Koshala Saga Tarkari | Amaranth Leaves Curry

Monday is here again !! Monday means there must be a post for Foodie Monday Blog Hop team. This time the theme (171th) is decided as 'SaagSaga'. That means we have to make a post using any leafy green vegetable aka saag. Well when the theme was chosen, from that day I had listed a no. of dishes in my mind from my home state, Odisha for the contribution. And finally I have ended up with a no-onion-no-garlic curry using amaranth leaves as Amaranth Leaves Curry aka Koshala Saga Tarkari.

Saag / saga plays a vital role in Odia cuisine. There are a number of plants which are used as sag like Palanga Saga (spinach leaves), Koshala Saga (amaranth leaves), Poi Saga (malabar spinach), Kalama Saga (water spinach leaves), Sajana Saga (drumstick leaves / moringa leaves), Madaranga saga (alternanthera sessilis), Pita Saga (glinus oppositifolius), Sunusunia Saga, Kakharu saga (leaves of pumpkin plant) and many more. The simplest way to indulge these leafy greens for me is : First wash and clean the leaves; chopped them; heat oil; add panch phoron, whole red chili, sightly crushed whole garlic cloves; add chopped leaves, salt; mix well and cover; thats all. I love any leafy greens in this way mostly along with water rice (pakhala) or steamed rice-dal combo. 

But today which I have shared the saag dish, Amaranth Leaves Curry aka Koshala Saga Tarkari is prepared using amaranth leaves, some vegetables and a specific masala paste. The saag here used is the amaranth leaves / koshala saga but, I have added both green as well as red varieties. The paste is prepared of cumin seed, mustard seed, whole black pepper, coriander seeds along with little amount of water. The dish is basically prepared in temples, so it is without onion-garlic vegetarian dish. So for any festive season this tarkari is perfectly fit to be on the menu. If you want to try in any other day, then some garlic cloves can be added while making the paste. And also the whole black pepper can be omitted. Instead of ghee, mustard oil can be used to enhance the flavor of the dish along with the garlic flavor. The authentic preparation uses ghee, but I have opted oil here to include a healthy note.

So definitely do try this vegan, gluten-free and without onion & garlic Amaranth Leaves Curry / Koshala Saga Tarkari. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also kindly give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as #firsttimercook on Instagram. You may also follow me on Facebook,  Pinterest,  Twitter,  Google+,  Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

Preparation Time : 20 mins  |  Cooking Time : 30 mins

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Koshala saga (amaranth leave) (washed & chopped)	2 cup
Colocasia (arbi) (peeled and cut into cubes)	½ cup
Potato (peeled and cut into cubes)	1 cup
Yam (peeled and cut into cubes)	½ cup
Pumpkin (peeled and cut into cubes)	½ cup
Brinjal (cut into cubes)	½ cup
Badi (sun-dried lentil (black gram) dumpling) (round / long shape)	4-5 no
Cumin seed	1 tbsp
Mustard seed	1 tbsp
Whole black pepper	½ tsp
Coriander seed	1 tsp
Whole red chili	1-2 no
Panch phoron	½ tsp
Asafoetida	1 pinch
Turmeric powder	½ tsp
Coconut (grated)	1-2 tbsp
Oil	3 tbsp
Salt	As needed
Water	As needed

​
Method :

1. First make a fine paste of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole black peppers, coriander seeds and a little amount of water. Keep aside.
2. In a pan, then heat 1 tbsp ghee and shallow fry the badis till golden brown in color. 
3. Transfer those fried badis to a plate and keep aside.
4. Next to the same pan, add 1 tbsp ghee again.
5. Add all the chopped vegetables except eggplant and saute for 2-3 minutes.
6. Next add chopped eggplant, turmeric powder and salt.
7. Mix everything well and add some water (around 1/2 cup).
8. Cover the pan and allow to cook till the vegetables are soft a bit, not overcooked.
9. Then add the paste which is prepared in the first step and mix well.
10. Next add chopped amaranth leaves / koshala saga and the fried.
11. Mix well and again allow to cook till everything is done by covering the pan.
12. Next in a tadka pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee.
13. Add whole red chili, asafoetida, panch phoron and allow to crackle.
14. Pour this tempering onto the pan.
15. Mix gently and allow to cook for 1 minute more.
16. Turn off heat and add grated coconut.
17. Give a gentle mix again and serve as a side dish with steamed rice-dal combo !

Notes :

• Oil I have used here. But ghee can be used to get the authentic temple flavor in the dish.
• Always keep in mind that after washing the amaranth leaves / koshala saga, these leaves should be drained out completely placing in a colander.

PIN for later :

Continue Reading ...

