“Pagila- Batate Upkari/ Spine Gourd- Potato Bhaji” … spine gourd is a seasonal (monsoon) veggie available in plenty now and any dishes be it fries, curry or upkari prepared using them tastes great … here is a simple bhaji prepared with addition of potatoes and spiced masala powder … tastes excellent served with parathas, roti or as side dish with dalitoy- rice … Yummilicious …
** I have always included the health benefits of consuming simple upkari/ bhaji on daily basis on almost all of my upkari posts. The importance of including them as side dish during each meal may look cumbersome initially, however in the long run as you reap in the health benefits you will be glad you did so. Ours was a large family and Amma always prepared one veggie upkari as side dish along with one masala curry along with dalitoy- rice for meals and I have just followed here pattern though at times I do skip a few especially if I prepare biryani or pulav for meals or say egg curry/ chicken curry etc. then I make it a point to replace the upkari with salad or raita, these small inclusions not only make the meal healthier but they definitely build a lifelong of good eating habits. Well, just a few thoughts I share to encourage all on good healthy habits, I am sure you all do too. I have shared a simple easy to prepare dish here, do try and enjoy with family.
** Here is my simple recipe for “Pagila- Batate Upkari/ Spine Gourd- Potato Bhaji” … my style; tastes best served as side dish ….
** Ingredients :
Pagila/ Spine Gourd/ Kantola/ Teasel Gourd : 5-6 large sized
Batato/ Potato/ Aloo : 2 medium sized
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 10-12 fresh ones.
Asafoetida/ Hing Powder : ½ tsp
Turmeric/ Haldi Powder : ½ tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder/ Mirsange Pitti/ Mirchi Tikkat : 2-3 tsp
Raw Mango/ Amchur Powder : ½ tsp
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 2 tsp.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste.
** Wash pagila/ kantola/ spine gourd properly. At times there is dirt sticking to the outer skin, so check it out. Let drain off the water or wipe it dry. Slice both side edge portion and cut them lengthwise into julienne/ strips that are not too thin, say just like how we cut potatoes for fries. Keep this prepared and ready aside.
** Note : some people scrape off the spine/ spiky skin portion or try grating it off, it is really not necessary to do so and in our community we never do that. In fact, they taste great especially when fried crisp, try it and you will know for yourself.
** Peel the skin of batato/ potato and cut them into julienne/ strips the same size as that of spine gourd. Soak it immediately in plenty of water as it helps in removing excess starch and being discolored. Just before preparing the bhaji, rinse well under running water and drain in a colander to remove excess water.
** Heat coconut oil in a thick bottomed kadai, when hot add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add curry leaves, hing powder and fry for a second. Immediately add in the rinsed potatoes and stir fry on high heat for 1-2 minutes, without letting them burn. Lower the heat to minimum add the drained spine gourd pieces, mix well, cover and let cook until 60% done stirring well in between to avoid being burnt.
** Note : You must keep a check out while the veggies are being cooked and if necessary add a few tablespoons of water for cooking evenly.
** Add haldi powder, chilly powder, amchur powder, salt to taste and mix well. At this stage you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water for proper absorption of masala to the bhaji. However, avoid adding in excess or else the bhaji will turn mushy/ softer and lose out on taste. Cover and cook until cooked and done.
** “Pagila- Batate Upkari/ Spine Gourd- Potato Bhaji” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served as a side dish along with any dishes of your choice during meals. Do try it and enjoy your meals with your family and friends. If desired you can add some roasted and coarsely powdered peanuts just before removing from heat, mix well, let rest for 5 minutes and serve too, it gives a tasty crunch which the children are sure to love, I avoid as hubby is allergic to peanuts and as for me I do so cause of its high calorie content, though at times I just sprinkle a bit on my serving. That’s life I guess, we all love forbidden fruits, don’t we?? Well, I guess it’s OK occasionally.
** There are plenty of simple- healthy upkari/ bhaji that can be easily prepared in my Blog, do give it a try and enjoy your meals. We should try including one bhaji be it veggie or leafy on a daily basis for health benefits. My Amma always included a upkari/ bhaji during meals and insisted that we eat it without tantrums, this way she made it a habit to us from childhood and I still carry on her advice studiously unless inevitable. Both veggies and fruits are loaded with nutrients that give loads of health benefits and while these may not be visible immediately, it sure will do so in the end. So make it a daily habit with your family from today if you have not yet done so and enjoy good health.
** For more choice of “Upkari/ Bhaji” recipes shared in the Blog, please browse through the common link shared below ….
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Thanks.