VCC 385 - Kafuli

Here is one more traditional recipe kindly contributed by Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal to the group cookbook project 'You Can Cook' for Feed a Hungry Child campaign.

In Rushina's own words, "Kafuli is a thick green curry (for want of a better word) made from green leafy vegetables, served as an accompaniment to steamed rice or rotis. In Pahari cooking it is made with pahadi palak or mustard greens. However a lot of Paharis have moved away from their home ground to areas where Pahadi palak and Rai are not so easily available. They have adapted the recipe to normal spinach."

Serves 4 Cooking time: 45 Mins

Ingredients:
250 gms spinach /mustard greens chopped coarsely
100 gms fenugreek leaves chopped coarsely (optional)
4-5 green chilies
2 tbsp oil (preferably mustard oil)
4-5 cloves garlic
3-cm piece of ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of asafetida
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp rice or chickea flour mixed with water into a paste
2 tbsp yogurt (optional)
1-2 cups water
salt to taste

Method: Wash spinach and fenugreek under running water. Chop and boil both vegetables along with the green chilies in a little water till tender. (A pressure cooker or microwave can be used here). When cooked smash it against the walls of the utensil it has been cooked in. The result should be a coarse puree. (Do not use a blender as that will result in a smooth puree and the dish will lose its texture). Finely pound ginger and garlic. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and ginger. When the garlic and ginger are aromatic, add cumin seeds and asafetida. Add spinach and fenugreek puree, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Add required amount of water to kafuli and bring to boil. Now add rice paste or chickpea flour paste to thicken. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes on a slow fire till the gravy is thickened. If too thick add some water and boil again. Garnish with pure ghee and serve hot with roti or steamed rice. Traditionally sourness was added with yoghurt at the end but a more modern variation also allows for a tomato or two just after the asafetida, before adding greens in which case the yoghurt would be omitted.

VCC: VCC Q4-2006: FAHC: FAHC-campaign