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Mula ko tarkari
मुलाको तरकारी (mula ko tarkari): Nepali white radish and its greens with turmeric, timur and fenugreek seed
In the hills around Kathmandu and Pokhara, long white winter radishes are pulled with their leaves still on, and both go into this simple tarkari served beside dal-bhat. The radish is cut into thin batons and cooked down in mustard oil with a sizzle of fenugreek seed, turmeric and tingly timur pepper until it turns sweet and translucent, while the greens wilt in at the end. The usual mistake is adding too much water: radish releases plenty of its own juice, and extra water turns it into a bland soup. Chef's tip: let the fenugreek seeds turn dark brown, almost black, before the radish goes in; that toasty bitterness is what makes Nepali radish taste right.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb white radish (mooli) with leavesradish cut into thin batons, leaves chopped
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 tsp fresh gingergrated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper)lightly crushed
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tomatochopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a wok or karahi over a high heat until it just smokes, then lower the heat to medium. Add ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and 2 dried red chillies and fry for 30–40 seconds until the seeds are dark brown.
1 minStep 2: Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 tsp fresh ginger and stir for 30 seconds, then add the 1 ⅓ lb white radish (mooli) with leaves batons (keep the chopped leaves aside), ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper) and ¾ tsp salt. Toss well.
2 minStep 3: Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring now and then. The radish will give off its own water; do not add any.
10 minStep 4: Add 1 tomato and the chopped radish leaves, uncover and cook for 5–7 minutes more, until the radish is translucent and tender with a slight bite and the juices have mostly cooked away.
6 minStep 5: Taste and adjust the salt. Serve with dal, rice and achar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mula ko tarkari take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 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 fenugreek seeds?
- Leave them out, or add a little extra mustard seed (you lose the slightly bitter, maple-like note).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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