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Churpi ningro
Fiddlehead fern curry
छुर्पी निङ्ग्रो · Sikkimese fiddlehead ferns cooked with soft churpi cheese
In the monsoon, ningro (fiddlehead fern) shoots appear in the hill markets of Gangtok, Namchi and Darjeeling, curled like violin scrolls. Sikkimese homes cook them quickly with onion, tomato and green chilli, then stir in crumbled soft churpi, a fresh, tangy cheese made from yak or cow's milk, which melts into a creamy, slightly sour sauce. It is a side dish for rice and dal, and tastes green and grassy, a little like asparagus. Chef's tip: always boil ferns for a few minutes and drain before cooking; it removes bitterness. Ricotta or crumbled feta is a fair stand-in for churpi.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz fiddlehead ferns (ningro)tough ends trimmed
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onionsliced
- 2 garlic cloveschopped
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 medium tomatochopped
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz soft churpi (or ricotta or crumbled feta)crumbled
- 4 tbsp water
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rinse 10 ½ oz fiddlehead ferns (ningro) well, rubbing off any brown fluff. Cut into 4 cm pieces and boil in salted water for 4 minutes. Drain. Common mistake: cooking them raw; fiddleheads should always be boiled first.
5 minStep 2: Heat 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry 1 medium onion for 3 minutes until soft, then add 2 garlic cloves and 2 green chillies for 30 seconds.
4 minStep 3: Add 1 medium tomato, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp salt and cook for 3 minutes until the tomato softens.
3 minStep 4: Add the ferns and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 3 ½ oz soft churpi (or ricotta or crumbled feta) and 4 tbsp water and stir for 1–2 minutes until the cheese melts into a creamy coating. If using feta, reduce the salt. Serve hot with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does churpi ningro take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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