Kumro Saag r Chorchori( A vegetable medley with Pumpkin leaves) :

Bengali's are known as fish lovers, besides fish and other non-veg delicacies they are very good at Vegetarian recipes. Among them "Chorchori" is a dish that we made with green leafy vegetables with various types of veggies and dried lentil dumplings with other spices. 

Kumro saag( Pumpkin leaves) r Chorchori is very tasty among them and my favorite. After being here for quite years I missed this dish because pumpkin leaves are mostly not available in the market. Despair and love for this dish I started growing pumpkin plant in my tiny patio garden. 

Last week in an Asian grocery market I spotted pumpkin leaves, me and my husband we both are like we discover a  treasure. We bought two bunches. The next day was Sunday so obvious I make this dish. Today I made this again, after the spicy and junk food is eaten for New year's Eve party and for the New year celebration, now its time to eat something simple yet tasty.

I am happy this is going to be my first post this year, my favorite dish.

Course -  Side Dish

Cuisine - Bengali

Author - Usashi Mandal

Serving - 4 

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 30 minutes

Some other  Bengali Vegetarian Recipes :
Lau r Khosa Bata
Lau r khosa Bhaja
Helencha Saag r bora
Narkeler Bora

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Pumpkin Leaves(Kumro Saag)
1/2 cup diced sweet potato
1/2 cup diced pumpkin
1/2 cup diced ridge gourd
1/2 cup diced eggplant
1 dry red chili
6 green chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp poppy seed paste
1 tbsp mustard seed paste
1 tsp panch phoran
10 dry lentil dumplings
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mustard oil
Salt for seasoning

Instructions:

1. For making Kumro Saag r Chorchori first we start with washing the leaves. Take a big bowl of water and put the leaves on it. Leave it for 10 minutes so all the dirt can be sedimented below. 

2. Then we start pulling the leaves and separating the stem and keep aside. Discard the yellow and bad leaves. Now cut the stems into 1-inch size pieces and chopped the leaves.

3. In a Kadai or deep frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of mustard oil.  Fry dry lentil dumplings until light brown. Take them out and keep aside.

4. In the same oil add dry red chili and whole panch phoran in the oil. When the spice starts spluttering add all the vegetables except pumpkin leaves. Give a stir. Add salt, turmeric powder, fried lentil dumplings, and green chilies and mix properly. Simmer the flame and cover the lid to cook the vegetable for 5 minutes. 

5. After 5 minutes add chopped pumpkin leaves, poppy seeds paste, mustard seeds paste, and sugar. Give a stir. Cook for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and the vegetable if they are well cooked. Fry for some more minutes and take out on a serving plate.

6. Kumro saag r Chorchori is ready. With hot steam rice, it is divine.