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Shalgam ki sabzi
شلجم کی سبزی (shalgam ki sabzi): Punjab's winter turnips cooked down with tomato and a touch of jaggery
December fog over central Punjab means turnip season: purple-topped turnips pile up at every mandi, and village kitchens from Sheikhupura to Okara cook them down into this soft, sweet-savoury mash. Covered and steamed in their own juices with onion and tomato, the turnips lose their peppery bite, then a little jaggery and a final hard stir-fry turn them glossy and jammy. It is winter food through and through, eaten with makki di roti or wholewheat chapati, a dab of white butter for those who want it and a glass of lassi. Skipping the final bhuno, the open-pan frying at the end, is the classic error: it leaves the dish watery and flat instead of rich. Chef's tip: mash only half the turnips, leaving the rest in small pieces, so the sabzi has some texture.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the sabzi
- 3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ⅔ lb turnipspeeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 tbsp jaggery (gur)grated
- 1 /2 tsp garam masala
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
To serve
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
- 2 cm piece fresh ginger (optional)cut into matchsticks
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: If using mustard oil, heat 3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil in a heavy pan until it just begins to smoke, then let it cool for a minute; otherwise simply heat it over a medium heat.
2 minStep 2: Add 2 onions and fry for 7–8 minutes until golden brown.
8 minStep 3: Stir in 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste for a minute.
1 minStep 4: Add 2 tomatoes, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp salt and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the oil separates.
5 minStep 5: Add 1 ⅔ lb turnips and stir for 2 minutes to coat them in the masala.
2 minStep 6: Cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the turnips are completely soft; they will release plenty of liquid, so add water only if they catch.
18 minStep 7: Uncover and press about half of the turnips into a rough mash with the back of a spoon.
2 minStep 8: Add 1 tbsp jaggery (gur) and 2 green chillies, turn the heat up to medium-high and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until the liquid has gone and the sabzi looks glossy and leaves the sides of the pan.
5 minStep 9: Sprinkle over 1 /2 tsp garam masala, then finish with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and 2 cm piece fresh ginger and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shalgam ki sabzi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 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 onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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