Saturday, October 4, 2014

BEEHA / BEA PATATA DAAG MEIN (Lotus Stem cooked in Onion Gravy )


Beeha / bea  ( lotus stem / kamal kakdi ) is one of the delicacy in the Sindhi Cuisine. We have a variety of preparations with this vegetable like daag wari bhaji, seyala bhaji, palak mei beeha, beeha ji tikki, beeha ja pakora. Thin boiled slices can also be relished with mint chutney. When in season we add it to almost all the curries and meats.Cleaning this is the toughest part because it is covered with mud and kept fresh by sprinkling water over it. We have to wash it very well before using. Scrape the outer skin and cut into slanting slices. This way it will not be very hairy when you bite it.

Ingredients:
Beeha ...... 1 stem ( 10 - 12 slices)
Potatoes .. 2-3
Onions .... 2
tomato .... 1
Green chillies .. 1-2
Garlic .......... 1 tsp
Ginger ....... 1 tsp
Turmeric powder .. 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder .. 1 tsp
Cumin powder ... 1 tsp
Red chilli powder .... 1/4 tsp ( or as per your liking)
Coriander leaves ... handful
Salt ... to taste
Oil ..... 4-5 tbsps


Method:
1. Wash and scrape the outer skin of the lotus stem. Cut into thin slanting slices.
2. Boil them adding a little salt, preferably in a pressure cooker.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.
4. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion to brown colour. Add ginger, garlic, tomato and green chilli with one cup water and simmer to cook.
5. Mash it using a masher or hand grinder.
6. Tip in the potatoes, salt and the spice powders. Bhuno it for a minute and add enough water to cook the potatoes.
7. When the potatoes are half done, add the boiled lotus stem slices and the coriander leaves.
8. Simmer until done. The quantity of water depends on the gravy of your preference.


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