Saibhaji Bhugah Chaanwaran

Sindhis Love Food…Period !

I can go on and on about the variety of food that we love to indulge in ,  but it will be meaningless, since i believe every culture and religion have Gems of Recipes and boasting that only Sindhis have some great recipes that nothing in world could beat,  might sound too immodest.

But trust me when i say that Sindhi Cuisine have one such recipe which is hard to beat in simplicity, nutrition, easy availability of ingredients  and awesome taste .

Utter Spinach and you might need to fabricate stories of Popeye to make kids open their mouths to actually make way for that green stuff, forced down  through their throats , hanging on the hope that their biceps(or triceps) will swell up like Popeye , making them strong.

So bless our ancestors, who thought of this Wonderful potpourri of Greens, lentils, vegetables, spices and flavors all in one pack called Saibhaji, more boastfully called as SINDHI SAIBHAJI

So what is this hype,  all about? What is a Saibhaji ?

Saibhaji=Sai(Green) +Bhaji (Vegetable)

Also , Spinach + Fresh Fenugreek leaves + Khatta paalak / chuka (Ambat chauka) + Dill leaves + Brinjal + Arbi + Okra + Potato + Onion+ Bengal gram+Tomato = Sindhi Saibhaji

Sounds tiresome? Nah …its simple to make, and yumm to eat. Still doubtful ? Then why not try it out yourself ?

Sindhi Saibhaji

Ingredients

• Spinach 1 Bunch (Approximately 300 gms)
• Khatta (chuuka, khatti paalak) few leaves. If you wish not to add any tomatoes than kindly add more leaves for sourness.Inversely if you are unable to fetch Khatta leaves add double the tomatoes i.e 4 tomatoes
• Dill leaves or Sua… few (depending on your taste)
• Fresh Fenugreek leaves (A handful).If unavailable, use 1 tsp of kasuri methi instead
• Tomatoes 2 Medium sized (If less of khatta paalak is used or else skip tomatoes to get that perfect green colour)
• Brinjal (Egg Plant) 1 Small
• 1 okra(bhindi), 1 small potato(either or both)
• Arbi(kachaloo) 1/2(optional)
• Onions 2
• Channa Dal (Bengal Gram Dal) 1 small cup(soak for at least 1/2 hr after rinsing few times with water)
• Green Chillies 2-3
• Ginger a bit
• Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil 1-2 tbsp

Method

• Wash spinach leaves along with khatta , methi(you can  use 1 tspn of kasuri methi in case fresh leaves are unavailable) and Suaa (dill leaves) and chop them well
• Peel and chop Arbi, onions and potatoes. Chop brinjal  and  Okra too. Do not forget to keep these veggies submerged in a bowl of water as soon as you chop these. In case you do not have all these veggies, just brinjal and onion will do, or just okra and potato with onion will help to make the Saibhaji mushy.This mix of vegetables is called as VAKHAR in Sindhi

• Heat oil in pressure cooker, add Vakhar (the chopped veggies in bowl) and saute it till tender

• Add chopped spinach leaves along with khatta, methi and sua , tomatoes, green chillies, ginger,  all dry masalas, salt, chana dal and mix well(Note: Many prefer to just throw in everything in pressure cooker and not mix, going by the belief that mixing the spinach will result in taking long to cook. I somehow can’t resist mixing the stuff before closing the lid of cooker. So you can choose your way)
• Add little water and close the lid.Wait for atleast 7-8 whistles open the lid , mash it well with whisker , and adjust its consistency to a semi dry one
• Many also prefer a Garlic Tadka (Tempering). But in our family , Saibhaji is made this way
• It could   be served with almost everything , ranging from plain steamed rice, to bhuge chawal, veg biryani , Koki or Doda.
• But saibhaji is most relished with Bhughe Chaawal (Bhugha Chaanwaran). So it becomes mandatory to share its recipe too here

Bhughe Chaawal:

Bhugha chaanwaran or Bhughe chaawal is nothing but rice cooked with browned onion (caramalized), spiced up with some red chilly powder and Garam Masala

Ingredients for Bhugha Chaanwaran:

• Rice 1 cup
• Onion 1
• Red chilli powder,  Few pinches(As per Taste)
• Tejpatta (bay leaf) 1
• Cloves 2-3
• Black cardamon, 1(only skin)
• Dalchini 1 inch stick (Note instead of Khada masala, Garam masala powder can also be used for non spicy taste, so in that case use  1/4 tsp of garam masala powder )
• Salt as per taste
• Oil 1 tbsp

Method:

• Wash and soak rice for half hour  if using non basmati rice, or if Basmati, then just for 10 minutes
• In a handi, put one tbspn of oil, and add sliced onion, and khada masala
• Fry on medium flame till onion turns dark brown in colour(But do not let it get charred)
• Add redchilli powder, (and garam masala powder in case khada masala is not used) and rice and fry for about a min
• Add water, double the quantity of rice , add salt and let it boil
• You can add some shelled peas and chunks of potatoes and/or Tinda(Apple gourds ).In that case first add potatoes and let it boil for few minutes and then add rice
• Simmer and cover it with a lid till rice is cooked
• Serve piping hot with Sindhi Saibhaji and enjoy the Made -in-Heaven combination of food

Note: I prefer to make this rice in pressure cooker, following the same procedure, just that a bit less of water is used and 2 whistles of pressure cooker are enough to cook these

And this goes to Dear Nags of Edible Garden(cooking and me), who is hosting Monthly Mingle # 33 -Ravishing Rice. Monthly mingle is a  brainchild of Lovely Meeta

The first picture shows Saibhaji with bhughe chaawal , roti, Fried Brinjal and Arbi….A traditional Lunch for sindhis. And oh how can i forget Papad, its indispensable with traditional meals

Thats all for today, and before signing off, can i share one of my most favorite Sindhi song ? Check it here