Saaga Bhaja

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"Green khaiba katha... green khaile aakhi aau chuti bhala haba"... used to say my mom.. it literally means.. "You should eat greens.. if you eat them.. you'll have great eyes & hair"... well.. I don't know why but having greens was always a torture for me.. but my mom will always make sure that whenever there's something o' so delicious.. she'll sneak in the green colored lump of "Saaga Bhaja".. Its good for health she said.. Well.. I didn't agree then.. I mean..why should I .. right? I mean.. who serves spicy chicken curry or mustardy fish curry with a side of saaga bhaja... 

But today is a different story altogether.. I love greens.. especially made the Odiya way.. Here's how.. 
And I have to comment this officially that I have apologized to my mother for being such a snob as a child..I have assured her that I am a different person now.. 


Ingredients to be used:
  • Saaga (of course)... You may use many varieties of green together.. or just stick to one.. I usually just stick to one.. and I use Red Amaranth
  • 1 tea spoon pancha phutana + 1 dry red chili broken into 2-3 pieces
  • 1 small potato cut into long thin slices
  • Salt to taste
  • Badi (hard lentil balls - fried & crushed into small pieces)
  • Mustard oil (any doubt?? We Odiyas can not survive without it)
Process:
  • First of all washing & chopping the saaga is a tedious job. So I'm very patient with it.. or I ask my aunty to help with that. (She makes a killer Saaga bhaja too with egg plans & all.. YUMM.. recipe later)
  • Heat mustard oil (no other oil will do) in a wide wok or kadai..
  • When oil's hot.. in goes the pancha phutana + red chili pieces
  • Next goes the potatoes .. cover & cook till little bit cooked
  • Next goes in the saaga.. & salt (very little)
  • Cook covered for like 3 mins.. until the saaga wilts.. 
  • You may remove the cover & let the water evaporate while Saaga & Potatoes cook nicely.
  • When done, remove from heat & sprinkle the Badi on top. 
Saaga can be served as a side dish with Rice + Dal or with Pakhala.. Yummy !!

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