp of oil and add chopped ginger and one portion of the garlic. Save the other portion for the tempering. Add green chillies too. (I add chillies later to avoid strong fumes in the kitchen/home) When ginger garlic are light brown, add chopped onions. Cook the onions on medium heat till light brown in color. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, turmeric and coriander powder. Add chopped spinach and mix. Close the pressure cooker with the lid. No need to add any water. Wait for one whistle of the cooker and then lower the heat. Cook for 15- 20 minutes. Switch off the heat. When the pressure subsides, open the lid of the cooker. A little of water (extracted from tomatoes and spinach) in the sabzi would be there in the cooker. Start whisking using a wooden whisker (Mathni/Ghotna/ Mandhiyaro) and mash the sabzi well. (Note: Sometimes there is way too much water left in the cooker, In that case heat the sabzi further to evaporate excess of water) . Keep mashing and whisking the paalak for good 10-15 minutes. If the mixture still looks fibrous (non homogenous) then take 3-4 tbsp of water and mix 1-2 tbsp of jowar flour or whole wheat flour and add this paste to the mashed paalak sabzi. Whisk further till a nice chutney like texture is obtained. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee/oil and add the remaining garlic and when it turns brown, immediately add the tempering to the saag. This saag pairs well with Khichdi, roti, rice, Jowar roti (Dhodho) and even with the sweet Lolo. 3.5.3251 To learn how to write in Arabic Sindhi, do check my video tutorials about Sindhi Alphabet on my Youtube channel, Sindhirasoiofficial!

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Palli~Tender Chickpea Leaves

Alka Keswani — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 14:23:16 +0000

A bit late to share a recipe of a seasonal delicacy, the Palli leaves or tender leaves of Chickpeas but then it is better late than never! The season is over but I am still sharing this post as I don’t want this one to become yet another ‘draft post’ waiting for an appropriate time to share it. Every winter season the elderly in the family would get nostalgic about the Palli and dodoh (patted jowar/riceflour/bajra roti) but I never got a chance to cook or taste palli considering that the greens are available only for a short period of time, when in season and I somehow never came across a bunch of it in the local markets. Maybe I never paid enough attention or maybe I had my eyes only on regular ones like Spinach, Fenugreek, Coriander leaves, Mint, Amaranth etc, ignoring gems like Bhathua, Palli, Purslane and more, as I never had good recipes to cook with such leafy greens. I am now more drawn towards lesser known local seasonal vegetables and leafy greens as I am able to lay my hands on plenty of recipes and can chew the brains of many virtual friends and some eminent bloggers to guide me about using ingredients that I am not familiar with. The best thing about creating a food group on Fb is that you not only feel motivated to cook elaborate festive meals on festivals or special occasions, but also get a push to cook seasonal food when you see everyone sharing the same. So when it is a Mango season, you feel tempted to take out those glass barnis and make some khatti bheendi, or Ambryun ji khatairn following the herd. Or when Thadri festival approaches, all the discussions about Lola, dhaiwada etc. motivate you to push your limits and cook every possible traditional dish suited for the occasion. Celebrating Chetichand with Tayri/Tayri becomes mandatory when everyone in the virtual group is making it. It is very difficult to