BAHAL SAAG

Though I am not so fond of saags, I love Bahal saag and can have it anytime, any day and anywhere. My mamunani (maternal grandmaa) used to prepare it for me specially when we used to spend the summer vacation at their place.

Ingredients :

Bahal saag - 500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Phul badi - 1 tbsp (fried)
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Onion (chopped) - ½
Main (buttermilk) - 2 cups (small)
Salt - as per taste
Milk - ¼ cup
Chuna gunda (Rice powder) - 2 tsp

Method :

Clean the saag properly. Chop it fine. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start sizzling, add the dried red chilli and sauté for a second. Add onion and sauté till they turn light pink. Add main and let it boil properly. Add saag to it. After 2 minutes add salt and mix well. Cook again till the main evaporates. Mix chuna gunda to the milk properly and add it to the saag. When the saag gets dry, take it off fire and add fried phul badi before serving.

PN : Bahal saag is mostly available in summer. The young leaves are plucked to prepare this delicious saag.

CHEN SAAG

Ingredients :

Chen saag - 500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Phul badi bhaja (crushed) - 1 tbsp (optional)
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Main (buttermilk) - ¼ cup
Salt - as per taste


Method :

Clean the saag properly and roughly chop it. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start sizzling add the dried red chilli and sauté for a second. Add main. When it starts boiling, add the saag. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and cook again till the saag is done. Take it off fire and add badi chura before serving.

KULER SAAG

Ingredients :
Kuler saag - 500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Onion (chopped) - ½
Salt - as per taste
Milk - ¼ cup

Method :
Clean the saag and chop it finely. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they start sizzling, add the dried red chilli and sauté for a second. Add onion and sauté till they turn light pink. Now add the saag and cook. When it is half done add salt to it. When the saag is cooked properly, add milk and cook again till the milk evaporates. Take it off fire and serve during lunch.

PN : Saag when cooked reduces a lot, so it’s better to add salt when it’s half done. Otherwise there is a chance of the saag becoming salty.

MEETHI SAAG

Ingredients :
Meethi saag - 500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Potato (chopped fine) – 1
Eggplant (chopped fine) – 1
Salt - as per taste
Badi chura (optional) - 2 tbsp

Method :
Clean the saag properly and roughly chop it. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start sizzling, add the dried red chilli. Saute for a second. Add potato and eggplant and sauté till they get half done. Add salt and saag and mix well. When the water evaporates and saag gets cooked properly, take it off fire and add badi chura and mix well. Serve it with rice and piyaz khata (the recipe has been posted here earlier) .

PALANG SAAG (PALAK SAAG)

Ingredients :
Palak saag -500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Phul badi - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Garlic (crushed) - 1-2 cloves
Onion (chopped) - 1 small
Salt - as per taste

Method :
Clean the saag properly and roughly chop it. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to it. When it starts sizzling add dried red chilli. Saute for a second. Add garlic and sauté till it turns light pink. Add onion and sauté till it turns light pink. Add saag and salt. When saag gets cooked properly take it off fire and serve with dishes of your choice.

PN: In Kalahandi, saag is taken as lunch with rice,dal,main,curry and bhaja.

PALANG MUGA SAAG (PALAK MUNG SAAG)

Ingredients :
Palang saag -500 gms
Mung dal (cooked) -100 gm
Grated coconut -100 gm
Oil -1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dried red chilli - 1-2
Garlic (crushed) - 1-2 cloves (optional)
Milk - ¼ cup
Salt - as per taste

Method :
Clean the saag and chop it roughly. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it starts sizzling add the dried red chilli. Saute for a second and add garlic. When garlic turns light pink add the saag. When half done add mung dal, salt and grated coconut. Saute till the saag is properly cooked. Then add milk. When the milk gets soaked completely take it off fire and serve hot or cold as you please.

KUMDA SAAG

Ingredients :
Kumda saag (pumpkin leaves) -500 gms
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
Dried red chilli - 1
Garlic (optional) (crushed) -2 cloves
Pumpkin (chopped finely) - 100 gm
Eggplant (chopped finely) - 100 gm
Salt - as per taste
Milk - ¼ cup
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method :
Clean the kumda saag and chop finely. In a pan heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they start sizzling add the dried red chilli and fry for a second. Later add the garlic . When it turns light pink add the saag. When saag starts becoming soggy add pumkin and eggplant. Add salt and let the water evaporate .When the eggplant and pumpkin gets cooked add milk. When the gets completely soaked in the saag take it off fire. Serve it with rice, dal , curry of your choice and aloo bhaja.
PN: Saag is very nutritious. Make it a part of your everyday meal and enjoy its benefits along with your family.

Dahi Pakhal

Ingredients :
Rice – 2 cups
Yougurt – 1 cup
Salt – according to taste
Cucumber (grated) – 1
Carrot (grated) – 1
Onion (chopped) – 1
Aam adaa (grated) – ½ inch piece
Lemon leaves (crushed) – 4-5
Green chilli (chopped) – 1

Method :
Boil 5 cups of water in a pan. Add rice to it and cook till done. Donot strain the water from the rice . Let it cool. While serving add the rest of the ingredients and enjoy it with Badi and Baigan bharta.

PN : This is a summer delicacy.The water and yogurt in it helps beat the summer heat and quench thirst. Due to its popularity it’s available in the menus of 5 star restaurants in Orissa during summer. Try it out in lunch and enjoy a siesta under the shades in your lawn or in the confines of your sweet home.

BHAJI SAAG

Ingredients :
Bhaji saag – 500 gms
Onion (chopped)- 1
Garlic (chopped) – 2 cloves
Salt – to taste
Oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Method :
Pluck the leaves of Bhaji saag from its stems. Clean and leave aside.Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it sizzles add add garlic. Saute for 2-3 seconds and add onion. Saute till they turn pink. Add the saag. When it leaves water and becomes dry add salt and cook for a minute.Serve it with rice,dal and curry of your choice.

Amil (Sour veg soup)

Ingredients :-
Pumpkin – 50 gm,

Khada – 50 gm,

Eggplant – 50 gm,

Cucumber – 50 gm,

Red chole – 50 gm (soaked in water overnight),

Salt – to taste,

Haldi – ½ tsp,

Mustard-green chilli paste – 2 tbsp,

Besan / rice powder- 1 tbsp,

Tamarind – 50 gm,

Oil – 1 tbsp,

Kari patta – 1 sprig,

Panchphuran – 1 tbsp,

Red / green chilli – 1,

Water – 1 lt.

Method :
Chop pumpkin,khada,eggplant and cucumber into medium sizes.Pressure cook this in water along with red chole till one whistle.Then add salt and turmeric and let it boil for a minute. In a bowl take mustard-chilli paste and besan / rice powder and mix well. Add this to the soup. Boil for 5 minutes. Add tamarind and cook for 5 minutes. In a tadka pan heat oil.When hot add panchphuran, red / green chilli, kari patta. When they start sizzling add it to the soup.

PS :- Amil used to be a must in the weddings in summer.The menu was incomplete without this dish. In summer vegetables are scare .So seasonal vegetables are used in this recipe. I came across an interesting fact about Amil which I thought I should share here with all of you. Amil was used to clean hands. Surprised ? Well I was too till I was explained about it. People used their hands to serve rice during weddings. Rice is sticky making it difficult to get rid of with plain water.Pouring Amil on the hands would make it easier to wash. Amazing ,isn’t it ? Well go ahead and check it out and do let me know about your experience.