Recent Posts

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Pui chorchori >> Ma’s favourite

I found just a few stems of Pui or Malabar Spinach in the Indian store. Its rather difficult to get it here in Sydney. Any Sydneysiders reading this, who know where I can get Pui in abundance, please do let me know! :-)

 

So Pui as its referred to in Bengali and Poi in Oriya, is a family favourite.  Sharmila’s recipes on Pui are awesome, if you haven’t already read them. Pui at home is made with lots of veggies in ‘chorchori’  (mix vegetable) style. I think chorchori, especially with Pui must be had on Sunday afternoon for lunch with lots of hot steamed rice accompanied by a chicken, mutton  or fish curry, followed by an afternoon siesta! No Sunday lunch is complete with out the quintessential siesta :)

 

chorchori1

 chorchori2

You’ll need:

 

  • 11/2 tablespoons mustard oil
  • 1/2 tsp of Paanch Phoron ( a pinch of each- Nigella, fenugreek, cumin, fennel, radhuni/celery seeds)
  • 3 slit green Chillies
  • 1 inch fresh Ginger- grated
  • 3-4 stems of Malabar spinach/ Pui – roughly chopped with the stem
  • 1/4 diced pumpkin
  • 6-7 cauliflower florets (you can also add french beans and other vegetables of your choice. Just don’t miss out on pumpkin)
  • 1/2 cup Peas
  • 1 diced Potato
  • 1-2 Carrots – chopped length wise
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
  • Paste of 2 tablespoons of Poppy (poppy) and 1 tsp mustard seeds (soak for 2 hours and grind to a thick paste)

 

Method:

 

Heat oil in a wok/kadhai. Add panchphoron and let it splutter for a few seconds. Add slit green chillies and grated ginger and sauté for 4-5 seconds.  Add the diced pumpkin first of all the vegetables and sauté it for 2 minutes.  Add cauliflower and let it soften a little. Add the rest of the vegetables and mix well. Cover the wok and on medium flame let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Uncover and add the dry masalas- chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar). Mix well and its now it’s time to add the Malabar spinach/Pui. Mix well and leave it covered for a few more minutes. Don’t over cook it. Remember Pui is made best on low to medium flame. That’s what ma says!

Once the Pui softens, and all the other veggies are cooked, add the poppy-mustard seed paste to it and mix well. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let it stand covered for sometime. Transfer to bowl. Serve hot with rice and ghee.

 

DSC_0266

 

Until next time!

10 foodie comments:

Sensuous2Spiritual said...

This is my all time fav! I love the way pui blends in with kumbro and chochori is one dish I die for!

Adding some kucho chingri to this chochori makes the dish devine!

Can't wait to get my hands onto the pui...

Satrupa said...

My fav too .... like u said we call it Poi n Poi combined with Chingudi or Chingri tastes out of the world !!

Cheers n Happy Cooking,
Satrupa

http://satrupa-foodforthought.blogspot.com

The Ketchup Girl said...

hey Suhael :). There are indeed very few bengalis and oriyas who can dislike Pui or chorchori for that matter! And you are rt about the chingri too. :)

Satrupa: ma used to add 'sukuaa' too. I couldn;t stand it!!

Sudha said...

hey nice ot have landed here..:)..this leaf is called bacchala koora in telugu and i love cooking with it :)..going ot try this version of poi

Haddock said...

Looks inviting

Shanthi Krishnakumar said...

Simple yet healthy

Sensuous2Spiritual said...

Hi Sudha.

Sorry I know I am encroching on the 'pui shaak' zone (hope ketchup girl wont mind my enthusiasm!) but I'd love to know how would you cook this green in Andhra style.

Married to a telegu I always find your food so tasty but I am still getting there. Satya, my husband, jumped the moment I mentioned bacchala koora and he completed the name of the dish by adding pulsu!

Look forward to your post!

SuhaelAmrita

Sindhu said...

Appu!!!!!!! you instigated the 1/2 Mangalorean in me with this one! It's amazing how close Mangalorean and Bong cooking is in terms of ingredients used are: we love and everyday use pui shaak (basale soppu), mochar (bale hoovu), saaswe (sorshe), gasgase (posto), and so much more!

Pui is a personal favourite: May I suggest a way to make it?

For 5 people:

Ingredients:

10 stems of pui or andaaza se
6-7 dried red chillies or 2 tbsp red chilli powder
1 and a half teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup fresh or dried naarkel
7-8 garlic sections, peeled
an inch of jaggery or 2 tsp sugar
a lemon-sized ball of tamarind soaked in water or a tsp of lime juice.


Method:

Steam pui. set aside.

Grind red chillies/powder, with mustard seeds, coconut and half the garlic.

Put all in a kadai and bring to a boil. Add jaggery/sugar, salt and tamarind juice.

Fry rest of the garlic and give tadka.

Stuff yourself with this and hot rice :)

The Ketchup Girl said...

There sudha, you've found your fan! "im from Hyderabad myself but funny, how I've never had bachchla Koora. Do share your secrets!

@haddock: :) It was pretty good :D

@shanti: very healthy!

@Suhael Amrita: gop on, I'm lovin it!

@Sin: aww babe- this sounds awesome too!! Will try this next week. Its really difficult to get Pui here. But will try this for sure. so glad to see u here! ANd I ma super impressed with all that Bong!!

PreeOccupied said...

Nice! I haven't done Pui your way...but the ilish maacher matha diye version. I am beginning to have very strong leanings towards vegetarianism in my first trimester. And your Pui Shaaker Chorchori looks so tempting with a bowl of rice and rice.