resist the temptation of cooking something that you crave for, when you see others sharing the pictures of it. Yes, the pros and cons of virtual world are unfathomable! I will be sharing some recipes that I learnt from fellow group members and I hope you will find those helpful and if you have some Sindhi food recipes that are not available on this blog, please do share with me and I will make sure to recreate and share the same, on this blog, of course with due credits to you! Coming back to Palli, I came across a post by Meena Chijwani who not only shared a recipe of Palli, but also some helpful information on how to pick and clean the leaves.So this year I kept looking for it in local markets around my home but couldn’t find any tender leaves. Finally I happen to visit the vegetable market in Ulhasnagar with my MIL and she took me to the lady selling drumstick flowers and palli. And we came back with loads of Swanjhro or Suhanjre ja Gulah and Palli leaves. Asked few friends from across the border and also read recipes shared by some members in the Sindhi Rasoi Fb group and finally cooked the greens that are very popular in Sindh but less popular in Sindhi families on this side of the border. And when I finally savored the combination I could understand why our grandparents often craved for this. Special thanks to Meena Chijwani for sharing details about cleaning and cooking palli and nudging me to cook this fabulous subzi! I adjusted the recipe to suit my preferences but the basics of it were adapted from Meena ji‘s recipe. Ingredients: 250 gm Palli leaves (with stems) 15-20 leaves of spinach 3 Large tomatoes 2-3 green chilies 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 inch piece of ginger 2 tsp cooking oil 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1 heaped spoon of coriander powder Salt as per taste 1 tsp oil/ghee and 3-4 garlic cloves for tempering 2 tsp tamarind pulp (optional)* Method: To begin with, please buy the fresh, tender and green leaves. If the leaves appear to be pale, yellowish or brownish then totally avoid buying from that lot. Carefully pick leaves and discard any tough stems, grass, weed etc. It takes a lot of time to pick/clean Palli. Patience is the key! Rinse palli leaves thoroughly with water. Discard thick stems of spinach and rinse well. Chop roughly and keep aside. In a pressure cooker heat around 2 tsp of oil and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds. Add palli and chopped spinach and around 3 large, ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (or you can use less tomatoes and instead add tamarind pulp later), 2-3 green chilies and finely chopped ginger along with salt, turmeric and coriander powder. Add half a cup of water and close the lid. Cook till you hear one whistle of cooker and lower the flame and cook under pressure for 10-15 minutes. Switch off the gas. Once the pressure subsides, open the lid of the cooker and mash the subzi with a wooden masher/whisker (Mandhiyaro). Ghotarn (manually mashing with masher) is very important here. You can blend the mix using food processor but I don’t like pureed or paste like texture of greens and hence I avoided using a blender. You can add a spoon or two of Jowar flour while mashing palli for better consistency and texture. Give a tadka of chopped garlic and you can add some tamarind pulp here. Cook again on medium flame for 5-7 minutes if you add tamarind or if there is any excess water. I had it with Juar dodoh (patted jowar flour roti) with some home made white butter and enjoyed a divine meal. *Adjust the quantities of tomatoes and tamarind as per your preference. Use less tomatoes if using tamarind.

