Baigan Bathua

One can never stress enough the importance of incorporating green leafy vegetables in our diet. I feel Indian cuisine is maybe unique in its use of all kinds of saag/leafy vegetables.

Come winter and the markets are flooded with varieties of saag be it spinach, mustard, fenugreek, bathau etc. These are just a few of the common ones that most of us are familiar with.

 We Bengalis have a very interesting tradition. The day before Diwali we make a dish called “chodoh shaag” which means 14 kinds of saag. We cook all 14 varieties together. With growing urbanization it is extremely difficult to find 14 different varieties. Apart from the ones commonly found we also use mooli saag, matar saag etc. On a different note it is worth mentioning that matar ka saag is also very delicious.

Bathua saag is also known as Lamb’s quarter. It is a winter leafy variety which is a distant cousin of the spinach. Needless to say it is a good source of vitamins, minerals, iron, fibre, potassium and phosphorus.

Ingredients

1 bunch bathua, chopped

1 medium baigan, cubed

3 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp kalonji

2 green chillies, slit

½ tsp turmeric powder

 Salt to taste

Wash the chopped saag at least thrice to remove any dirt or grime. Heat the mustard oil. Add the kalonji and slit green chillies. Saute the brinjal pieces. Add the chopped saag. Lower heat, cover and cook till the saag is wilted. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Saute for a few minutes. 

Kochur Saag/Colocassia leaves

Kochur Saag

Kochu or Arbi or Colocassia, however you know it, is a very ugly looking thing. Specially the leaves. Have you seen them growing in their natural habitat. They grown in dirty, swampy marshes.

 The leaves accumulate dirt and grime from the surroundings. And then you wonder how can such a plant have medicinal benefits, how can such a plant or its leaves taste so awesome. Difficult to believe, right?

This dish is from my mom’s kitchen. It takes a lot of work and, you guessed it right, I am just too lazy. And what better than to come home and make demands of your mom.

Ingredients

A bunch of Colocassia leaves/Kochur Saag

1 cup chana dal, soaked and ground to a paste

2 green chillies

1 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji

Salt to taste

Pinch of sugar

1 tsp haldi powder

Usually when you buy the leaves they come with a hard knobbly part at the bottom. You have to first cut it off because you will only be cooking the leaves. The leaves will feel rubbery. 

Once you cut the leaves into big pieces you will have to skin them to remove the hard, unpalatable outer layer. 

You will have clean tubular leaves. 

Discard the outer skin altogether.

Now pressure cook the leaves in a cup of water. Take off the heat after two whistles. Once the pressure drops take them out and you will be left with this mushy thing. Drain all excess water.

Heat some oil. Add the green chillies and nigella seeds. Then add the boiled leaves and fry on high heat. 

Keep mashing as you stir so that it becomes a smooth lump. Add the chana dal paste, salt, turmeric and sugar.

 Keep stirring and add the chana dal paste. 

Stir well so that the saag and chana dal paste mix well. 

Now lower the heat to sim, cover and cook till the water dries up and it starts leaving the sides of the pan. Garnish with green chilli and have it with a bowl of steamed rice.