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Chawli Bhaji
Tarla Dalal
20 February, 2025
Table of Content
You are sure to be using chawli, and even its a vegetable, quite commonly used in your cooking. Have you ever tried using its leaves, which are a storehouse of folic acid and iron? Chawli bhaji is a simple but tasty preparation of chawli greens. A purée of the greens tempered with a traditional combination of mustard, urad dal and chillies that is very common in South Indian cooking. Since the chawli leaves are naturally bitter so you may find a little bitter taste in the subzi.
Chawli Bhaji recipe - How to make Chawli Bhaji
Tags
Preparation Time
15 Mins
Cooking Time
11 Mins
Total Time
26 Mins
Makes
4 servings
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
8 cups chopped green chawli (amaranth) leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
8 to 10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
4 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli , broken into pieces
2 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Method
- Combine the chawli leaves, turmeric powder, salt and 1¾ cups of water in a deep non-stick pan and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes or till half of the water dries out. Keep aside to cool slightly.
- Blend in a mixer till smooth and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
- When the seeds crackle, add the curry leaves, red chillies, urad dal and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- Add the chawli mixture and a little salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Serve hot.
Chawli Bhaji recipe with step by step photos
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chawli chi bhaji recipe | Maharashtrian chawli bhaji | healthy chawli sabzi | then do try other chawli recipes also:
- chawli leaves sabzi recipe | chawli ke patte ki sabzi | chaulai saag | amaranth greens sabzi |
- whole masoor and chawli soup recipe | cow peas leaves dal soup | healthy dal amaranth leaves soup |
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chawli chi bhaji recipe | Maharashtrian chawli bhaji | healthy chawli sabzi | then do try other chawli recipes also:
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See the below image of list of ingredients for making chawli chi bhaji recipe.
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To make chawli chi bhaji recipe | Maharashtrian chawli bhaji | healthy chawli sabzi | heat 2 tsp oil in a deep pan.
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Add ½ tsp cumin seeds. Cumin seeds are added to hot oil at the beginning of the cooking process. They are allowed to splutter, releasing their aroma and flavor into the oil, which then infuses the entire dish.
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Add ½ tsp mustard seeds. When heated in oil, mustard seeds release a pungent, nutty aroma and a slightly sharp, biting flavor that adds depth to the dish.
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Add 1 whole dry Kashmiri chilli, broken into pieces. Kashmiri chillies have a unique flavor profile. They are not as intensely hot as some other chillies, but they offer a rich, slightly smoky, and fruity flavor that complements the earthy taste of the chawli leaves.
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Add 2 tsp chopped green chillies. The amount of green chilies used can be adjusted to suit your spice preference, making the dish mild or fiery.
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Add 8 to 10 curry leaves. They add a unique flavor and aroma to the dish. When you add curry leaves to hot oil, they release their essential oils, which infuse the oil with their flavor.
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Add 2 tbsp chopped garlic. When sautéed in oil, garlic releases its pungent aroma and flavor, forming a base for the entire dish.
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Sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
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Add 1 cup finely chopped onions. When cooked properly, onions soften and add a subtle sweetness that complements the earthy notes of the chawli (black-eyed peas).
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Sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add 8 cups finely chopped chawli (cow pea / lobhia) leaves. Chawli leaves, also known as amaranth leaves, are the star ingredient in chawli bhaji. They bring a wealth of goodness and flavor to this simple yet nutritious dish.
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Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring continuously.
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Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi). turmeric powder is a common and essential ingredient in chawli bhaji, enhancing its appearance, flavor, and nutritional value.
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Add salt to taste.
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Add 2 tbsp coarsely crushed peanuts. The crushed peanuts provide a pleasant crunch, contrasting with the softer texture of the cooked chawli and other ingredients in the dish.
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Cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
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Garnish 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut. Freshly grated coconut adds a lovely flavor and texture to chawli bhaji.
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Mix well.
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Serve chawli chi bhaji recipe | Maharashtrian chawli bhaji | healthy chawli sabzi | hot.
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You can combine chawli with other leafy greens like spinach or fenugreek leaves for a more diverse flavor and nutritional profile.
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You can add cooked lentils toor, moong or chana dal to make it a more substantial and protein-rich dish.
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You can also add chopped tomatoes for a touch of tanginess.
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Benefits of Chawli Bhaji
- One serving of Chawli Bhaji delivers 111% folic acid, 28% Fiber, 14% protein, 94% Calcium, 26% Iron of your Recommended Dietary Allowance ( RDA).
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Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
| Energy | 163 cal |
| Protein | 7.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.3 g |
| Fiber | 7.1 g |
| Fat | 8.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 316.6 mg |
Click here to view Calories for Chawli Bhaji
The Nutrient info is complete
Foodie #570492
March 13, 2025, midnight
Same subji with different names in different books; but still no please. Very bitter. Instead of that try one with masoor dal or one with coconut milk. This one we just couldn't eat. Very disappointing.
Loves Food
March 13, 2025, midnight
Chawli leaves pureed and cooked with curry leaves, urad dal and Kashmiri red chillies to form a liquid pureed vegetable. By nautre, chawli is bitter but this veggie tasted good and is extremely healthy.
n_katira
March 13, 2025, midnight
Chawli by nature is a bit bitter, but when cooked in this form its bitterness reduces... benefit from its iron and folic acid and make up your haemoglobin levels.
Foodie #679283
March 13, 2025, midnight
Tastes okayish.
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