Alu shaak-er Ghonto / Potato-Greens Curry

My Mother is a sucker for all things fresh and green. You can almost see her eyes twinkling with child like excitement whenever she sights any farm fresh greens. This time, on our car ride back to Kolkata from Shantiniketan, she actually stopped by a farmland, and got potato greens for stir fries and ghonto/ curry. This recipe is is of the ghonto — the stir fry recipe shall follow soon.

 

Ingredients:

  • Alu shaak / Potato Greens
  • Potatoes
  • Brinjals
  • Bori / Dried Lentil Dumplings
  • Hing / Asafoetida
  • Mustard Oil
  • Ghee
  • Water
  • Tomatoes
  • Green Chillies
  • Red Chillies (optional)
  • Salt
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin Powder
  • Coriander Powder
  • Panch Phoron / Indian Five Spice Mix
  • Sugar
  • Garam Masala Powder or Paste

 

Method:

  • Chop the potato greens finely
  • Cut potatoes and brinjals into small pieces
  • In heated mustard oil fry the brinjals smeared with salt and turmeric. Remove from oil and keep aside.
  • Fry bori and crush using mortal and pestle
  • Cut some green chillies finely
  • Heat mustard oil
  • Add panch phoron, 1 red chilli
  • Add potatoes and fry it until golden brown in medium heat
  • Add the greens and fry for some time
  • Mix chopped tomatoes and green chillies , turmeric, cumin and coriander powders
  • Stir it continuously until completely dry
  • Add some hot water and cover it
  • Cook it in low flame stirring occasionally
  • When it becomes dry add sugar, garam masala powder, salt and pinch of hing
  • Mix it well
  • Now add fried brinjal pieces fried and crushed dried lentil dumplings
  • Stir it continuously until completely dry and it becomes completely fried
  • Put the gas off
  • Add some quantity of ghee
  • Cover it and give some standing time
  • Serve with steam rice or phulkas