E-Paper
Your Govardhan Puja chappan bhog must include this delectable Annakoot sabzi
A burst of flavours, simple, hearty and wholesome, this Annakut sabzi is every bit worth the effort
Annakoot literally translates to a 'mountain of food', a beautiful ode to the story of Lord Krishna, who as per the Bhagvata Purana, lifted Mount Govardhan to protect villagers from the torrential downpour, owing to which he did not eat or drink for seven days. Once the rains stopped, Yashoda and the villagers then cooked 56 dishes for him — the famed chappan bhog — a moment in mythology which devotees replicate even today. Made of 56 ingredients, this annakoot recipe should be an absolute staple for your holy offerings today. Follow the recipe below.
Annakut sabzi
Ingredients: Eggplants - 2, squash - 1 cup, mixed green beans - 1 cup, radish - 1, carrot - 1, leafy greens (spinach, radish greens, carrot greens, fenugreek etc) - 1 cup, potato - 1, sweet potato - 1, raw banana - 1, raw papaya - 1/2 cup, star fruit - 1, tomatoes - 3, gooseberries - 2, pomegranate seeds - 2tbsps; spices and aromatics — fresh turmeric - 1tbsp, fresh ginger - 1tbsp, green chillies - 2, bay leaf - 1, fresh curry leaves - 8, black cardamom - 1, cloves - 2 to 3, dried red chillies - 2, black peppercorns - 2 to 3, cumin seeds - 1tsp, hing - a pinch, turmeric powder - 1tsp, coriander powder - 2tsp, garam masala - 1/2tsp, tamarind paste - 1tbsp (or dry amchoor powder 1/tsp), lemon juice - 1tbsp, mustard oil - 50ml
Note: About 1.5 kgs of mixed vegetables is needed for this recipe. Vegetables in addition to the list mentioned above can be included, though onion and garlic is an absolute no-no.
Method: Clean, peel and chop all the vegetables. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add mustard oil. Once the oil begins to smoke, add bay leaf, fresh curry leaves, black cardamom, cloves, dried red chilies, black peppercorns, green cardamoms, cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Stir well and cook for about a minute. Next, go in with the grated fresh turmeric, fresh ginger, green chilies, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly and cook for a few minutes till the lemon juice helps soften the strong flavor of the mustard oil. Add all the leafy greens and toss them in the spice mixture until well coated. Then add the rest of the vegetables except for tomatoes, gooseberry, star fruit, tamarind, or any other sour vegetables you plan to include (the sour vegetables should be added last as they tend to slow down the cooking process). Cover and cook on high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Now go in with the sour vegetables along with dry mango powder and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
This recipe goes best with pooris, a perfect addition to your bhog.
(recipe from My Weekend Kitchen)
We wish you a blessed Govardhan Puja!