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A Traditional Sindhi Lunch

Alka Keswani — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:49:57 +0000

Saibhaji Bhugah Chaanwaran Sindhis Love Food…Period ! I can go on and on about the variety of food that we love to indulge in , but it will be meaningless, since I believe every culture and religion have Gems of Recipes and boasting that only Sindhis have some great recipes that nothing in world could beat, might sound too immodest. But trust me when I say that Sindhi Cuisine have one such recipe which is hard to beat in simplicity, nutrition, easy availability of ingredients and awesome taste . Utter Spinach and you might need to fabricate stories of Popeye to make kids open their mouths to actually make way for that green stuff, forced down through their throats , hanging on the hope that their biceps(or triceps) will swell up like Popeye , making them strong. So bless our ancestors, who thought of this Wonderful potpourri of Greens, lentils, vegetables, spices and flavors all in one pack called Saibhaji, more boastfully called as SINDHI SAIBHAJI So what is this hype, all about? What is a Sindhi Saibhaji ? Saibhaji=Sai(Green) +Bhaji (Vegetable) Also, Spinach + Fresh Fenugreek leaves + Khatta paalak / chuka (Ambat chauka) + Dill leaves + Brinjal + Arbi + Okra + Potato + Onion+ Bengal gram+Tomato = Sindhi Saibhaji Sounds tiresome? Nah …its simple to make, and yumm to eat. Still doubtful ? Then why not try it out yourself ? All ingredients in, ready to be cooked ! Print Sindhi Saibhaji Recipe Rating 5.0 from 2 reviews Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 40 mins Serves: 3 A signature style Sindhi Recipe, spinach cooked with assorted vegetables. Ingredients Spinach 1 Bunch (Approximately 300 gms) Khatta (chuuka, khatti paalak) few leaves. If you wish not to add any tomatoes the kindly add more leaves for sourness.Inversely if you are unable to fetch Khatta leaves add 3 large tomatoes Dill leaves or Sua... few (depending on your taste) Fresh Fenugreek leaves (A handful).If unavailable, use 1 tsp of kasuri methi instead Tomatoes 2 (If less of khatta paalak is used or else skip tomatoes to get that perfect green colour) Brinjal (Egg Plant) 1 Small 1 okra(bhindi), 1 small potato(either or both) Arbi (kachaloo) ½(optional) Onions 2 Channa Dal (Bengal Gram Dal) ½ cup cup (Soaked) Green Chillies 2-3 Ginger a bit Coriander powder 1 heaped tsp Turmeric Powder ¼ tsp Salt to taste Oil 1-2 tbsp Method Wash spinach leaves along with khatta , methi (you can use 1 tsp of kasuri methi in case fresh leaves are unavailable) and Suaa (dill leaves) and chop them well Peel and chop Arbi, onions and potatoes. Chop brinjal and Okra too. Do not forget to keep these veggies submerged in a bowl of water as soon as you chop these. In case you do not have all these veggies, just brinjal and onion will do, or just okra and potato with onion will help to make the Saibhaji mushy.This mix of vegetables is called as VAKHAR in Sindhi Heat oil in pressure cooker, add Vakhar (the chopped veggies in bowl) and saute it till tender Add chopped spinach leaves along with khatta, methi and sua , tomatoes, green chillies, ginger, all dry masalas, salt, chana dal and mix well(Note: Many prefer to just throw in everything in pressure cooker and not mix, going by the belief that mixing the spinach will result in taking long to cook. I somehow can't resist mixing the stuff before closing the lid of cooker. So you can choose your way) Add little water and close the lid.Wait for atleast 7-8 whistles open the lid , mash it well with whisker , and adjust its consistency to a semi dry one Many also prefer a Garlic Tadka (Tempering). But in our family , Saibhaji is made this way It could be served with almost everything , ranging from plain steamed rice, to bhuge chawal, veg biryani , Koki or Doda. But saibhaji is most relished with Bhughe Chaawal (Bhugha Chaanwaran). So it becomes mandatory to share its recipe too here 🙂 3.2.1753 Bhugha Chaanwaran Print Bhugha Chaanwaran Rating 5.0 from 2 reviews Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 20 mins Serves: 2 Sindhi style rice cooked with caramelized onion and spiced up with red chilly powder and Garam Masala Ingredients Rice (Basmati or any other) 1 cup Onion 1 Red chilli powder ½ tsp Kamaal Patt (Tej Patta) 1 Cloves 2-3 Black cardamon, 1 (only skin) Dalchini 1 inch stick (Note instead of Khada masala, Garam masala powder can also be used for non spicy taste, so in that case use ½ tsp of garam masala powder ) Salt as per taste Oil 1 tbsp Method Wash and soak rice for half hour if using non basmati rice, or if Basmati, then just for 10 minutes In a handi, put one tbsp of oil, add one by one, all the whole spices and wait for few seconds. Add sliced onion and mix well. Cook on medium flame, till onion turns nice brown in colour.This slowly caramelized onion imparts a unique flavor to the rice. Do not let the onion get charred. Add red chilli powder, (and garam masala powder in case khada masala is not used) and rice . Add water, double the quantity of rice. You can add some shelled peas and chunks of potatoes and/or Tinda (Apple gourds ). In that case, first add vegetables and let it boil in water for few minutes before adding rice Add salt and let the mixture boil, till very less water remains. Simmer and cover it with a lid till rice is cooked Serve piping hot with Sindhi Saibhaji and enjoy the Made -in-Heaven combination of food Notes I sometimes make this rice in pressure cooker, following the same procedure, just that a bit less of water is used and 2 whistles of pressure cooker are enough to cook rice to perfection. 3.2.1753 And this goes to Dear Nags of Edible Garden(cooking and me), who is hosting Monthly Mingle # 33 -Ravishing Rice. Monthly mingle is a brainchild of Lovely Meeta The first picture shows Saibhaji with bhughe chaawal , roti, Fried Brinjal and Arbi….A traditional Lunch for sindhis. And oh how can i forget Papad, its indispensable with traditional meals Thats all for today, and before signing off, can I share one of my most favorite Sindhi song ? Check it here

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