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Tag: Healthy

  • Kafuli

    Kafuli is the green curry of Garhwal, the western half of Uttarakhand, made in hill homes with whatever leafy greens grow nearby: spinach, fenugreek and sometimes mustard or lai. It was traditionally cooked in a heavy iron kadai, which deepens the colour and adds iron to the dish, a real benefit in mountain diets.

    It is thicker and more rustic than palak paneer, closer to a thick gravy. The greens are boiled, ground and simmered with a paste of soaked rice (or besan), which gives body and a slightly creamy texture. Mustard oil, garlic, ginger, cumin and a pinch of hing give it a pungent, earthy flavour, with a little curd sometimes added for tang.

    Kafuli is eaten with steamed rice or with mandua (finger millet) roti, a classic Garhwali pairing. It is home food, simple, nourishing and quick once the greens are cleaned. Choose young, tender spinach and fresh methi with small leaves; they cook faster and taste less bitter. A spoon of the hot kafuli over plain rice with a little pickle is one of the simplest and most satisfying pahadi meals.

    At a glance

    RegionUttarakhand
    CuisineGarhwali
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time55 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsspinach / fenugreek leaves / rice / mustard oil

    Ingredients

    • 400 g spinach, chopped
    • 100 g fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp raw rice, soaked 1 hour
    • 3 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/4 tsp hing
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 dried red chillies
    • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 cup water
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Wash the spinach and methi several times. Boil 2 cups water, add the greens and cook 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving the water.
    2. Grind the cooled greens to a coarse puree. Separately grind the soaked rice with 3 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
    3. Heat mustard oil in an iron kadai until it smokes, then lower to medium. Add hing, cumin and dried red chillies.
    4. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and fry 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic turns light golden.
    5. Add turmeric, coriander powder and the greens puree. Cook 5 minutes, stirring.
    6. Mix the rice paste with 1 cup of the reserved water and pour it in, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add salt.
    7. Simmer on low for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the kafuli thickens to a smooth, pourable consistency and the raw rice taste is gone. Add more reserved water if it gets too thick.
    8. Taste for salt and serve hot, straight from the kadai.

    Tips

    • Besan can replace the rice paste – whisk 2 tbsp with water before adding.
    • An iron kadai gives the authentic dark colour, but do not leave the cooked kafuli sitting in it for long.
    • Use less methi if you prefer a less bitter taste.

    Serve with

    Steamed rice or mandua (finger millet) roti.

  • Palak Paneer

    Spinach has long been cooked with fresh cheese in the Punjab plains, where winter brings tender palak and every household makes paneer from surplus milk. Palak paneer as served today, a smooth bright green gravy dotted with white cubes, became a fixture of North Indian restaurants in the second half of the twentieth century.

    The ideal is a vivid green colour and a fresh, slightly grassy spinach flavour, lifted by garlic, ginger and a little green chilli. Blanching the leaves briefly and shocking them in cold water keeps the colour, while a light onion-tomato base and a touch of cream round it out without hiding the greens.

    It is a weeknight family meal as much as a dinner-party dish, and a good way to get greens into children. Eat it with phulkas or butter naan, or with jeera rice and a bowl of curd. The spinach puree can be made a few hours ahead and kept chilled, which makes it a practical weeknight choice. Finish the curry only when you are ready to eat.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsspinach / paneer / onion / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the spinach puree

    • 500 g palak (about 2 large bunches), stems trimmed
    • 2 green chillies
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 inch ginger

    For the curry

    • 250 g paneer, cubed
    • 2 tbsp ghee or oil
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
    • 2 tbsp fresh cream
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 tsp lemon juice

    Method

    1. Wash the spinach thoroughly. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add the spinach and blanch for 2 minutes until wilted and bright green.
    2. Immediately lift the spinach into a bowl of ice-cold water. Leave 2 minutes, then squeeze lightly.
    3. Blend the spinach with green chillies, garlic and ginger to a smooth puree, adding 2 to 3 tbsp cold water only if needed.
    4. Heat ghee in a pan on medium. Add cumin; when it crackles, add onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until light golden.
    5. Add tomato, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the tomato breaks down completely.
    6. Add the spinach puree and 1/4 cup water. Simmer on low for 4 to 5 minutes only – longer cooking turns it olive green.
    7. Add paneer cubes, garam masala and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer 2 minutes, then stir in cream and lemon juice and switch off the heat.

