Bhogi chi bhaji is a mix vegetable curry that is made on bhogi which precedes Makar Sankranti. In bhogi chi bhaji, seasonal winter vegetables are used.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Maharashtrian

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind
  • 3 tablespoons hot water
  • 2 tablespoons oil ((preferably peanut oil))
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion (- chopped or ¾ cup chopped onions)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 6 to 7 curry leaves (- optional)
  • 1 inch ginger (- roughly chopped)
  • 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves (- roughly chopped)
  • 1 green chili (- chopped)
  • 1 medium to large carrot (- chopped)
  • ½ cup chopped broad beans ((ghevada, flat beans, hyacinth beans))
  • ½ cup chopped snow peas ((val papdi, valor, field beans, sem ki phalli))
  • 1 drumstick (- peeled and chopped)
  • ¼ cup green peas (or fresh green chana)
  • ¼ cup beans shelled from lima beans ((pavta, surti papdi, avarakkai, mochai) - optional)
  • 7 to 8 small brinjals (- chopped, (baingan))
  • 2 medium sized potatoes (- chopped)
  • 6 to 7 bor ((ber or indian jujubes))
  • 2 cups water (or add as required)
  • 2 teaspoons Goda Masala (or kala masala or 1 teaspoon garam masala)
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
  • salt (as required)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon jaggery (or add as required)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Method

chopping veggies for bhogichi bhaji recipe:

  1. First rinse all the veggies, drain them well and keep aside. Apart from the veggies, I have also used ¼ cup fresh green peas and ¼ cup lima beans (pavta, surti papdi, avarakkai, mochai).
  2. For the beans remove the side string and open both the pods.
  3. Then break or chop them in 1 inch pieces. If there are any worms or mould growth inside the beans, then discard these beans. Keep the chopped beans aside.
  4. Also chop the other veggies in medium to large pieces. Place chopped brinjals in a bowl of water, so that they do not discolor.

making tamarind pulp:

  1. In a bowl soak 1 teaspoon tamarind in 3 tablespoons hot water for 20 minutes.
  2. Later squeeze the tamarind pulp in the water. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.

roasting and grinding:

  1. Heat a small pan. Keep flame to a low and add 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
  2. Stirring often roast sesame seeds till they pop and change color. Remove and keep aside.
  3. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons peanuts.
  4. Stirring often roast peanuts till they become crunchy and you see some browned or black spots on them. Keep aside.
  5. Switch off the flame and in the same pan add 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut.
  6. Stirring often roast coconut for a minute. There is no need to roast till light brown. The coconut just needs to be lightly roasted.
  7. Remove and keep aside and let these three roasted ingredients cool down.
  8. Then take them in a small grinder jar or a coffee grinder.
  9. Grind to a fine powder using the pulse option or grind for a few seconds and then stop. Do not grind at a stretch as then oil will be released.
  10. In a mortar and pestle, crush coarsely or finely 1 inch ginger, 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves and 1 green chili. Keep aside.

making bhogichi bhaji recipe:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large pot or pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
  2. When the mustard seeds crackle, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds also crackle and change color.
  3. Then add 1 large onion (chopped). sauté onions till translucent.
  4. Then add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 6 to 7 curry leaves (optional). mix well.
  5. Now add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chili paste.
  6. Mix and sauté till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.
  7. Now add chopped broad beans, chopped snow peas and ½ cup chopped carrots. mix well.
  8. Add ¼ cup water.
  9. Cover pan with a lid and on a medium-low flame simmer veggies for 5 minutes.
  10. Then open the lid and give a stir.
  11. Now add the remaining veggies – small brinjals, drumstick, potaotes, bor or indian jujubes, green peas and lima beans. Skip bor or ber if you do not have.
  12. Mix again. Then season with salt.
  13. Add 2 cups water and stir.
  14. Cover pan with a lid.
  15. Simmer on medium-low to medium flame till the vegetables are almost cooked.
  16. In between do check when the mix vegetables are cooking. Simmer till the veggies are almost done.
  17. Now add the tamarind pulp.
  18. Add the ground sesame seeds+peanuts+desiccated coconut powder. Also add 2 teaspoons goda masala (or kala masala or 1 teaspoon garam masala powder) and ½ to 1 teaspoon jaggery.
  19. Add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves. mix well.
  20. Simmer bhogichi bhaji further for 4 to 5 minutes. Check the taste and add more salt or jaggery if required.
  21. Lastly switch off the flame and add 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
  22. Serve bhogichi bhaji with sesame seeds-bajra bhakri, chapati, khichdi or steamed rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.