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Monji haak
Kohlrabi and greens in mustard oil
Monji haak: Kashmiri kohlrabi and its greens cooked in mustard oil with whole chillies
Kohlrabi, monji in Kashmiri, grows in almost every kitchen garden in the Kashmir Valley, and families cook the round bulb and its leaves together in one pot. Like its cousin haak, it is a dish of very few ingredients: mustard oil, dried chilli, a pinch of asafoetida and salt, simmered with a splash of water until the bulb turns sweet and tender. It is eaten through the cold months with plain rice and a bowl of yogurt, and Kashmiris will tell you it tastes best in autumn when the bulbs are young. Chef's tip: buy kohlrabi with fresh, perky leaves attached; if the leaves are tired, add a handful of spinach instead.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 kohlrabi with leavesabout 800 g in total
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut the leaves off 4 kohlrabi with leaves and wash them well. Strip away thick stalks and tear the leaves into large pieces; Kashmiris keep them big, and chopping them fine makes the dish mushy.
Step 2: Peel the bulbs thickly to remove the woody skin, then cut into 5 mm rounds or half-moons.
Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a pan over a high heat until it smokes, then take it off the heat for 1 minute. Return to a medium heat and add 3 dried Kashmiri red chillies; fry for 10 seconds until they darken, then add ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing).
3 minStep 4: Add the kohlrabi slices and 2 green chillies and stir for 2 minutes so every slice is coated in the red-tinged oil.
2 minStep 5: Add the leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 cup water. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, until the bulb is translucent at the edges and tender to a fork but still holds its shape, and the leaves are a deep olive green.
18 minStep 6: Uncover and simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce the liquid to a few spoonfuls of thin, peppery broth. Serve hot with rice.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does monji haak take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 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 gluten-free asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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