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Alu chi patal bhaji
Colocasia leaf curry
अळूची पातळ भाजी (aluchi patal bhaji): Maharashtrian colocasia leaves with chana dal and peanuts in a sweet-sour curry
No Maharashtrian festive thali, at Ganesh Chaturthi, a wedding or a naming ceremony, feels complete without a bowl of aluchi patal bhaji: chopped colocasia leaves stewed soft with chana dal and peanuts in a thin curry that is sour with tamarind, sweet with jaggery and thickened with a spoon of gram flour. It is eaten mixed into rice or sipped from the thali. Colocasia leaves must be cooked thoroughly with an acid like tamarind; undercooked leaves make the throat itch. The usual mistake is skimping on the cooking time to save the bright green colour; the leaves should be fully soft and olive-green. Chef's tip: soak the peanuts and chana dal for at least 2 hours, so they cook in the same time as the leaves.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz colocasia (alu) leavesabout 8 large leaves, stems and thick ribs removed, chopped
- 1 ¾ oz chana dalsoaked 2 hours
- 1 ⅜ oz raw peanutssoaked 2 hours
- 3 cups water
- ⅞ oz tamarindsoaked in 150 ml hot water
- 1 oz jaggery
- 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)whisked with 100 ml water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp goda masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut (optional)optional
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive and wash the 9 oz colocasia (alu) leaves well. Put them in a heavy pot with drained 1 ¾ oz chana dal, 1 ⅜ oz raw peanuts and 3 cups water.
3 minStep 2: Strain the ⅞ oz tamarind and add the juice; the acid starts working on the leaves. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the dal is soft and the leaves are dark and fully collapsed.
25 minStep 3: Whisk the pot with a wire whisk for 1 minute to break the leaves into a rough purée. Stir in 1 oz jaggery, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp goda masala.
2 minStep 4: Stir in the 2 tbsp gram flour (besan) mixture and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring, until the curry is smooth and as thick as single cream; add hot water if it is too thick.
6 minStep 5: For the tempering, push the curry to one side or use a small ladle: heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil, add 1 tsp mustard seeds and ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, and when they pop add ¼ tsp asafoetida (gluten-free hing), 1 sprig curry leaves and ¼ tsp ground turmeric. Stir into the curry.
2 minStep 6: Taste a spoonful: if there is any scratchy feeling in the throat, add a little more tamarind and simmer 5 minutes more. Scatter 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut and serve with rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does alu chi patal bhaji take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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