Bengal Leafy Greens Recipes: Forget Hilsa this Monsoon and Experiment with Leafy Greens in a Bengali Kitchen

The moment you think of Bengali food, the first thing that comes to mind is a plate full of fish and more, but not many might know that Bengali cuisine has varieties of green and vegetarian dishes that dominate the plate. There is always a lot more to it than the universally favourite macher jhol (fish curry) and even if there is fish, it is also accompanied by plenty of vegetables and green leaves.

The entire panorama of Bengali culinary culture can be perfectly summed up in this idiom: Amar kothati furalo, notey gaachti mudalo, indicating that stories are mostly told in the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.

Vegetables have always been an integral part of Bengali cuisine and as it is fondly said, ‘shak pala khete hoye’ (You have to eat vegetables) and Bengal’s culinary scene offers dishes like shukto, chorchori and labra, which have led the green revolution in cooking. As each vegetable is treated differently, the fun of eating them never gets monotonous.

Rita Sarkar, The one who has been experimenting with a lot of vegetables from time to time in his cooking adds, “Dheki to pui to kolmi to sojne, we Bengalis take pride in our seasonal vegetables. There is never a day when I don’t have vegetables on my plate. Our cuisine, however, is very popular all over the world, but the fact is that the vegetables we eat that see a mix of a combination of ingredients and flavours are not talked about.”

This monsoon, let’s explore which vegetables are ruling the kitchen. Dheki saag That Kolmi

Notey Saag

Notey shaak or green amaranth is one of the simplest vegetables to cook as it only needs a few nigella seeds and some green chillies. Loaded with the goodness of all the nutrients, the taste of Notey saag will linger even if you try it once. Also prepared as chorchori, as sometimes with Kumro, Notey saag is the perfect ‘niramish’ first dish for Bengalis.

Dheki saag or Fiddleheads

You may be familiar with these fiddlehead ferns from the hills of Uttarakhand, but they are also very popular in the West. Known as Dheki saag, they are found mostly in the hill country of the state or in North Bengal. These spiral green leaves are lightly stir-fried with potatoes or, as it is known as Dheki Shaag bhaja with aloo, this is a simple and highly flavoured dish. Rich in potassium, iron and manganese, dheki saag grows abundantly in the wild.

Place to sleep — Jute leaves

Did you know that jute leaves are edible? Yes, Pat Pata. Jute leaves, as they are fondly known in Bengal, are a delicacy during the monsoon. The history of jute dates back to the 19th century in Bengal, and jute weaving was done by Bengali artisans like Kapalis. As is known, jute grows mostly in marshy areas; jute leaves or depending on the region are also known as saluyot, ewedu and more. The leaves have slightly serrated edges and young leaves are usually tasty and soft. Jute leaves, which are also appreciated for their medicinal plants, are excellent for making bora and jhol for making paat shaker.

Kochu Pata or Taro Leaves

Unlike popular belief, taro leaves are not only popular when it comes to making Patrode, but are also seen a lot in Bengali cuisine like Kochu Pata bata and more. A typical chutney made from these leaves has always been appreciated in Bengali cuisine. Kochu pata, which is mostly grown in the backyard of houses, was always collected and cooked, until it started reaching the markets due to lack of space to grow it at home. Taro leaves are finely chopped and then boiled. With some mustard oil in a kadai and then tampered with some green chillies, garlic and nigella seeds, the taro leaves are added. With the aroma of garlic mixed in, this dish gives a much more satisfying taste and texture.