Shalgam ki Sabzi

There isn't a lot to say about this; it's a nice tart and sprightly but not particularly hot dish of curried turnips. (I saved the blast of heat for this weeks final dish.) You could use rutabaga if you prefer, but in that case I suspect it would be a good idea to boil it for 20 minutes before you add it to the pan with the spices to finish cooking, as it takes so much longer to cook through. 

 

4 serving

45 minutes - 25 minutes prep time

Prepare the Vegetables & Seasonings:

3 cups diced (3 medium) white turnips

2 pods of green cardamom

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon red chile powder

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

a good grind of black pepper

1 good grate of nutmeg

1" piece of ginger

2 cloves of garlic

 

Peel and dice the turnips. 

 

Crush the cardamom pods and remove and discard the green papery husk. Grind the seeds with the fennel seeds and salt. Mix them with the remaining spices in a small bowl. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic, and add them to the bowl.

Finish the Dish:

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 cup of water

the juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat the oil in a good-sized shallow saucepan or a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds, and cook for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle and pop. Add the bowl of seasonings and mix in well, cooking for another minute or so. 

Add the turnips and the water, mixing well. Cover and cook until the turnips are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice for the last few minutes of cooking. 

Last year at this time I made Chicken, Leek & Mushroom Pie.