The recipe is a bit general, adjust quantities to amount of vegetables you are coating, and the amount of heat and spice you like. Regular teaspoons and serving spoons, ladles and tea cups are often used for measuring. A pinch of this, a handful of that…

There are different variations to the basic recipe, not everyone makes it the same. For instance, some use tomato paste, others use a bit of garlic and/or ginger for flavor. Water is used in place of buttermilk in some recipes. The most common vegetables used are onion, potato, cauliflower and spinach. Using a mixture of vegetables keeps it interesting!

Pakora (Sabji Pakora / Sabzi Pakora – Vegetable Fritters)

1 large onion, cut up or sliced in rings
1 1/2 to 2 potatoes, sliced thin
2 – 3 hot green chilli peppers, diced

Optional:
- cauliflower, cut up
- spinach
- green onion
- other vegetable

dhaniya (coriander seeds) – a little bit for flavor
1 heaping teaspoonful garam masala, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoonfuls salt, or to taste
cayenne or pure chilli powder, to taste (optional)
tomato paste – 1 big spoonful
buttermilk – pour in 1/2 – 2/3 cup
chana (chickpea) flour – 2 big ladles full (about 1 cup)
water to moisten, if needed
oil for deep frying

1. Mix all ingredients together with hands to make a medium-thick batter. Add more chana flour or water if needed to make batter the right consistency. Batter should coat vegetables, but not too thickly. Should taste salty and spicy hot. Taste and adjust if necessary.
2. Heat oil in pan. Oil is ready when a small bit of batter dropped in comes right back to the top.
3. Drop in small handfuls of batter and fry until brown. Dip out with slotted spoon (round metal style is good) and pile onto plate.
5. Eat hot – with ketchup is best, or chutney.

Wash greens thoroughly in plenty of water.  Remove and throw away big stems and any rotten or badly damaged leaves.  Tear or chop crosswise into about 2 inch long pieces.  Place in a large pot and fill about half-way with water.  Cover and simmer for about 2 hours until very soft and only a little bit of water left in the bottom.  If using frozen spinach, add about half-way through.

Fry chopped onion, garlic (and opt. fresh chopped ginger and green hot pepper) in butter, or oil and butter mixture, until onion is brown, or ‘carmelized’.  Stir in salt, chili powder, and powdered ginger and add to greens while cooking, when nearly done.

When greens are very soft and tender and there is only a little liquid left, remove from heat.  Blend mixture in blender (do in 2 batches, half at a time) and then place back on low heat.  (You can also use an electric hand mixer, but be sure to chop your greens a little smaller if you do so). 

Sprinkle a handful of corn flour over the top while stirring, and then stir really well to prevent corn flour lumps.  The corn flour will thicken the saag.  Continue to heat over low heat for a little while, stirring occasionally - maybe 5 or 10 minutes.  Add a little more corn flour, if needed.  Don’t let it scorch.  Remove from heat. 

Serve Saag with regular or whole wheat roti/chappati, or corn roti (Makki Roti). 
Some people also like to eat their Saag with a chunk of butter melting on top.

Peel sweet potatoes or yams and cut into wedges the length of french fries, or longer, and about 3/4″ thick.  Coat lightly with olive oil (one way to do this is to place yam pieces in a zip lock bag with olive oil). 

Arrange on a baking sheet or pan, sprinkle with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper (don’t omit the cayenne – it’s what really gives these their kick!) and bake at about 400*F for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through (soft enough to easily slide a fork into). 

Incidentally, you can make regular potatoes this way, as well!  Season to taste. 

Boil onion and okra in water for 3 minutes.  Drain with strainer. 
Heat oil in wok or skillet.  Stir in spices and salt. 
Add okra and onion and saute til tender, about 15 minutes.

This is a quick version when you’re in a hurry.  The okra is moist and sticky, but good.   If you have more time, omit the quick boil, brown the onions in oil, and fry the okra til tender.

Spanish Okra Variation:  Reduce onion to 1/2 c., substitute 1/2 cup margarine for oil, omit turmeric and garam masala, increase chili powder to 1 tsp or more (up to 3 Tbsp), and add 3 chopped tomatoes with the okra, and hot sauce to taste. 

Serve with cooked rice.  Also goes well as an accompaniment with browned, garlic-seasoned ground pork.

Heat oil in wok or skillet.  Add vegetables and stir.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Makes 4 servings.

The flavors of this stir-fry blend well with a dish containing tomato sauce.