Cauliflower Greens Leaves And Stalk Bhaji/Sabji 2, With Besan (Bengal Gram Flour)
Gobhi Patte & Danthal ki Besan Wali Sabji
Mamta Gupta
This is a dish that you don't see in restaurants. It uses the leaves and stalks of cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli that are normally discarded. It is especially useful for people who grow their own vegetables and have access to really fresh leaves and stalks. In North India and Punjab, it is considered quite a delicacy and stalks are sold as a vegetable in their own right. Here I have added a little besan to the spice mix, giving it a delicious, nutty taste.
Serves 4, as a side dish
Ingredients
250 gm. cauliflower greens/eaves and stalks
1 tsp. grated/chopped ginger root
3 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds or (5 spice mix)
1 tbsp. Besan or Bengal gram flour
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. chilli powder or 1 chopped green chilli (more if you like food hot)
1 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
You can also add a small, chopped tomato, as shown in pictures here.
Instructions
Wash the leaves and stalks well. Discard the ones that are too hard.
Gather the leaves together and slice them thinly like beans.
Cut the stalks into batons.
Heat oil in a wok or karahi.
Add cumin or panch-pooran seeds mix, pictures here show cumin.
Allow the seeds to splutter/crackle. If using panchpooran, which has musrad seeds, it is better to keep the lid on. This stops the black mustard seeds from jumping into the corners of your kitchen you didn't know existed.
Add Besan flour and stir continuously, until you get a nutty aroma and the Besan bubbles a little.
Add vegetables and then all the spices. Stir well. If the leaves are not very fresh, add a little water, as shown in pictures here.
Turn the heat to low and cook covered, stirring gently from time to time, until stalks are tender. This does not take more than 10 minutes usually, unless you are using very tough stalks. Do not overcook, some 'bite' should be left.
Add lemon juice and garam masala and stir gently on high heat, until all the liquid is absorbed and vegetables look shiny. Serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Paratha, as part of an Indian meal
Notes
Ass teaspoon of mashed lemon or chilli or mango pickle to this dish towards the end and stir fry it in. I often add a bit of mashed pickle to many dry ( without gravy/sauce) vegetable bhajies.
