Hari Bhari Sabzi

Assembling the Ingredients:

What’s in the Curry

The following greens should be finely chopped: 1 1/2 cups spinach, 1 1/2 cups mustard greens and 1 cups beet greens or swiss chard

1 tbsp. oil

5-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. salt.

1/2 cup bell peppers, cut into small dice

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 jalapeno, sliced into med. dice

1 cup onion, cut into small dice

1/2 cup fennel

The Masala that Adds Extra Flavor

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. fennel seeds

2 cloves

1/2 tsp. turmeric

The Tadka That Tops It All Off:

1 tbsp. ghee or butter.

1/4 cup bell peppers, cut into long strips

1/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup onions, cut into long strips

1/2 jalapeno, cut into med. dice

1/2 tsp. salt

A quarter wedge of lemon

Suggestions for Added Creaminess:

1/4-1/2 cup grated paneer (optional)

1/4 cup ricotta (optional)

Firing Up the Stove:

Bringing the Curry to Life:

1. Boil the greens together–1 1/2 cups spinach, 1 1/2 cups mustard greens, 1 cup beet greens–in a pot for 10 mins. Strain in a colander and set aside, reserving the cooking water.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan for 2 mins on med. heat. Saute the garlic in the oil for 30 secs.
3. Add the rest of the curry ingredients–1/2 cup bell peppers, 1/2 cup peas, 1/2 jalapeno, 1 cup onion, 1/2 cup fennel. Saute for 5-7 mins till the veggies start to soften.
4. While the veggies are sauteing, blend the masala ingredients together–1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 tsp. coriander seeds, 1 tsp. fennel, 2 cloves and 1/2 tsp. turmeric.
5. Add the masala to the veggies and saute for another 5 mins.
6. Turn off the stove and blend the boiled greens, along with the sauteed veggies, using some of the reserved water until you have a smooth puree.

Topping Off the Curry:

1. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan for 3-4 mins. until it starts melting.
2. Add second batch of veggies–1/2 cup onions, 1/4 cup each of peas and bell peppers, half a jalapeno–to the butter and saute for 5 mins. till soft.
3. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and cook for an additional two mins. If using paneer, add it at this time,
4. Add the pureed curry and 1/4 cup ricotta to the sauteed veggies and simmer on med. low for 5 mins.
5. Add a few drops of lemon, taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Serve the Hari Bhari Sabzi hot with bread, roti, naan or rice.

Eating with Your Eyes:

Notes for Changes on the Fly:

1. If you don’t have ricotta, substitute cream or milk, or cottage cheese.
2. For a more textured curry, which I sometimes prefer, use a hand blender to puree the greens with the rest of the veggies. The resultant curry will be less a smooth puree and more a chunkier stew but it still tastes delicious. This approach is especially useful if you are in a rush. If you have a chunkier curry, you can just cut out the step of adding the second batch of onions, peas, bell peppers and jalapeno. Simply hand blend the curry, add lemon and salt to taste. Top off with butter, paneer and/or ricotta.