Leafy vegetables are rarely consumed, especially when you are staying away from your family, because of the tedious task of cleaning them. But proper meal planning will save you from all the hassles. I usually get the greens during the weekend and clean them to use them during the busy week. Todays’ recipe is laal math (red spinach) bhaji. I will guide you step by step in making laal math bhaji.

Ingredients:

• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Laal math: leaves and stems separated and washed thoroughly
• Garlic: 4-5 cloves
• Hing: ½ tsp
• Onion: 1 medium
• Green chilies: 2 chopped

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadhai.
• Add hing and crushed garlic.
• Add chilies and then chopped onion.
• Fry till the onion turns golden.
• Add the chopped veggie to this and mix well.
• Cover this till the leaves turn soft. Add salt.
• Serve it with chapati or bhakri.
• You can also add freshly grated coconut while serving.

Nutrition: Like any other leafy vegetable, this veggie too has calcium, potassium, fiber, iron, etc.

I am a big fan of greens. This one is no different.

Tip: Add salt at the end while making leafy vegetables when they leave the water. This way, you will be saved from adding too much salt.

Upma is a staple in Maharashtra. Originated from the Indian subcontinent, it is also known as uppumavu or uppittu. It is a very famous breakfast in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Orissa, and Sri Lanka.

The recipe is the same as that of oats upma, even the ingredients.

The only difference in this one is the use of semolina. Roast the semolina till it leaves a nice aroma.

Thalipeeth is the most favorite breakfast in many parts of Maharashtra. It is a pancake with flour of 4-5 cereals and pulses and a few masalas. My MIL has the flour ready all months so that whenever we are in a fix as to what to cook, we make a dough of thalipeeth, and the meal problem is solved in a jiffy. The version I am showing is not with the thalipeeth mix but by adding separate flours.

Let’s see what all goes in the making.

Ingredients:

• Besan: 2 cups
• Rice flour: 1 cup
• Jowar flour: 1 cup
• Hing: ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
• Chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Onion: 1 big finely chopped
• Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
• Carom seeds: 1 tsp
• Jeera: 1 tsp

Method:

• Mix all the above ingredients in a big bowl.
• Add water and make it into a dough.
• Flatten using hands as shown in the image.
• Transfer the same on a pan and let it get nicely fried from both sides.
• Serve hot with ghee/butter along with dahi/curd.

Nutrition: This recipe has tons of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins as it is a mixture of all good things. So enjoy without counting the calories!!

Tip: If you do not have the ready made aata, mix the flours available.

Next in the rice series is Maharashtra’s favorite, tondali (kundru/tendli/Ivi gourd) bhat. I know having tondali as a sabzi is super boring. What better option than letting it hide in the rice!!

So, without making any faces, let’s straight head to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Rice: 1 Katori/bowl
• Tondali: 1 Katori cut as in the image
• Ginger, garlic, coriander paste: 2 tbsp (optional)
• Jeera: 1 tsp
• Mustard: 1 tsp
• Onion: 1 medium
• Garam masala: 1 tbsp
• Green peas: ½ Katori (optional)

Method:

• Heat oil in a cooker.
• Add jeera and mustard seeds.
• Then add onion and sauté till golden brown.
• Then add ginger/garlic/coriander paste.
• Nicely sauté till this mixture leaves oil.
• Add rice and roast it on medium flame.
• Finally, add chopped tondali and peas. Mix everything well.
• Add required amounts of water and put on the lid.
• Let it give 3-4 whistles.
• Sprinkle some finely cut coriander.
• Serve it with a dash of ghee.

Nutrition: This easy-to-make rice recipe carries nutrients like carbohydrates, iron, magnesium, Vit C, and dietary fiber.

Tip: In Maharashtra, mostly all the bhat recipes, especially masala bhat, are garnished with freshly grated coconut and finely cut coriander leaves. Do not miss this if you wish to enjoy a typical Maharashtrian dish.