Drumstick Leave Fry with Moong Dal | Sajana Saga Muga

The leaves of drumsticks are known as Moringa leaves / Drumstick leaves / Sajana saga (in odia). These leaves are one of my most favorite leafy greens from rest others. These are loaded with valuable minerals, vitamins and proteins which results in a variety of health benefits. The moringa leaves are a great energy booster and are an excellent source of nutrition too. In different types of cuisines, these leaves are widely used as a main ingredient also. But the drumstick leaves are somewhat tough to digest. So it has to make sure that the leaves get very tender while cooking any dish using these leaves. 

Well for current month the event 'A to Z Recipe Challenge' has come up with the alphabet D. That means, there must be a recipe post having the main ingredient name starting with alphabet D. So I opted D for Drumstick Leaves and I have prepared an Odia dish as 'Drumstick Leave Fry with Moong Dal' aka 'Sajana Saga Muga'.

This dish is so simple yet much flavorful with few ingredients. First the drumstick leaves / sajana saga are separated from the stem and washed with plenty of water to discard the dusts which are always on top of the leaves. The moong dal used here is also dry roasted slightly and then cooked till soft, not mushy. The washed leaves and the cooked moong dal are simply fried to get the flavorful Sajana Saga Muga. I always prefer to use only garlic in any Odia style saga bhaja, but if desire some chopped onions can be added. This dish goes very well with some steamed rice dal combo or with pakhala / water rice. The sajana saga muga bhaja is very healthy and diabetic friendly too.

So do try this simple Odia dish as 'Drumstick Leave Fry with Moong Dal' aka 'Sajana Saga Muga'. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as #firsttimercook on Instagram. You may also follow me on Facebook,   Pinterest,   Twitter,   Google+,   Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

Preparation Time : 10 mins  |  Cooking Time : 20 mins 

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Drumstick leaves (separated from stem and washed)	1 ½ cup
Moong dal (lightly roasted)	½ cup
Garlic clove	3-4 no
Panch phoron	½ tsp
Whole red chili	1 no
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Mustard oil	1 tbsp
Salt	As needed

Method :

1. First wash the lightly roasted moong dal.
2. Then put in a pressure cooker along with salt, turmeric and water (around 1-1.5 cup) and cook until done (the dal should not be mushy).
3. Drain and keep aside the cooked moong dal.
4. Now heat mustard oil in a pan.
5. Add in whole red chili, panch phoron and allow to crackle.
6. Next add slightly crushed garlic cloves and saute till the aroma of garlic comes out.
7. Then add drumstick leaves and saute a bit.
8. After that add cooked moong dal and salt.
9. Mix everything well and allow to cook over low - medium heat by covering the pan with a lid.
10. When the leaves become tender, then turn off heat.
11. Serve hot as a side dish with steamed rice or water rice !

Notes :

• Along with garlic, some chopped onion can be used.
• Keep an eye while cooking the moong dal in order to avoid the mushy stage of moong dal.

PIN for later :

Continue Reading ...

Green Tea Lemonade (VIRGIN)

After Diwali, the major Hindu festive season is almost completed in India. From namkeen snacks to plates full of mithais, everything have indulged by us during that time. Hence the festive season results in the gaining weight. Also after this period, there is always a seasonal change and our body really needs to detoxify in order to be able to handle all those changes and back to normal track. Keeping all these things in mind, the 170th theme of Foodie Monday Blog Hop team has decided as 'Detox Recipes'. So I have shared a detox beverage, Green Tea Lemonade as my contribution.

There are many foods which helps us to detoxify our body. Some are water, lemon, honey, spinach, tomato, green tea, cucumber, turmeric and many more. I have used green tea and lemon for the beverage. Lemons can naturally cure 
everything related to our digestive system which may start from bloating to indigestion. So a post-festive detox must have a good dose of lemons. And the green tea has a number of health benefits which include detoxifying our body and preventing bloating too. The high amount of antioxidants puts green tea on most detox lists. These antioxidants seek out and kill free radicals (known to have a hand in ageing and other diseases) before they can do any damage. So instead of making a hot beverage using the green tea, here I have come up with a cold one as Green Tea Lemonade.

The brewing part of the tea has to be finished first followed by the lemonade part. This lemonade is naturally sweetened with honey. Any other sweetener can be opted if desire. If you are not at all a fond of green tea, then I can assure you that this will be your most favorite beverage after having a sip. This tea infused lemonade is very light and refreshing and is perfect for sipping throughout the day. In any party beverage list, this green tea lemonade surely make its place to love by all.

