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Bred songe
Braised taro leaves
Bred songe: Mauritian taro leaves braised with garlic, ginger, onion and green chilli
Songe is the island's name for the taro plant, and its big heart-shaped leaves end up in many Creole and Indo-Mauritian kitchens on a weekday night, braised down into a dark, silky tangle that tastes somewhere between spinach and artichoke. Buy the leaves from an Indian or Asian grocer, where they are sold as arbi or patra leaves; never pick them wild. Raw taro leaves contain needle-like crystals that make the mouth and throat prickle, and the commonest mistake is pulling them off the heat too soon, so they are blanched first and then cooked until completely soft, with a little tamarind to help. Spoon it next to rice, dholl and a fresh chatini, or tuck it into a farata. Chef's tip: taste a small piece before serving; if you feel even a faint scratch at the back of the throat, cover the pan and give it another five minutes.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz taro leavesabout 12 large leaves, shop-bought
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionfinely sliced
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingergrated
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- ¾ tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash 14 oz taro leaves, wearing gloves if your skin is sensitive. Cut out the thick central rib and stalk, stack the leaves, roll them up tightly and slice into 1 cm ribbons.
Step 2: Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the leaves and boil on a high heat until dark and limp. Drain, press out the water with a spoon and throw the water away.
8 minStep 3: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion until soft and just golden.
6 minStep 4: Add 4 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh ginger and 2 green chillies and fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.
1 minStep 5: Add 1 tomato and cook until it collapses into the oil.
3 minStep 6: Add the blanched leaves, 1 tsp tamarind paste, ¾ tsp salt and 4 tablespoons of water. Stir, cover and cook on a low heat, stirring now and then, until the leaves are completely soft and almost melting and the pan is nearly dry. Taste a little: there should be no prickle in your throat.
12 minStep 7: Uncover and fry for a final 1–2 minutes on a medium heat so the edges catch slightly, then serve hot.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bred songe 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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