The recipe of wangyache kaap is similar to that of raw banana kaap. Even the ingredients are the same. Just make sure you get those big brinjals/eggplants. Also, if possible, get the light green version than the purple one for kaap.

Nutrition: Eggplant is a rich source of dietary fiber, Vit B6 and Vit C, and potassium. So, relax and enjoy this dish without worrying about calories

Very few people use the vegetable suran, known as elephants’ foot or yam. It is a root like that of potato, but tastier. Its appearance is deceptive. Hence, it gets ignored by many. But its cutlet or sabzi is super yummy. Have a look at the recipe with a detailed description of the ingredients and the method.

Ingredients:

• Yam: boiled 2 cups
• Potato: boiled 1 cup (acts as a binder)
• Chat masala: 2 tsp
• Red chili powder: 2 tsp
• Turmeric: 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds: 2 tsp
• Green chilies: 3 finely chopped
• Coriander leaves: finely chopped
• Jeera powder: 2 tsp
• Dry coriander powder: 2 tsp
• Breadcrumbs: 2 tbsp
• Green peas: boiled ½ katori (optional)
• Semolina: as required

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl and make tikkis/patties, as shown in the image.
• Now cover these with semolina and transfer them to a pan.
• Fry in oil till the semolina turns brown.
• Serve this with tomato ketchup or pudina chatni.

Nutrition: Elephant’s yam/suran is rich in flavor and nutrients. It has calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin A.

Tip: Sometimes yam is itchy. In this case, rub sol to your hands to get instant relief.

It is believed that oats are had only to lose weight, or only by those who want to lose those extra kilos. I can’t say about others, but I like its versatility and so much filling.

Here’s a quick recipe for oats upma.

Ingredients:

• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Quaker Oats: 1 katori
• Chilies: 2
• Hing: ½ tsp
• Jeera: 1 tsp
• Rai: 1 tsp
• Maggie masala: 1 sachet (optional)
• Ginger: 1 tsp finely grated
• Veggies (onion, tomato, carrot, beans, capsicum, and sweet corn) finely chopped and green peas

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadhai.
• Add hing, jeera, and rai.
• Then add green chilies.
• After the tadka, add onion and fry till it gets light golden.
• Add all the veggies one by one add let them cook.
• Then add tomatoes and let it cook until mushy.
• To this add grated ginger.
• Add water and cover with the lid.
• Let all the cooked veggies leave a pleasant aroma.
• Now add oats little by little.
• keep on adding water depending on the consistency you want it; a fine paste or a little lumpy will do.
• Sprinkle some finely cut coriander and serve.
• I add Maggie masala instead of ginger. If you want it to be a lil masaledar, add maggie masala before oats.

Nutrition:

This colorful dish is rich in potassium, lycopene, Vit C, folate, carbohydrate, protein, and fiber.

Tip:

Be it oats or semolina, always roast them on a medium flame. This will ensure even heat distribution, give a unique aroma, and avoid the ingredient from getting burnt.

Very few people use ghevda (French beans) as a vegetable. Mostly, these beans are used in soups or pulav as a side/secondary ingredient. But you got to try this stir fry. My FIL has approved of this recipe.

Have a look at the ingredients and procedure in the image below.

Ingredients:

• Oil: 1 tbsp
• French beans: ½ kg
• Mustard: ½ tsp
• Hing: ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
• Chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala: 1 tbsp
• Peanut powder: 1 tbsp

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadhai.
• Add hing and mustard. Let the mustard crackle.
• Then add the chopped beans.
• Fry it on a high flame.
• Add little water and put on the lid.
• After the beans are half cooked, add turmeric, red chili powder, and garam masala. Once cooked, add roasted peanut powder.
• Sprinkle some finely cut coriander if required.
• Serve it with chapati or bhakri.

Nutrition: I will stick by my suggestion, “don’t count calories, count nutrition.” This simple yet tasty veggie is rich in potassium, iron, magnesium, Vit C, and dietary fiber.

Tip: Always cook veggies with their natural water. Add very little if need be. This will ensure a very raw and unique taste.