Wednesday, December 16, 2015

palak chane ka shorba | spinach and black chickpeas winter stew


I did not realise I have so many winter recipes of beans and greens cooked together in my drafts. I was reminded when someone asked me how do I eat so much spinach and beet greens when I was buying my truckload. I do buy greens by the truckload, well almost.

I blurted out a few recipes then and there at the farmer's market, assured the lady that the recipes are there on the blogs. When I checked after coming home I found I have forgot posting them and the palak wala rajma, palak chane ka shorba and even palak ka nimona were still waiting in the drafts. Trying to bring them up one after the other.

All these recipes were shot last year. Anyway, better late than never.

palak chane ka shorba

This palak chane ka shorba is a one step pressure cooker recipe that I love cooking during winters. Thankfully it is loved by everyone who happens to taste it. Served with a little ghee on top and some plain boiled rice it makes a comforting warm winter meal. I survive on such soupy winter meals in fact.

Note that this recipe somehow works to treat any mild coughing or sneezing as well, thanks to the garam masala, turmeric and generous use of ginger in it.

The winter shorbas are in fact made keeping in mind the cold and cough season and to bring warmth to the body. I cook it in a large pressure cooker whenever I do and keep serving it for a week or so, every alternate day if not every day.

A shorba can be a stew or a soup, this is a black gram stew with spinach. Sometimes I add Beet greens as well.

ingredients 
(for 5-7 servings)

250 gm kala chana (black gram)
1 kilo cleaned and chopped spinach (1.5 kilo spinach before cleaning)
80-100 gm ginger, half made into a paste and half of it cut in julienne or as you wish
50-60 gm garlic cloves whole
whole dry red chillies to taste (make it hot I say)
1 tsp pepper powder
2 tsp garam masala powder of your choice
1.5 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup of fresh tomato puree (preferably desi tomatoes)
2 tbsp mustard oil or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch of hing

2-3 tbsp of deep fried browned onions crushed, if you have in your pantry or if you want to spend some time.

procedure 

I have made this shorba in one step pressure cooking, like just dunking everything in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and pressure cooking for about 25 minutes after the first whistle and this shorba cooks so well and tastes so delicious no one believes it is such a simple recipe.

But if you want to spend some time you can heat mustard oil, add the hing, cumin seeds and then the turmeric powder and garam masala, the tomato puree and then everything else together. Top with 2 cups of water and cover the lid and let the pressure build till the first whistle.

Lower the heat and let it cook on its own for 25-30 minutes.Take off the heat, let it cool and open the lid. Garnish with some ghee and some coriander greens if you like.

Serve hot, without or without accompaniments I say. Boiled rice tastes great with it but try having very little rice in this shorba.




1 comment:

  1. Lovely Sangeeta! I am really looking forward to these simple, nutritious recipes. I love how dal and sabji are combined in one; protein and veg. :) Looking forward to making them very soon and will let you know how they turn out.

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