Palong Shaker Ghonto - - Spinach in a medley of other veggies

An Internet friend was shocked when I told her that I have a cook.

“You are running a food blog, and your own food is cooked by a cook!” She was astounded. “What do you do then?”

“Well, I click pictures while she is cooking, and then rummage through the 50 odd snaps to select the 10 I’m actually going to post. Then I write about how to cook the dish, with tips and anecdotes. That’s a hell lot of work, you know.” I inform her.

“What if she doesn’t turn up for work?” My pained friend inquires.

“I order home delivery”

Although the above conversation did take place, it,s not true that that I don’t cook. I was just trying to be funny! I do cook, and although there are days I’m too tied up with my professional commitments and I donot cook even though I’m home - everything that I post is cooked by me….till now. And anyways my cook is an Andhraiite and what I post is predominantly Bengali!

Now, that I’ve cleared the doubt, may I please proceed to today’s dish, which is another Bengali delicacy – Palong shaker ghonto. I loved the way my Mom cooked it, and I still ask her to make it for me when I’m visiting her…or for that matter, even when she’s visiting me (how mothers always let you take advantage of themJ) That is when we are together ….but that’s only once or twice a year ! When I’m away, I cook it(sigh) for my family and this is how I do it:

Palong shaker ghonto - Spinach cooked with a medley of other veggies

Ingredients (in order of usage):

Oil: 2 tsp

Bori – 5 (or any number of your choice)

Panch Foron: ½ tsp

Bay-leaves

Potato

Radish

Green chillies – 2 slit and/or chilli pdr  1 tsp

Tomato: 1 chopped

Brinjal: diced

Green peas

French beans/Flat beans: diced

Pumpkin: diced

Ginger paste – 1 tsp

Spinach : cleaned and chopped

Moong dal – handful

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Salt

Turmeric

Sugar – ½ tsp

{Trivia: Bori is small sun dried lentil cakes – I prefer the ones made from urad dal, but you can get boris made from every possible dal)

I have not mentioned quantity for most of the ingredients – it means you can add any quantity according to availability or your liking. You can also omit some if you don’t have /like any  vegetable. If you donot like  potato like my hubby D, you omit that too.You can replace or add more veggies like carrot. Sugar can be omitted altogether or replaced by gur.

How to:

Step 1: Heat oil, and fry the Bori’s to a nice golden brown color. Remember bori’s tend to burn fast, so keep stirring continuously. It should be done in about a minute’s time. Remove with a strainer or a slotted spoon and keep aside.

Step 2: In the same oil add the panch foron and the bay leaves and the handful of moong dal in succession in a gap of about 30 secs. Fry till the moong dal turns golden.

 

 Step 3: Add green chillies, tomato, all the vegetables, ginger paste stir well and cover.

 

Step 4: when all the vegetables are well cooked, brinjals turned to a pulp, add the bori’s, salt, turmeric and sugar, stir well and add the cleaned and chopped spinach leaves. Another round of mixing and cover and let it cook.

 Step 5: When the spinach has lost its bright green color, add homemade (or whatever) Garam masala pdr, mix well and let all the water evaporate.

 

 Serve with hot rice. This typically Bengali dish doesn’t go too well with Roti’s, but no harm in trying! Try and let me know…