Tag Archives: green leafy veg recipes

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Palak and peanut stir fry

Quick and Easy Spinach-peanut stir fry

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Spinach or palak is a powerhouse of nutrition and is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.

This is a quick and easy recipe that is my go-to when I’m in a hurry or when I’m just feeling too lazy to make an elaborate dish with palak/spinach. I call it my ‘Lazy spinach stir-fry’ which I make often as everyone seems to love it and I never have any leftovers now matter how many bunches of palak I use to make this.

Ingredients for the Easy Spinach and peanut stir-fry:

Spinach/Palak: 2-3 bunches (washed, dried and chopped into small pieces)

Roasted peanuts: 1 big handful (crushed coarsely)

Red chili flakes: 1-2 tsp (or as per heat tolerance)

Olive oil/Ghee/ Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Garlic: 5-6 cloves (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Lime juice: a dash

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the chopped ginger. Then add the red chili flakes and the chopped spinach leaves and saute on high heat till the water evaporates.
  2. Keep stirring and switch off the kadai when the spinach is wilted. Switch off.
  3. Mix the crushed roasted peanuts and salt.
  4. Add a dash of lime and mix.
  5. Serve the easy spinach and peanut stir fry as a side to rice and dal.


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Malabar Spinach Tambuli (Basale Soppu Tambli)

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Tambli/tambuli is a curd based dish typically made in Udupi/ Mangalore kitchens. It can be made with different green leafy vegetables (palak, curry leaves, etc) or even garlic. Since rice is the predominant grain in the traditional south Indian homes, this is served as a side to rice along with vegetables.

Basella or vine spinach is a popular tropical leafy-green vegetable, commonly grown as backyard herb in most home gardens in Mangalore. Fresh leaves are rich sources of several anti-oxidants such as ß-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin.
Its thick, fleshy leaves are an excellent source of non-starch polysaccharide, mucilage.

Basale Soppu/ Poi

Malabar spinach is rich in soluble fibre, Vitamins A & C,  iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium.This tambli made with Basale soppu/Malabar spinach is also believed to cure mouth ulcers.

Ingredients:

  • Malabar spinach or basale soppu: A big handful (washed and coarsely chopped)
  • Yogurt/curd: 1 cup fresh (not too sour)
  • Grated coconut: 1/2 cup (fresh/frozen)
  • Green chili: 1-2 nos. (optional)
  • Cumin seeds/Jeera: 1/2 tsp

For the tempering:

  • Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
  • Urad dal: 1/4 tsp
  • Red chili: 1/2
  • Curry leaves: a few
  • Oil/ghee: 1 tbsp

Method:

  1. Heat some oil in a frying pan and add the cumin seeds and green chili. When the cumin starts sizzling add the Malabar spinach leaves and saute till they are wilted. Keep aside to cool.
  2. Once cool, grind to a paste along with the coconut and  just enough water to make a paste in a blender/mixie.
  3. Transfer the paste to a bowl and add the yogurt and mix well. The consistency of the tambli should be thinner than chutney. So add enough water if it is too thick.
  4. Heat a little oil in a tadka pan, add the mustard seeds , urad dal and when it starts to pop add the dry red chili and curry leaves.
  5. Add this to the tambli and serve along with hot rice and vegetables.

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Beetroot Leaves Dal

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Do you throw out the Beetroot leaves? STOP!!! 

Don’t just cut off the green leafy tops and toss them away! The leaves and the stems are edible, and make a great substitute for any green such as palak, swiss chard, collard greens, bok choy. They  can be added to dals/sambars, soups or added to sabzis.

Beetroot leaves 

The best part of buying beetroot with the leaves-you can make two dishes for the price of one!! Other leaves that are edible and should not be thrown out:

  1. Radish leaves: Click here for Radish sabzi with leaves
  2. Turnip Leaves: Click here for Turnip leaves sabzi(Sri Lankan style)

Here is a simple dal with the beetroot leaves. (Note:The stems (like the beetroot) have a natural pink dye that can turn the dal slightly pink).

