"Tambdi Bhajji Bendi (losun panna)/ Red Amaranth Leaves Curry seasoned with Garlic" … A delicious spicy aromatic curry from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine that tastes best served with rice ... Yummilcious ....
** "Bendi" is a spicy curry that is prepared using either losun (garlic) or hing/ asafoetida for seasoning. This is slightly a spicier dish than hummana or koddel though the masala is same except for the spice level. This is a favorite curry of GSB Konkani Saraswats and is prepared using both veggies or pulses or sometimes mixture of both. Again, I must mention that for Bendi many people add on the seasoning in raw form, ie. the garlic is either crushed or ground to be added on while hing water and raw coconut oil is added if not garlic depending upon the choice of seasoning preferred.
** While garlic ones are preferred for addition at homes, the hing flavored bendi is usually prepared during festivals in temples or during pooja. As i have mentioned often, I myself am unaware as to why so many names are given to the same dish and in my opinion it is done so as per the locality one stays in over the years. In case of difference of opinion or more knowledge on the same please do let me know, but as for me I would say "what is there in a name" as is famously said, its the taste that matters. After all a rose remains a rose what ever name you refer it with, isn't it???
** For this particular recipe I have used tambdi bhajji/ red amaranth leaves only and seasoned it with garlic which turns the curry highly aromatic and tastes great served with ukde sheetHa/ red boiled rice or plain rice. Leafy veggies are available almost all round the season and though the red amaranth ones slightly change in color from place to place they are all tasty and any quality available in your vicinity can be prepared into bendi adding the masala given below. I have shared common link to similar recipes shared in the blog at the bottom of this recipe, do browse through and try them out.
** Here is my recipe for "Tambdi Bhajji Bendi (losun panna)/ Red Amaranth Leaves Curry seasoned with Garlic" ... my style ...
** Ingredients :
Tambdi Bhajji/ Red Amaranth Leaves : One small bundle.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** Masala to be Ground :
Coconut/ Soyi/ Nariyal : 2 cups freshly grated.
Red Kashmiri chillies/ Byadgi Mirchi/ Kumte Mirsanga : 8-10
Tamarind/ Chinchama/ Imly : one small marble sized.
** For Tempering/ Pannaka :
Galic/ Losun/ Lehsun : 12-15 cloves
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 1-2 tblsp
** Wash and finely chop Tambdi Bhajji/ Red Amaranth Leaves along with the stems except for the root edge. You should have about 6-7 cups of chopped leaves approximately. Rinse this also under running water, drain water and add into a pressure cooker along with 2 cups of water. Pressure cook on medium heat to 2-3 whistles. Remove from fire and let the pressure drop on its own. When cool and you are able to remove the lid, do so and add it into a large thick bottomed stainless steel vessel.
** Masala to be Ground : Grind coconut with and Kashmiri Red Chilly along with tamarind to a very fine and thick paste with little bit of water. You can use the bhajji cooked water from while grinding, taking care to see that you add only water by straining off the leaves. This is what I always do while grinding masala as it curtails the possibilities of addition of extra water and could be done only if needed.
** Note : For preparation of curry you can use any one of tart tasting fruit/ veggie mentioned like, bimbul (tree sorrel fruit), ambado (Hog Plum), karmbala (carmbola/ starfruit), ambuli (raw mango), harvo tomato (raw- green tomato), dried kokum, kudampuli etc. as is available region wise. In case you do not have access to any one of them or they are not available or again, if you do not want to use them then for any reason, do not worry, you can add a small marble sized piece of tamarind (chinchama/ Imly) while grinding masala which is standard pattern followed in GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine.
** Add masala to cooked tamabadi bhajji in vessel along with salt to taste and mix well. Add in more water as is necessary to bring to thick curry consistency. Cook all on medium heat till it comes to a boiling point stirring often to avoid it getting burnt at the bottom. When you see bubbles appearing on surface lower the heat and continue simmering the curry for a good 10-15 minutes while you prepae seasoning.
** Prepare the Tempering : Heat oil in a small pan, when hot lower the heat to medium and add in peeled and crushed garlic, fry til they are evenly browned. Pour this over the simmering curry, mix well and remove the curry from fire. Keep it covered aside for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to be well infused into the curry.
** "Tambdi Bhajji Bendi (losun panna)/ Red Amaranth Leaves Curry seasoned with Garlic" is done and ready to be served. Serve the curry hot with red boiled rice (ukde sheetHa) or any rice of your choice. If you do not prefer to eat rice you can serve the curry with roti, chapatti or paratha too, in which case see to it that the gravy of the curry is slightly thicker. Thinner texture gravy does not go well with roti. Enjoy this dish with your family and friends and please do give me a feedback.
** Given below common links to similar recipes like "Koddel Recipes", "Bendi/ Hummana/ Hinga Randai Recipes" and "Tambdi Bhajji/ Red Amaranth Leaves Recipes" that have been added on in the blog, do give a glance to the same, it will give you an idea on all the different varieties of dishes that are prepared .....
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