Tangy Gongura (Roselle) chutney with Artichoke- vegan
Gongura, an ancient plant , commonly eaten in Andhra Pradesh, India, is a plant of all seasons in India. Edible green leaves with sour taste, resembling their cousins from Hibiscus family, are rich in Vitamin A, B- complex, and Iron. A quintessential dish for family gatherings, feasts is gongura pachadi / chutney in Andhra Pradesh. Gongura grows in abundance in my garden, so that I can cook with it and always have a taste of home.
And artichoke, is something I have not seen in my life until I reached the United States. It’s appearance, texture was a marvel to my eyes. I was always intrigued by the puzzle in my head as to how do we eat this flower, until I learnt that it is actually a bud and the heart that is cooked is deep inside.
Here is a recipe combining one of the ingredients I am way too familiar with and one that I am still learning about.
Gongura Artichoke chutney
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups Gongura (Roselle) leaves washed
- 1 can artichoke hearts drained, washed , roughly chopped
- 3 dry red chilies
- 1 tbsp channa dal
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp oil cold pressed virgin avocado oil preferred
Tempering – optional
- 2 dry red chilies use your hand to break into two pieces
- 1 tsp channa dal
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 stem curry leaves
Instructions
- In a pan, take 1/2 tbsp oil. Once hot, add red chilies, cumin, channa dal, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, and once brown , remove from the pan. Add to the blender jar along with fresh garlic.
- Take 1 tbsp oil in the same pan, and when hot, add artichoke hearts to the pan. Saute for 6-7 min on medium heat, till you see slight browning on edges. Add these hearts to the blender.
- Coarsely grind the ingredients so far.
- To the same pan, add the gongura leaves. Let the leaves wilt and turn slightly brown in 3 min. Take these wilted leaves to the blender.
- Blend till nice paste with bit of creamy texture. Add salt per taste, and blend one last time. Take the chutney into a bowl.
Tempering is optional, but is traditional upgrade for the chutney
- In a skillet, add 1/2 tbsp oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, red chillis, curry leaves, channa dal .It will add aromatic flavor. Pour it on the ground chutney.