Ingredients for Beetroot leaves dal: Serves 4-5
  • 1 cup toor dal/arhar dal
  • 2.5 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons oil/ ghee
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1-2 green chili, slit
  • 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1/2 -1 tsp red chili powder (optional)
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder (optional)
  • salt, to taste
  • 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:

  1. To a pressure cooker add the washed toor dal, add 2.5 cups water,  and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. Cook at high flame for 3 whistles. Let the pressure of the cooker come off on it’s own. Then mash well.
  2. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Wait till cumin seeds crackle and mustard seeds start popping out.
  3. Once the seeds start popping, add chopped garlic and green chili. Saute for a minute or till garlic just starts turning golden brown in color.
  4. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add chopped beetroot leaves and mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes or till the leaves are wilted.
  6. Add the mashed dal to the pan, a cup of water , the red chili powder and coriander powder (both optional, but I like to have the extra spice)and let it all come to a boil. Lower the heat, add more water if needed and let the dal simmer for 5 minutes.
  7. Check the salt and adjust to taste. Sprinkle garam on top and remove pan from heat.
  8. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and serve beetroot leaves dal with any hot rotis or steamed rice.

Other Beetroot recipes:

  1. Beetroot Mocktail/ Juice: Click for recipe here
  2. Beetroot Upkari(a simple Mangalorean style stir-fry): Click for recipe here
  3. Beetroot and Carrot Salad: Click here for recipe

 


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Mangalore Basale Curry (Malabar Spinach and Whole Moong in coconut gravy)

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Basale soppu or Malabar /Ceylon Spinach is also called as mayalu in Marathi and poi in Gujrathi . It’s very common to see houses in Mangalore growing it and Basale ghassi or Basale koddel is a specialty of the region. Malabar spinach is rich in vitamins A, C, iron and calcium, and is also good source of soluble fiber.  The addition of green moong not only increases the protein conent of the dish but also adds a lot of flavour to it.

I was lucky to find the seeds locally and have been making this curry with homegrown organic basala. This is how Basala and payar (whole moong) curry is made in my family.

Ingredients for Mangalore Basale curry:

  • Green moong: 1 cup (wash and soak for an hour)
  • Basalla /Malabar Spinach: 3 cups (washed, chopped, both leaves and stems are traditionally used)
  • Tomato: 2 small or 1 Big
  • Salt: to taste
  • Tamarind paste: 1/4tsp

Grind together:

  • Grated coconut/dessicated coconut: 1 1/2 cups
  • Onion: 1 medium, sliced
  • Turmeric: 1/4tsp
  • Red chili powder(or 8-10 whole dried byadagi chilies roasted): 1-2tbsp (as per your heat tolerance)
  • Coriander powder (or 1 tbsp corriander seeds roasted): 1tbsp
  • Cumin powder: 3tsp
  • Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Garlic: 2 cloves

Method:

  1. Pressure cook the moong and the basale (leaves and stem) without adding salt for one whistle.
  2. Grind the ingredients mentioned under grind together to a smooth paste and keep aside.
  3. Open the pressure cooker (if it’s too small, then transfer contents to a deep vessel), add the ground masala, little water, cut tomatoes, tamarind paste and salt.
  4. Allow the curry to boil vigorously for five minutes, check for salt, tamarind add more if required. Adjust the consistency if needed before switching off.
  5. It is traditionally served with rice, but tastes great with chapathis too.

Note: You can add seasoning/tadka if you want, but it isn’t added in our family recipe.

 


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Green Apple and Mint Chutney

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I had picked up 3 Granny Smith apples in the hope of turning it into a chutney that a friend had made.Well,the recipe involved some cooking and since I was feeling too lazy for that, thought I’d make it like raw mango chutney.So,I peeked into the fridge and got out all the stuff that goes into a regular chutney-mint leaves,cilantro,ginger,lemon,green chilies and put them all in the blender with the cored and peeled apples. The resulting Green Apple Chutney which came out of the blender reminded me of the “chaat” taste and so I blended some sugar and a little roasted cumin seeds,and the result was great. The Green Apple Chutney can be eaten with meals,mixed with yogurt and used as a dip, or used as a spread in a sandwich.Here’s what I blended together for the Green Apple Chutney:
Ingredients for Green Apple and Mint Chutney:

  • Granny Smith apples/tart cooking apples-2 nos.(peeled,cored and chopped)
  • Mint leaves-10 numbers
  • Coriander leaves/Cilantro-2 tablespoons
  • Green chilly/Serrano-1 no.
  • Ginger-1/2″piece
  • Lemon juice-2 tablespoons
  • Jeera/Cumin seeds-1 tsp(roasted)
  • Jaggery/Stevia-2 tsp/to taste (optional)
  • Salt-to taste

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend till you get a fine paste.
  2. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.
  3. Serve the Green Apple Chutney with sandwiches, as a dip or as a salad dressing.

