Olkopi Patar Ghonto (Kohlrabi Greens Stir fried)

Seasonal greens and vegetables are looked up to with much respect in the Bengali kitchen. As we often keep reiterating — from peels to seeds, from greens to roots — nothing much gets discarded in the traditional Indian kitchen. A touch of spice here, and a drizzle of oil there — and the most delicious dishes are made from the simplest stuff.

 

Ingredients:

  1. Fresh leaves and stem of Kohlrabi (German turnip) — should be washed and cut to medium or small size.
  2. Eggplant — washed well, cut into small pieces.
  3. Red potatoes or potatoes should be washed, peeled, cut into small pieces.
  4. Mustard Oil
  5. Salt
  6. Turmeric
  7. Indian Five-Spice Mix (পাঁচফোড়ন)
  8. Green chillies or dried red chillies
  9. Sugar (optional)
  10. lentil dumplings (বড়ি) — optional

 

Method:

  1. Heat mustard oil and fry eggplant smeared with salt and turmeric. Take out, drain, and keep aside.
  2. In that oil, add Indian Five-Spice Mix (পাঁচফোড়ন) and dried red chillies or green chillies as tempering — wait for the spices to crackle, and then add the potatoes.
  3. Add a little salt, a little turmeric and soften.
  4. Stir occasionally.
  5. When cooked, add the greens and the fried eggplant. The water from the greens shall cook the concoction.
  6. When done, drizzle some raw mustard oil. Also, add a pinch or two sugar (optional).
  7. If desired, the lentil dumplings (বড়ি) can be fried beforehand, broken with a spatula, and sprinkled on top when the dish is ready.
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