Kolmi Shaak Paneer Bhaja (Water Spinach & Paneer Stir Fry - Bong style

 

           This is my version of Kolmi Shaak (Water Spinach) cooked in a traditional homemade Bengali style. It can be cooked with eggplants or potatoes. However, in this recipe, I added few paneer cubes with a tempering of nigella seeds and dry red chili. I then garnished with roasted cumin powder for a lingering aroma. 

          

          It is best had with some hot steamed rice and a tsp. of ghee makes it more delicious. You can also enjoy with phulkas or parathas. Same method can be applied while preparing with any other greens. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this popular and a healthy Bong recipe. 

• 2-3 bunches of Kolmi shaag (water spinach)
• 100 gms. paneer cubes
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder

          Pick the leaves and few tender stems of the greens. Wash under running water and rinse well. Chop finely and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the paneer cubes till light brown till. Soak them in warm water for 2-3 minutes. Then squeeze them and keep aside. Keep aside.  

 

          Temper the remaining oil with red chili and kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the crushed garlic and sauté till light golden in color. Then add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the chopped greens, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Stir fry till all the moisture has evaporated.  

          When done, add the paneer cubes and roasted cumin powder. Mix well and serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatis / parathas.

Pick the leaves & few tender stems of the greens. Wash under running water & rinse well.

                    Chop finely and keep aside. 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry the paneer cubes till light brown till. Soak them in warm water for 2-3 minutes. Then squeeze them and keep aside.

 Temper the remaining oil with red chili & nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

                   Add the crushed garlic & sauté till light golden in color. 

                    Then add the onion & sauté till light brown.

Now add the chopped greens, turmeric powder & salt to taste. Stir fry till all the moisture has evaporated.  

When done, add the paneer cubes & roasted cumin powder. Mix well.

         Serve with hot steamed rice, jeera rice or chapatis / parathas.

Kashmiri Saag

          This is a simple and a quick Kashmiri style spinach stir fry. It is also healthy with lots of garlic in it. Few prominent Kashmiri spices like cardamom, dry ginger powder (sonth), fennel powder and asafoetida are used in this recipe. It is cooked in mustard oil for an authentic touch. You can relish this yummy saag with roti / chapatti or steamed rice. 

          Spinach has a lot of health benefits as it improves the blood glucose level in diabetic patients, is rich in vitamin K, A and C and contains a lot of iron, protein, minerals and fibre. 

          So it is recommended to include greens like spinach, etc in our daily diet. So what better way than to prepare this super easy Kashmiri saag and relish as desired. 

• 2-3 bunches of spinach, washed, drained & chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. mustard oil 
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2-3 cardamoms
• 7-8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. fennel powder
• 1 tsp. dry ginger powder

          Heat oil in a pan till it reaches smoking point. Reduce the flame and temper with red chilies, cumin seeds, cardamom and garlic. Saute till the garlic changes colour. (Reserve some of the garlic pieces for garnishing).

          Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. Now add the chopped spinach and continue to cook on a medium flame till all the moisture has been absorbed.

          Switch off the flame. Transfer the saag to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining fried garlic. Serve as a side dish with roti / chapatti or plain steamed rice for a great comfort meal. 

Kolmi Shaag Bhaja (Water Spinach Stir Fry - Bengali Style)

       
           This is my version of Kolmi Shaag (water spinach) cooked in a traditional homemade Bengali style. It can be cooked with eggplants or potatoes, but here I cooked with boiled & cubed raw banana. I also added fried and roughly crushed bori / vadi to the end product for some crunch. 

          It is best had with some plain steamed rice and a tsp. of ghee makes it more delicious. It can also be had with phulkas. Same method can be applied while preparing with any other greens. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 3 bunches of Kolmi shaag (water spinach)
• 1 raw banana, boiled & cut into small cubes,
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 10-12 bori / mangodi / vadi
• 1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder

          Discard the stems of the greens and chop finely. Keep aside. Heat oil and fry the bori till golden brown in color. Drain and keep aside. When cool, crush it coarsely. 

          Temper the same oil with red chili and kalonji. Sauté for a few seconds. Add the boiled raw bananas and sauté for a minute. Then add the turmeric powder and cumin powder. Sauté for a minute or two. 

          Then add the onion and garlic and continue to fry till light brown. Now add the chopped kolmi shaag and salt. Fry on a low flame till they are cooked and dry. 

          When done, add the crushed bori / vadi and give it a stir. Serve hot with plain steamed rice or chapatis. 

                                 Discard the stems of the greens. 

                                  Chop finely & keep aside. 

                                  Boiled raw banana cubes.

                                  Heat oil & fry bori till golden brown. Drain & keep aside. 

                                  When cool, crush it coarsely. 

                   Temper same oil with red chili & kalonji. Sauté few seconds. Add boiled
                   raw bananas & fry for a minute.

                                Add cumin powder & turmeric powder. Sauté for a minute. 

                                  Add onion & garlic. Continue to fry till light brown. 

                           Add chopped greens & salt. Fry on a low flame till cooked & dry. 

                                  When done, add crushed bori / vadi & give it a stir. 

                                  Serve hot with plain steamed rice or chapatis.