Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi is a healthy and tasty Kumaoni-style stir fry of a local variety of red mustard greens. It is a sattvic sabzi made without onion, garlic, ginger or tomato.
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About Pahadi Mustard Greens
Uttarakhand, nestled in the Himalayas, boasts a cuisine that is simple, rustic, and highly nutritious. One such humble yet flavorful dish is Lai ki Sabzi, a stir-fry made from a local variety of mustard leaves.
The colour of Pahadi mustard leaves has shades of red, crimson, and dark green. The broad and curled leaves look very similar to Kale and have a peculiarly sharp aroma like mustard seeds/oil.
In the local Kumaoni dialect, we call this variety of mustard greens Lai or Lai Ki Sabzi or Lai Ka Saag. It is available from autumn to winter season. And disappears with the spring.
Known for its earthy flavours and packed with nutrients, this lai ki sabzi perfectly reflects the essence of Pahadi (mountain) cuisine, which focuses on fresh ingredients and minimal spices.
Why You’ll Love Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi
- low-calorie but nutrition-dense
- vegan, plant-based dish
- easy, healthy and tasty
- gluten and nut-free
- sattvic recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pahadi Lai or mustard greens are the key ingredients in this Kumaoni recipe. You can make it with regular sarson leaves but the taste is way different.
- Mustard Oil is used to cook lai ki sabzi. You can substitute it with neutral-tasting vegetable refined oil.
- Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Hing (Asafoetida), Dried Red Chillies
How To Make
Prep Greens:
- Remove the tough stem from the base of the greens. Wash the leaves in water twice or thrice to make sure they are clean and free of dirt.
- Chop the greens into fine threads. The finer they are cut the better they taste.
Cooking Lai:
- Heat oil in a thick bottom wok over high heat. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, reduce the heat to low.
- Add the dry red chillies and asafoetida. Cook for a few seconds.
- Now add the chopped mustard greens, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder. Mix well, and cover the wok with a lid.
- Allow the greens to cook on low flame. It takes 10 -12 minutes. Stir the sabzi at regular intervals to avoid scorching.
- Do not cook the greens for too long otherwise, they will become bitter.
Serving Suggestion
There is a kind of unsaid comfort in relishing lai ki sabzi with pahadi gahat ki dal or arhar ki dal and bhaat (rice). It’s fresh, filling, flavoursome, and a nourishing winter meal.
At my home, we enjoy Pahadi lai ki sabzi with paratha for breakfast or a quick lunch at times.
More Uttarakhand Recipes
- Pahadi Pua
- Aloo Ke Gutke
- Kheere Ka Raita
- Pahadi Badi Bhaat
- Pahadi Aloo Paani
- Kumaoni Dal Bada
- Pahadi Gahat Ki Dal
- Pahadi Mooli Ki Jholi
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Pahadi Lai Ki Sabzi
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- 2 bunch Pahadi mustard leaves (lai)
- 2 tablespoon mustard oil
- 2 dried red chillies, broken
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Remove the tough stem from the base of the greens. Wash the leaves in water twice or thrice to make sure they are clean and dirt-free.
- Chop the greens into fine threads. The finer they are cut the better they taste.
- Heat oil in a thick bottom wok over high heat. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, reduce the heat to low.
- Add the dry red chillies and asafoetida. Cook for a few 10 seconds.
- Now add the chopped mustard greens with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Mix nicely and cover the wok with a lid.
- Allow the greens to cook on low flame. It takes 10 -12 minutes. Stir the sabzi at regular intervals to avoid scorching.
- Do not cook the greens for too long otherwise, they will become bitter.
- There should not remain any liquid of the greens in the kadhai.
- Serve Lai Ki Sabzi warm with arhar ki dal and rice.
Recipe Notes:
- Red Mustard Greens already have some sort of saltiness to them. It is recommended to use less than usual salt to season the vegetables.
- Best taste the vegetable while cooking and add more salt if required.
- You can season the oil with cumin seeds, or finely minced garlic.
- There should not remain any liquid of the greens in the kadhai.
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