When it comes to eating leafy vegetables, our generation tends to stick to the standard spinach, methi (fenugreek leaves), or at most shepu (dill leaves). Or we run behind the imported kinds like kale. But when it comes to nutrition, it is best to stick to fresh and local produce. If it wasn’t for my mother I don’t think I would be eating sabzis of chawali, lal math (amaranth), or ambadi (gongura) leaves.
She instructs my cook to buy lal math bhaji for us once in a couple of weeks or so. Like me, my kiddo too likes most Indian vegetables but the best part is that now-a-days my husband too has started liking these hatke vegetables.
Of late, hubby has started eating all sorts of vegetables mostly because of nutrition. But now he has actually started to like them. Goes to show we don’t give most vegetables a chance. :) Lal math is a rich source of Vitamin A, which is good for our eyesight and immune system. It is also a good source of calcium and iron.
So I am super happy that my two boys, the son and father, are eating their leafy vegetables properly. We eat leafy vegetables with jowar bhakri; I can’t make these bhakris but my cook is good at making them. So along with healthy amaranth leaves we also get to eat jowar (white millet/sorghum), which is more nutritious than the standard grains like wheat and rice that we usually stick to. Hope you like this Marathi recipe of lal math bhaji.
Step by Step photo instructions to make Lal Math Bhaji
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Lal Math Bhaji (Amaranth Leaves Sabzi)
Ingredients
- 1 bunch lal math amaranth leaves chopped – approx 3 cups
- 2 medium-sized onions
- 8-10 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 green chilli
- 1/5th tsp mustard seeds
- 1/5th tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp grated coconut
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel and chop onions. (Quantity of onion should approximate to 1/3rd the quantity of chopped lal math leaves.)
- Slit green chili lengthwise in two pieces and deseed it.
- Heat a kadai and add oil. (I prefer to use an iron pan to cook this leafy vegetable. I use non-stick pans only when absolutely needed.)
- Add mustard seeds, and when they start to splutter, add hing and turmeric powder.
- Add chopped garlic and when the garlic starts to turn golden brown add green chili pieces.
- Saute for half a minute and then add chopped onion.
- Saute till onion turns translucent and then add chopped lal math leaves.
- Add salt and red chili powder, and mix properly.
- Cover and cook on low flame for 7-8 minutes. (Lal math should be around 70% cooked at this stage.)
- Add grated coconut and cook for another 2-3 minutes. (Keep stirring intermittently.)
- Turn off flame, and serve hot with bhakri (or roti) and some curd.
Notes
Order Lal Math Bhaji Ingredients from Amazon
Order Lal Math, Amaranth Leaves
Thanks Mukta Tai for super bhaji .