So do try this detoxifying Green Tea Lemonade (VIRGIN). If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also kindly give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as #firsttimercook on Instagram. You may also follow me on Facebook,  Pinterest,  Twitter,  Google+,  Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

Preparation Time : 10 mins  |  Cooking Time : 5 mins 

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Green tea bag	2 no
Lemon	3-4 no
Cold water	2 cup
Water	1 & ¼ cup
Honey	As needed
Ice cube	few

​
Method :

1. In a saucepan, first boil 1 cup of water. 
2. Turn off heat and add the tea bags.
3. Allow to steep for 3-4 minutes.
4. Take out the teabags and add the fresh lemon juices by squeezing the lemons.
5. Pour 2 cup of cold water, honey and give a nice stir.
6. Now take the serving glass.
7. Put some lemon slices and ice cubes.
8. Next pour the green tea lemonade and serve immediately !

Notes :

• If desire, then some lemon zest can be added along with lemon juice to increase the tartness in lemonade.
• Honey here I have used, any other sweetener can be taken also.

PIN for later :

Continue Reading ...

Thukpa (Vegan Version)

A soup is a flavorful and nutritious liquid food served at the first of several courses which is intended just to whet the appetite. This may be one of many dishes served at the same time or a hearty meal served in a bowl. Soups have been made since ancient times. There are basically two categories of soup based upon the texture of the soup as Thin Soup (ex: clear soup) & Thick Soup (ex: creamy soup), which are further classified into various categories. A clear soup is served crystal clear and the thick creamy soup has a smooth velvety finish. Beside any varieties, soups are always easy one pot meal which are perfectly fit for dinner or lunch or even snack. Some soup recipes from my space are

• Carrot Turmeric Soup (Vegan & Gluten-free)

• Vegan Wonton Soup 

• Coriander Lemon Soup

• Tender Green Pea Stew (Vegan & Gluten free) 
• Roasted Chickpea Soup (Vegan & Gluten free)

Well, Thukpa is such a soup where the main ingredient is the noodle. So this is basically a noodle soup from Tibetan cuisine. These days, the thukpa seems to be hugely popular in North-East region of Indian subcontinent. This soup contains both vegetables / non-vegetables and rice / whole wheat noodles in it. The vegetables used in the preparation are the most common ones such as cabbage, carrot, mushroom, onion etc where as the non-vegetarians mainly consists of either meat or chicken. While making a soup, we usually boil everything in one pot, but in case of thukpa the noodles have to be cooked before hand and added to the soup just at the end. Here I have come up with the vegetarian version using vegetable broth, but some shredded or chopped meat or non-vegetarian broth can also be added to this. This version of thukpa is so simple, easy to make and a comfort bowl packed with vegetables. 

So do try this noodle soup from Tibetan cuisine, THUKPA. If you tried my recipe and enjoyed fully, then please share some pictures of your creation with me. Also give your valuable feedback either in the comment box below or tag me as #firsttimercook on Instagram. You may also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and can subscribe for free to get new recipes directly into your inbox 😊

Preparation Time : 15 mins   |   Cooking Time : 25 mins 

Ingredients :        

Ingredients	Measurements
Noodle	2 cup
Carrot (thin stripe)	1/3rd cup
Cabbage (thin stripe)	½ cup
Mushroom (thin stripe)	½ cup
Tomato (finely chopped) (medium)	1 no
Onion (thin slice)	1 no
Garlic (finely chopped)	1 tsp
Soy sauce	1-2 tbsp
Pepper powder	¼ tsp
Vegetable broth / stock	3 cup
Spring onion (finely chopped)	Few
Oil	2 tsp
Salt	As needed
Water	As needed

Method :

1. First in a deep pan, boil sufficient water and add in salt.
2. Next put the noodles and cook till AL-Dante.
3. Drain all the water, mix the cooked noodles with little oil. Keep aside.
4. Now heat oil in a pan.
5. Add finely chopped garlic, onion slices and saute till onion turns translucent.
6. Then add chopped tomatoes, carrot stripes, cabbage stripes, mushroom stripes and saute for some minutes till tomatoes as well as other vegetables are soft.
7. Next add soy sauce, pepper powder, salt and vegetable broth / stock.
8. Mix everything well and simmer for 12-15 minutes.
9. Now add cooked noodles, mix well and again simmer for 2-3 minutes.
10. Turn off heat.
11. Pour into serving bowl, sprinkle some chopped green onions & serve hot !

Notes :

• Baby spinach leaves can be added.
• Vegetable broth / stock can be replaced with normal water.

PIN to read later :

This 'Thukpa (Vegan Version)' is contributed for 56th Healthy Wellthy Cuisines where the theme is 'Soupy Tales at HW'. Here are more similar recipes shared by our Healthy Wealthy Group members as Wonton Soup, Vegetable Manchow Soup, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Hot & Sour Vegetable Soup, Bottle gourd soup. 

Continue Reading ...