Kanda-Bachali Koora

Kanda-Bachali Koora is one my favorite gravy curries, and this recipe of my mom’s is an easy pressure cooker recipe. Kanda (sooran, elephant yam) and bachali koora (ceylon spinach, pasalai keerai) combination is very popular in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Ceylon spinach has an earthy flavor and a slightly sticky texture and works well with sooran. Sooran and ceylon spinach are available in Indian grocery stores. Fresh bacchali leaves are ususally available in late summer and autumn. In the US, fresh sooran is a rare sight, but frozen sooran is widely available through-out the year. This simple yet tasty and healthy gravy curry is great with rice or roti.

Servings: 4-6
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups bachali leaves, chopped
• 4 cups kanda (sooran), cut into small cubes
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For Seasoning

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
• 4 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
• 4 red chillies, broken into a few pieces (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp or less (tamarind paste (adjust to taste)

Preparation

1. Place the kanda and bachali koora in a medium container with 1/4 cup water and turmeric powder, and cook in a pressure cooker for about 4-5 whistles. Remove when cool and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan, and add asafoetida, urad dal, and mustard seeds. As the dal starts to turn golden and the mustard seeds start to pop, add the red chillies, turmeric powder, and chilli powder, and fry for a couple seconds.
3. Add the cooked kanda-bachali koora along with some salt and tamarind, and cover and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Mash some of the sooran to thicken the gravy. Remove the curry from heat.
5. Serve the kanda-bachali koora with rice or any Indian flatbread. This curry also goes well with regular toasted bread.

Category: Vegan Gravy Curry Recipes, Vegetarian Gravy Curry Recipes, Vegetarian Gravy Curry Recipes - No-Onion No-Garlic