There is not much to be said about this recipe, other than it is a must a try. This is literally the best way to get your dose of vegetables and greens all in one go.
When translated from Sindhi to English, Sai means Green and Bhaji means vegetables. It is a staple curry in households from India and Pakistan. The health benefits of this beautiful green curry come from the combined benefits of vegetables such as:
- Lauki (Bottle Gourd)
- Baingan (Eggplant)
- Aloo (Potato)
- Gajar (Carrot)
- Tomato
- Methi (Fenugreek)
- Palak (Spinach)
The veggies act as a source of several vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A and C, and potassium, calcium and iron. Why go for supplements when a simple one-pot curry can give you such an incredible does of nutrition! Better still, the overall curry is so low on calories that you can eat it bowls and bowls of it, completely guilt-free 🙂
Let’s take a second to appreciate the simplicity of this curry. And that simplicity comes from the use of simple spices and flavors like green chilies, ginger and garlic and nothing too heavy. It is a perfectly simple amalgamation of spicy and tangy flavors.
This recipe is one of those that can be prepared on a Sunday night and can be enjoyed through the week.
| Prep time | 8 hours |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Serves | 3-4 |
Ingredients
Vegetables
- Lauki (Bottlegourd) – 1 small, diced
- Baingan (Eggplant) – 2 medium, diced
- Gajar (Carrot) – 1 large, chopped
- Aloo (Potato) – 3-4 small, diced
- Methi Leaves (Fenugreek) – 1 bunch (thoroughly cleaned and separated) [Approx. 2 cups]
- Palak (Spinach) – 1 small packet [Approx. 2 tightly packed cups)
- Tomato – 1-2 small, chopped
- Onion – 1 large, chopped
Lentils
- Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas) – 1 cup, dry
Spices and Flavors
- Jeera Seeds (Cumin) – 1 tsp
- Methi Seeds (Fenugreek) – 1 tsp
- Haldi (Ground Turmeric) – 1 tsp
- Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
- Green Chilies – 1 tbsp, crushed
- Ginger – 1 tbsp, crushed
- Garlic – 1 tbsp, crushed
- Tamarind juice or concentrate – 1 tbsp
- Salt as per taste
Cooking oils
- Oil – 2 tbsp
Ingredient notes
- In this recipe, I have used the long Chinese Eggplant because it is not seedy. You could also use the mini purple Indian Eggplants. I would not reccomend the Globe Eggplant because it has a meatier texture
- If fresh Methi leaves are not available at the Indian store, you can find frozen methi in the frozen vegetables aisle. Follow the thawing instructions on pack to use in this curry
Method
- Soak chana dal for 6-8 hours
- Thoroughly clean all the veggies, chop them and set them aside
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode
- Once the pan is hot, add oil. To this add jeera and methi seeds
- Once it splutters, add the crushed green chilies, ginger and garlic. Fry well until the spices bloom and all the flavors are aromatic
- Next, add the haldi and red chili powder. Mix well again until the spices have cooked
- Add chopped onions and tomatoes. Mix well until they are well coated with the spice mixture
- Next, add the chopped veggies and mix well. Follow this with the methi leaves, palak and chana dal
- Add 2-3 cups water
- Add salt as per taste
- Add the tamarind juice or concentrate
- Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook on high for 20-25 minutes
- Once the pressure cooking is done, allow for natural release of the steam before opening the vent and the lid
- Once the lid is open, use a hand masher or hand blender to mash the curry to get to a semi-thick consistency
- Pour into a bowl and serve it piping hot with a simple pulao or with rotis
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Food For My Love 