    Tips

    • Do not cover the pan once the spinach goes in; trapped steam dulls the colour.
    • Lightly pan-fried paneer adds texture; soak it in warm water afterwards to keep it soft.
    • For a deeper flavour, finish with a tadka of ghee, sliced garlic and a pinch of chilli powder.

    Serve with

    Phulkas, butter naan or jeera rice with a bowl of curd.

  • Sai Bhaji

    Sai bhaji, meaning green vegetables, is a nourishing Sindhi dish of spinach, chana dal and vegetables cooked together and mashed into a thick, rustic stew. It is a weekday staple in Sindhi homes, loved for its simplicity and comforting flavour. Many families make it once a week and pair it with rice.

    Spinach is the base, with dill, sorrel or fenugreek leaves added for extra flavour, along with chana dal, brinjal, potato, tomato and onion. Everything cooks together until soft and is then lightly mashed, giving a creamy texture with some bite from the lentils. A tempering of garlic and red chilli adds depth.

    Sai bhaji is served with plain or jeera rice and aloo tuk, or with chapati. Its rich green colour and healthy ingredients make it a favourite for anyone wanting a hearty, simple meal. It also freezes well, and many families make extra to eat over a couple of days. Reheat it gently with water.

    At a glance

    RegionSindhi
    CuisineSindhi
    DietVegan
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsspinach / chana dal / dill / tomato

    Ingredients

    For the bhaji

    • 1/3 cup chana dal, soaked 30 minutes
    • 500 g spinach, washed and chopped
    • 1/2 cup dill leaves, chopped
    • 1 small brinjal, cubed
    • 1 potato, cubed
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, chopped
    • 2 green chillies
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1 cup water

    For the tempering

    • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 dried red chilli
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder

    Method

    1. Put the soaked chana dal, spinach, dill, brinjal, potato, onion, tomatoes, ginger and green chillies in a pressure cooker.
    2. Add turmeric, coriander powder, salt and water and stir.
    3. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally.
    4. Mash everything lightly with a wooden masher or the back of a ladle, keeping some texture.
    5. Simmer the bhaji on low for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick.
    6. For the tempering, heat oil, add cumin, garlic and red chilli and cook until the garlic turns golden. Add chilli powder and pour over the bhaji.

    Tips

    • Do not puree the bhaji; a slightly coarse texture is traditional.
    • Add sorrel (khatta palak) for a tangy flavour if available.
    • Use ghee for tempering for a richer taste.

    Serve with

    Plain or jeera rice and aloo tuk.

  • Santula

    Santula is the Odia home cook's answer to a light, nourishing vegetable dish. It is cooked for children, for the elderly and for anyone recovering from illness, and it fits right into a summer meal. Some families make it without any tempering at all, simply boiling the vegetables and adding salt and ghee.

    The flavour is mild and clean: mixed vegetables simmered until soft, then dressed in a tempering of mustard oil, panch phoron, garlic and green chilli. A splash of milk at the end, in the 'dudha santula' style, makes it gently creamy. It is not meant to be rich or fiery; the vegetables should taste of themselves.

    At a glance

    RegionOdisha
    CuisineOdia
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsraw papaya / potato / brinjal / pumpkin / milk

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw papaya, peeled and cubed
    • 1 medium potato, cubed
    • 1 small brinjal, cubed
    • 1 cup pumpkin, cubed
    • 1/2 cup french beans, cut into 3 cm pieces
    • 1 raw banana, peeled and cubed
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1/2 tsp panch phoron
    • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1 dry red chilli
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1 tsp ghee
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    1. Put all the vegetables in a pan with turmeric, salt and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low for 10-12 minutes until tender.
    2. Lightly mash a few pieces of pumpkin and potato against the side of the pan to thicken the stew, leaving most of the vegetables whole.
    3. Heat the mustard oil in a small pan until it smokes, then lower the heat. Add panch phoron and dry red chilli and let them crackle.
    4. Add the crushed garlic and green chillies and fry until the garlic is light golden, about 1 minute.
    5. Pour the tempering into the vegetables and simmer for 2 minutes.
    6. Lower the heat, stir in the milk and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes without boiling hard. Finish with ghee and serve warm.

    Tips

    • Keep the milk off a rolling boil so it does not split with the vegetables' acidity.
    • Use whatever seasonal vegetables are at hand – ridge gourd, ash gourd and drumstick are all common.
    • For a sick-day version, skip the tempering and just add ghee and a pinch of black pepper.

    Serve with

    Plain rice and a little dal, or with pakhala in summer.