Chadachadi – a Bengali Mixed Vegetable Dish

Chadachadi is a Bengali dish that is made with a hodgepodge of leftover vegetables. There is a strong flavoring of mustard seeds and mustard oil that gives this dish a distinctive tangy, depth of flavor.

 

Sumeet’s Chadachadi – a Bengali Mixed Vegetable Dish

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Soak for 5 -6 hours or overnight:

2 tsp. whole dhaniya seeds (coriander)

2 tsp. jeera (cumin seeds)

2 tsp. rai (black mustard seeds)

3 green chilies

• Grind the above with about 2-3 tbsp. water.
• Make it a fine paste.

 

Additional ingredients:

2 bunches spinach, chopped fine (should be about 8 cups chopped)

Equal amounts of eggplant and radish, diced ( approx 3 cups of each)

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. panch phorun

6 cloves garlic, sliced

3 whole red chilies

1 tsp. haldi (turmeric powder)

½ tsp. red chili powder (to taste)

5 tbsp. mustard oil

Salt to taste

 

Method:

• In a wok or kadai, heat 3 tbsp. mustard oil to smoking point.
• Add 1 tsp. panch phorun.
• Add the garlic and whole red chilies.
• Add the ground masala, haldi and salt and mix well.
• Cook this mixture for about 20 – 25 minutes until it is well combined.
• Add the chopped eggplant and radish.
• Sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped spinach.
• Mix well.
• Add the chopped tomatoes.
• Cover and cook stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.
• Add chili powder and mash the veggies down in the wok.
• Cook for another 15 minutes, add salt to taste and to off with a little more mustard oil.
• Serve hot with white rice or rotis.