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Collard Upkari (a Mangalorean style stir-fry)

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LoveToTakePhotos / Pixabay

Collard Greens

“Upkari”(or stir-fry) is a very simple vegetarian dish which is a regular in most Mangalorean households. You can make ‘upkari’ with any vegetable (cabbage,beans,radish, string beans,etc) or with any green leafy vegetable. ‘Upkari’s’ are traditionally made by adding the chopped vegetable/leaves to the tempering along with one or two slit green chillies and cooked till done. At the end, a garnish of freshly grated coconut(Mangalore is a coastal town in Southern India and has an abundance of coconut trees,and hence the use of coconut in almost every dish) is added which gives it the characteristic flavor.
I’ve modified the recipe for the collard upkari by adding some chopped onions, and a pinch of asafoetida(hing) as I like the flavor it adds to the dish.

Ingredients for Collard upkari:

  • Collard leaves (or any green leafy vegetable) : 1 bunch (chopped)
  • Green chilly:1-2(slit length wise)
  • Onion-1/2 medium (finely chopped) optional
  • Coconut: 2-3 tbsp(freshly grated/frozen)
  • Salt to taste

For the tempering:

  • Oil: 1tsp
  • Mustard seeds: 1tsp
  • Urad dal: 1tsp
  • Asafoetida/hing: a pinch(optional)
  • Curry leaves: 3-4 (optional)

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
  2. When the mustard starts to pop, add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
  3. Add the chopped ginger,slit green chillies and onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
  4. Add the chopped collard (or any of the other vegetables/green leafy vegetables) and stir-fry for 10mins.
  5. Then add a little water, salt to taste and cover and cook till done.
  6. Garnish the collard upkari with the coconut scrapings. Serve hot with a dash of lime (goes well with dal and rice).
Note: You can add 1/2 cup of split moong(wash and soak for 15 mins-add at step 5 with the water) or cooked pulses(kabuli channa) to add some protein to the dish.

Q. Which is your favorite recipe with greens?


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Crispy and Spicy Kale Chips

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Kale is packed with vitamins A, C , E,K, calcium , fibre and protein. The protein in kale contains all the 9 essential amino acids and hence is comparable to the protein found in meat or poultry.

Other than making sabzi’s, smoothies and salads with kale, here is a quick and simple snack recipe with kale. Crispy and Spicy Kale chips can be eaten as a snack or in lieu of papad/pickle with your meals.

Ingredients for Crispy and Spicy Kale Chips:

  • Kale: 1 big bunch (wash and dry)
  • Salt: to taste
  • Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp (add more if you like it spicier or omit entirely if you want just salted)
  • Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
  • Olive oil: 1-2 tbsp

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 275F  (135C).
  2. Dry the kale leaves thoroughly. You can use a salad spinner for this
  3. Remove any large stems from the kale, and tear the leaves up into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Put the kale in a salad bowl and add the olive oil, red chili powder, cumin powder,  salt and toss well until the leaves are evenly coated.
  5. Spread the leaves out on a baking tray in a single layer (do not overcrowd, make a second batch if there is more) and bake for about 20-25 minutes (till they get crispy). Keep a watchful eye on your batch to prevent burning.
  6. Cool and enjoy as a snack or as a crispy side with your meals.

Here are other Healthy Snack Ideas:

  1. Baked Sweet Potato Fries/snack
  2. Baked Carrot Fries/snack
  3. Fruit Chaat/ Fruit Salsa 
  4. Khaman Dhokla
  5. Handvo
  6. Fish Cutlets/Patties

 


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Palak Chutney(Spicy spinach chutney)

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If ‘Green smoothies’ (with raw palak)or ‘Spinach juice’ isn’t your cup of tea, then you can try out this spicy palak chutney which is a great way of adding green leafy vegetables to your diet.

Spinach is loaded with nutrients like protein, fibre, vitamins ( A, C, E, K , as well as vitamins B2, B6 , folate) and minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, calcium and potassium.

