Crazy Pot - Deewani Handi

This is one whimsical, colorful, crazy dish that combines winter greens and root vegetables to deliver a hearty, extremely nutritious and delicious punch. To put it simply, it is choke full of everything that is good for the body. In the recipe, I have mentioned specific greens and root vegetables. Feel free to substitute and/or add other available vegetables that falls in these two categories, i.e., kale, collard greens, parsnip, etc. This dish was eaten on cool, lazy winter days with plain, fragrant basmati rice.


1 medium potatoes
2-3 medium carrots
2 japanese eggplant
1/2 cauliflower
2 turnips with leaves (if available)
1 bunch fenugreek leaves (if available)
1 bunch spinach
1 handful dill
1 handful coriander leaves
1 cup peas
4 green chillies
11/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. red chilli powder
11/2 tsp. coriander powder
1 lemon


Baghar:
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds


salt to taste

Serves 4-6 people
Prep: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 hr

Separate the turnips and the leaves. Put the leaves aside.
Dice the potatoes, carrots, turnip and eggplant.
Detach the flower heads of the cauliflower.
Combine the above in a baking dish, toss with some oil and half of the spice mixture.
Roast in 425 degree, preheated oven for about 30 minutes.


Chop all the greens (including the turnip leaves) finely.
Toss these in the remaining spice mixture and sit to marinate for the same amount of time.


Heat oil and add the cumin and fenugreek seeds.
Allow to sizzle and then add the marinated and roasted vegetables.
Cook on med-high heat till the greens condense and liquid rises. Add a splash of water if the vegetables are sticking.
Finally, add the peas, green chillies and herbs and salt to taste.
Reduce heat and cook till the liquid reduces.
Garnish with cilantro and lemon slices.

Turnip pickle- Shaljam ka Achaar

This takes me back to lazy, winter afternoons. My grandmother would prepare this delicious pickle as soon as the air turned crisp and the sunshine softened. Winter was heavenly. With the first breath of dry, brisk, slightly smoky air, we would come out of air-conditioned cocoons and delve into a flurry of social activity to make most of the forgiving weather. This pickle would herald in the season for me and be eaten with every meal until about mid-March, at which point the humid heat would rear it's stifling head again and we would burrow back indoors.

4 large turnips

1/4 cup crushed red pepper

1 tbsp. mustard seeds (rai), crushed

1/2 cup nigella seeds (kalongi)

4-5 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup salt

Recipe:

- Slice the turnip into 1/4 inches width
- Add to a full pot of boiling water and parboil

- Remove and allow to cool slightly

- Reserve the liquid and refrigerate
- Spread out on a tray, add all the remaining ingredients and rub well into the slices. 
- Cover with muslin cloth and let marinate overnight

- Next day, transfer all the above to a stoneware pickle jar

- Reheat the reserved liquid and pour into the jar till the turnips are covered
- Check the salt and adjust to taste

- Seal and allow to sit in the sun or a well-lit area for a couple of days till the liquid turns cloudy and opaque (usually 5 days)

- Enjoy with arhar ki daal and plain chawal!

* You can check the liquid again after 3 days and adjust the flavorings according to taste.