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Singju
Manipuri crunchy salad of cabbage, lotus stem and herbs with roasted chilli and gram flour
Singju is Imphal's favourite evening snack, sold from stalls at Khwairamband market and Thangal Bazar: a pile of finely shredded cabbage, lotus stem, banana flower, onion and fresh herbs, tossed with roasted chilli and toasted gram flour. Most stalls add a little ngari (fermented fish); vegetarian Meitei homes skip it and use extra roasted perilla or sesame and toasted gram flour, which give a nutty, savoury depth. It is crunchy, hot and herby. Chef's tip: shred everything as thinly as you can, almost like hair; the dressing clings better.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salad
- 9 oz white cabbagevery finely shredded
- 3 ½ oz lotus stempeeled, thinly sliced and blanched 2 minutes
- 1 small red onionthinly sliced
- ½ cucumbercut into fine matchsticks
- ⅔ oz fresh corianderchopped
- ⅓ oz mint leaveschopped
- ½ oz garlic chives or spring onion greenschopped
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lime juice (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 3 tbsp gram flour (besan) in a pan over a low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and is a shade darker. Tip out.
5 minStep 2: In the same pan, roast 2 tbsp perilla or white sesame seeds for 1–2 minutes until it pops, and 4 dried red chillies for 1 minute until they darken and smell smoky. Pound both with ¾ tsp salt to a coarse powder.
3 minStep 3: Toss 9 oz white cabbage, 3 ½ oz lotus stem, 1 small red onion, ½ cucumber, ⅔ oz fresh coriander, ⅓ oz mint leaves and ½ oz garlic chives or spring onion greens in a large bowl.
Step 4: Just before serving, sprinkle over the chilli powder and the toasted gram flour, add 1 tbsp lime juice if you like, and toss with your hands so everything is coated. Common mistake: dressing it in advance; the salt draws out water and the crunch is gone in 15 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does singju take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 5 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.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of white cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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