The spring is in full blossom all over the world. We see colors on bare trees. Red, pink, purple, white, yellow, magenta are gushing over the greenery. The breeze carries over mesmerizing fragrance from the flowers. We see Palash, Shimul, Ashok, Bel, Jasmine, Rangan, Madhabi lata, Swarna Chanpa, Dolon Chanpa are on full swing. In the other part of the world, we see cherry blossom through Tulips, Rose, Gardenia, Hyacinthia, Lily, Water Lily, Marigold, Mums, etc. We not only take the fragrances of them but also use them in various purposes from religious to household decoration, and to even cooking. “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” Spring is in our heart, spring is in our life. So let us celebrate Spring.
To keep in sync our kitchen basket also gets filled with flowers, too. Due to weather change during this season, we also tend to fall sick either by different allergies or by some virus. Our traditional cuisine entails some seasonal flowers in our cuisine. We use bak ful, kumro ful (zucchini flower), sajne ful or drumstick flower to spice up our tongue, to satiate our saliva and also to fight against the seasonal infections. Drumstick flowers are white in color with a pink tench on the bottom. They are believed to be very healthy. Bengali families use drumstick leaves, flowers and drumsticks in daily meal. Out of all recipes of Sajne ful or drumstick flower the most popular recipe is sajne ful er jhal or the drumstick blossom curry.
1. Potato: 2 medium
2. Flat beans or Seem: 50 gms
3. Egg plant: 50 gms
4. Sajne Ful or drumstick flower: 100 gms
5. Mustard paste: 2 tablespoon
6. Green chillies: 2
7. Panch Foron: 1 teaspoon
8. Green peas: One Handful
9. Mustard oil: 1.5 tablespoon
10. Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
11. Salt and sugar as per taste
1. First wash the sajne flower rigorously before use. As we collect it mostly from the ground, lot of dirt and dust come with it. Also inspect it cautiously for worms.
2. Boil the sajne ful in hot water for 5 minutes and throw away the water. Sometimes the flower is little bitter. This boil step helps to take the bitterness off the recipe.
3. Dice the potatoes. Also chop the flat beans, egg plant into small pieces. Take green peas off the pea pods.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai or wok.
5. Add panch foron and slit green chillies in it.
6. Add potatoes. Fry it for a while.
7. Add flat beans and then egg plant into the wok. Mix it with potato and cover. Keep the heat to medium or low.
8. After 5 minutes take the lid off and stir it again. Now add the pea pods. Mix, stir and then add turmeric powder. Add salt. Cover and let it simmer for a while.
9. At this point add the drumstick flowers. Mix and cook covered again for a while.
10. By this time all the vegetable would be soft and cooked. Mash and mix them with the flat part of the ladle.
11. Add a pinch of sugar to taste.
12. Now make a paste of mustard seeds with green chillies. Add this paste to the mix. Use your hand to sieve off the skins of mustard if, any.
13. Turn off the heat. Add 1/2 spoon of mustard oil on top.
14. Serve it hot with rice.
To keep in sync our kitchen basket also gets filled with flowers, too. Due to weather change during this season, we also tend to fall sick either by different allergies or by some virus. Our traditional cuisine entails some seasonal flowers in our cuisine. We use bak ful, kumro ful (zucchini flower), sajne ful or drumstick flower to spice up our tongue, to satiate our saliva and also to fight against the seasonal infections. Drumstick flowers are white in color with a pink tench on the bottom. They are believed to be very healthy. Bengali families use drumstick leaves, flowers and drumsticks in daily meal. Out of all recipes of Sajne ful or drumstick flower the most popular recipe is sajne ful er jhal or the drumstick blossom curry.
Ingredients:
1. Potato: 2 medium
2. Flat beans or Seem: 50 gms
3. Egg plant: 50 gms
4. Sajne Ful or drumstick flower: 100 gms
5. Mustard paste: 2 tablespoon
6. Green chillies: 2
7. Panch Foron: 1 teaspoon
8. Green peas: One Handful
9. Mustard oil: 1.5 tablespoon
10. Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
11. Salt and sugar as per taste
Steps:
1. First wash the sajne flower rigorously before use. As we collect it mostly from the ground, lot of dirt and dust come with it. Also inspect it cautiously for worms.
2. Boil the sajne ful in hot water for 5 minutes and throw away the water. Sometimes the flower is little bitter. This boil step helps to take the bitterness off the recipe.
3. Dice the potatoes. Also chop the flat beans, egg plant into small pieces. Take green peas off the pea pods.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai or wok.
5. Add panch foron and slit green chillies in it.
6. Add potatoes. Fry it for a while.
7. Add flat beans and then egg plant into the wok. Mix it with potato and cover. Keep the heat to medium or low.
8. After 5 minutes take the lid off and stir it again. Now add the pea pods. Mix, stir and then add turmeric powder. Add salt. Cover and let it simmer for a while.
9. At this point add the drumstick flowers. Mix and cook covered again for a while.
10. By this time all the vegetable would be soft and cooked. Mash and mix them with the flat part of the ladle.
11. Add a pinch of sugar to taste.
12. Now make a paste of mustard seeds with green chillies. Add this paste to the mix. Use your hand to sieve off the skins of mustard if, any.
13. Turn off the heat. Add 1/2 spoon of mustard oil on top.
14. Serve it hot with rice.