The original recipe uses tendli/tondli(ivy gourd) leaves,but since that isn’t available everywhere, had to substitute with palak. The resulting Palak Chutney was quite close to the ‘tondekai/tondli chutney’ that I remember. Here are the ingredients for the Palak Chutney:

Ingredients for Palak Chutney:

  • Palak(baby)/Baby spinach-2 cups chopped
  • Garlic-5 cloves(crushed)
  • Ginger-1″ piece
  • Cilantro/coriander leaves-1 cup
  • Green chillies-6-7nos(or according to taste)
  • Roasted channa dal-2 tbsp
  • Roasted groundnut-2tbsp
  • Hung yogurt/curd-3tbsp
  • Lemon Juice: 1 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-1tsp

    Method:
    1)Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
    2)Add the chopped baby spinach and saute till they are cooked.Let it cool.
    4)In a mixer grinder-add the channa dal,groundnuts,cilantro,ginger,salt and the cooked palak.
    5)Make a fine paste.
    6)Pour the palak chutney into a bowl. Add the lime juice, yogurt and mix well. Test for salt.

    Palak chutney tastes great even without the addition of the yogurt/curd at the end(add a little tamarind). I just love the creaminess that the yogurt adds to the palak chutney.
    Serve the palak chutney with idlis/dosas, as a spread for sandwiches,a dip or as a side with your meal.


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Palak Paneer- Creamy, Healthy version (Cottage cheese in Spinach gravy)

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Here’s a healthy version of Creamy Palak Paneer:
Ingredients for Palak Paneer (low calorie version):

  • Palak: 4 big cups or 250 gms
  • Tomatoes: 2 big
  • Garlic: 4nos.
  • Ginger: 1″piece
  • Green chilies: 2-3 (or according to taste)
  • Paneer: 250gms (cut into cubes)
  • Skim milk: 1 1/2 cups
  • Cumin seeds: 1tsp
  • Hing(asafoetida): a pinch
  • Bay leaf: 1
  • Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp (or 1 tsp curry powder)
  • Coriander powder: 2tsp
  • Red chili powder: 1-2 tsp
  • Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
  • Salt: to taste
  • Oil: 3tsp
Method:
  1. Puree the tomato along with the garlic and ginger.
  2. Bring some water to boil and then blanch the palak leaves for 3-5 minutes. Take out the leaves and puree when cool.
  3. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the bay leaf and cumin seeds, when they start to brown add the hing.
  4. Then add the tomato puree, garam masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric/curry powder and stir fry till you see the oil separating out.
  5. Then add the palak puree and mix well.
  6. Cover and cook for 10 minutes stirring in between.Add salt to taste.
  7. Lower the flame and add in the milk . Mix well and then cover and cook for about 5mins.
  8. Add the paneer pieces and mix. Cover and cook for another 5-6 minutes while stirring gently in between.
Serve the creamy palak paneer with phulkas or plain rice and dal.

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Drumstick Leaves Upkari (Moringa leaves stir-fry Mangalorean Style)

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Did you know that the leaves of the drumstick tree are edible and are loaded with nutrients? Drumstick leaves are a common green leafy vegetable in most Indian homes especially down South.  It is known as Murungai in Tamil, Nuggekai soppu in Kannada, Muringa in Malayalam. Long known for it’s medicinal and nutritional properties in Ayurveda, it has of late been in the news in the West and is heralded as a miracle tree. Researches believe that the leaves can help in lowering blood sugars among diabetics, reducing cholesterol and also help in reducing inflammations, joint pain, constipation and cancers among others. Drumstick leaves are rich in calcium, potassium, Vitamin A &C and fiber. Drumstick leaves are sold in health stores in the form of powders and capsules.

I however love it as a stir-fry and make it whenever I find the leaves in the Indian store.

Here is a simple Mangalorean style stir-fry (upkari)made with drumstick leaves:

Ingredients for Drumstick leaves upkari:

  • Drumstick leaves: 1 big bunch (wash and separate the tiny leaves from the stalks)
  • Onion: 1 medium
  • Green chilies: 1-2 (as per your tolerance)
  • Coconut gratings: 2tbsp (fresh/frozen/dessicated)
  • Turmeric: 1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Mustard seeds: 1tsp
  • Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds: 1tsp
  • Oil: 3 tsp
  • Salt: to taste

Method:

  1. Chop the washed leaves as fine as possible.
  2. Finely chop the onions and slit the green chilies.
  3. Heat a kadai, add the oil, then the mustard, cumin seeds and urad dal.
  4. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the slit green chilies, turmeric powder (optional)then the chopped onions.
  5. Fry till the onions turn translucent. Then add the drumstick leaves and stir for a couple of minutes.
  6. Add some salt and mix well. Then add some water and let the leaves cook, stirring occasionally.
  7. Once the leaves are cooked, add the grated coconut, mix well and switch off.
  8. Since it’s a dry sabzi, it goes better with rice and a curry.