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Kachnar ki sabzi
کچنار کی سبزی (kachnar ki sabzi): Punjabi bauhinia buds cooked with onion and spices in spring
For a few weeks each March, the kachnar trees of Lahore, Rawalpindi and the Punjab plains are covered in buds, and families pick them to cook this seasonal sabzi, often eaten with fresh roti at Sunday lunch. The buds are boiled briefly, then cooked down with onion, tomato and dry spices until they turn soft with a pleasant, slightly astringent bite, a little like green beans and artichoke. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is fibre-rich and low in starch: about 140 kcal and 12 g carbohydrate per portion; a wholewheat or millet roti suits it. The usual mistake is skipping the blanch, which leaves the buds bitter and tough. Chef's tip: pick tight, unopened buds; open flowers turn mushy.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz kachnar buds (bauhinia)stalks removed, washed
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onionsfinely sliced
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 green chillieschopped
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil the 14 oz kachnar buds (bauhinia) buds in plenty of water for 8 minutes until they soften. Drain, rinse in cold water, squeeze gently and chop roughly.
10 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a karahi over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds for 15 seconds, then fry 2 onions for 8 minutes until golden.
8 minStep 3: Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute, then 2 tomatoes, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander and ¾ tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the oil separates.
6 minStep 4: Add the kachnar and 2 green chillies, stir well, cover and cook over a low heat for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the buds are tender and the masala clings to them with no watery liquid left.
8 minStep 5: Sprinkle with ½ tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with roti.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kachnar ki sabzi take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 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 cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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