Colocasia Leaves Recipe | Alu Chi Bhaji
Colocasia leaves gravy recipe with step by step photos. This is a tangy and sweet bhaji made with colocasia leaves. Also called as Alu chi patal bhaji. A really delectable and nutritious preparation from the rich Maharashtrian cuisine.
Alu is the Marathi word for colocasia leaves or arbi ke patte. Even though the Hindi word ‘alu’ or ‘aloo’ means potatoes, the pronunciation of the Marathi and Hindi words are different. In Marathi ‘alu’ is pronounced as अळू whereas in Hindi ‘aloo’ is written and spoken as आलू. The marathi word ‘patal’ means thin. Hence the translation is a thin curry or gravy made from colocasia leaves. The consistency of the gravy is more like the Palak Paneer.
This is a very good sabzi and has the flavors of the taro leaves along with a sour and sweet taste. The peanuts and chana dal also add a lot in terms of texture and taste.
The same recipe can be made with spinach leaves, if you do not get colocasia leaves. If you are planning to make this recipe with spinach leaves instead of colocasia leaves, then use 3.5 to 4 cups of chopped spinach leaves.
Since its a no onion no garlic recipe, you can make it for any religious festive occasion.
Tamarind pulp is added in the recipe for taste as well as to get rid of the itching from calcium oxalate crystals present in colocasia. Instead of tamarind pulp, you can also add kokum (garcinia indica).
I had adapted this recipe from a couple of Marathi cookbooks. I had a good number of colocasia leaves growing in the balcony garden, that apart from making Alu vadi (steamed & spiced colocasia rolls), I also made this bhaji. Another recipe you can make with colocasia leaves is this Arbi patta pakoda recipe.
Alu chi patal bhaji goes very well with chapatis. You can relish the flavors of this dish by teaming it up with steamed rice as well.
How to make Colocasia Leaves Recipe
1. Soak ¼ cup chana dal and ¼ to ⅓ cup peanuts in hot water for 30 minutes. Later drain all the water and keep the lentils aside. If you have time, then you can also soak them in water for an hour or two.
Also soak 1 teaspoon tightly packed seedless tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 30 to 40 minutes. Then squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the soaked water and keep it aside.
2. Rinse 5 to 6 large colocasia leaves well in fresh water. Then chop them.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and crackle 12 to 14 methi seeds first.
4. Then add the chopped colocasia leaves.
5. Stir and saute till the leaves wilt.
6. Add soaked and drained peanuts, chopped green chilies, soaked chana dal, cashews and chopped coconut.
7. Add 2 cups water. Stir and cover the pan.
8. Simmer on a medium flame till the chana dal is cooked and softened. About 20 to 25 minutes.
Steps 3 to 8 can also be done in a stovetop pressure cooker. If the water dries, then add some hot water and continue to cover and cook.
9. Once the chana dal and peanuts have cooked, add 3 tablespoon besan and stir well.
10. Mash the leaves with the back of the spoon while stirring.
11. Then add tamarind pulp, powdered jaggery, Goda masala, red chili powder and salt as required.
Also add 1 cup water or as required. The consistency is not thick nor thin, but medium. If you do not have goda masala, then add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder.
12. Simmer without a lid for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. Switch off the flame and cover the pan.
Tempering alu chi bhaji
13. Now heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. On a low flame, splutter mustard and cumin seeds in the oil. Then add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Saute till the curry leaves become crisp.
15. Stir and add this tempering to the bhaji. Stir and mix very well.
16. Then stir in coriander leaves.
17. Serve alu chi bhaji hot with chapatis or steamed rice.
If you are looking for more Veggie recipes then do check:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
main ingredients for alu chi bhaji
- 5 to 6 large colocasia leaves (arbi ke patte)
- 12 to 14 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¼ cup husked split bengal gram (chana dal)
- ¼ to ⅓ cup peanuts
- 10 to 12 cashews – optional
- ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped fresh coconut
- 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
- 2 cups water added first for cooking chana dal, peanuts and colocasia leaves
- 3 tablespoon gram flour (besan)
- 1 teaspoon tightly packed seedless tamarind, soaked in ¼ cup warm water for 30 to 40 minutes
- 1.5 tablespoon powdered jaggery or as required
- 1 cup water added later or as required
- ¼ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Goda Masala or garam masala powder
- salt as required
for tempering alu chi bhaji
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 7 to 8 curry leaves
Instructions
preparation to make alu chi bhaji
- Soak 1/4 cup chana dal and 1/4 to 1/3 cup peanuts in hot water for 30 minutes. Later drain and keep aside. If you have time, then you can also soak them in water for an hour or two. Also soak 1 tsp tightly packed seedless tamarind in 1/4 cup warm water for 30 to 40 mins. Then squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the soaked water and keep aside.
- Rinse 5 to 6 large colocasia leaves well. Then chop them.
making alu chi bhaji
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and crackle methi seeds first.
- Then add colocasia leaves.
- Stir and saute till the leaves wilt.
- Add soaked & drained peanuts, cashews, green chilies, soaked chana dal and chopped coconut.
- Add water. Stir and cover the pan.
- Simmer on a medium flame till the chana dal is cooked and softened. If the water dries, then add some hot water and continue to cover and cook.
- Later add 3 tbsp besan and stir well.
- Mash the leaves while stirring.
- Then add tamarind pulp, jaggery, goda masala, red chili powder and salt. Also add 1 cup water or as required. The consistency is not thick nor thin, but medium.
- Simmer without a lid for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. Switch off the flame and cover the pan.
tempering alu chi bhaji
- Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan.
- Splutter mustard and cumin seeds in the oil. Then add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
- Stir and add this tempering to the bhaji. Stir and mix very well.
- Then stir in coriander leaves.
- Serve alu chi bhaji with chapatis.
Notes
This Colocasia leaves gravy recipe from the archives first published in July 2015 has been republished and updated on January 2023.
Hello.
Thank you for this nutritious and delicious recipe.
I tried it y’day but for some reason the color was not as green as the one in the pictures. Upon re-reading the recipe again I noticed I missed to temper my bhaji.
I’ve following questions. When you get a chance kindly review.
1. For me it’s easier to add the contents of the tempering in the beginning i.e., add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric power in the beginning. I wish to know what’s different between adding these at the beginning rather than tempering at the end as mentioned in this post?
2. May I avoid the besan? I think this could be the reason my bhaji didn’t turn out to be as green as it’s in this post.
Thanks in advance for you reply.
Welcome and thanks.
1. You could do the tempering first. When you add later the food tastes more flavorful when eaten hot or warm. A hot tempering added to the dish towards the end, simply perks up its flavors and tastes. Having said that, doing the tempering before also makes the dish taste nice and can be done when one wants to cut down on cooking steps and time.
2. Yes you could skip the besan. It helps in thickening of the gravy and also gives a nutty taste. But you can avoid adding it.
Hi, is there any substitute for goda masala? I really like this recipe of yours but unfortunately goda masala is not available at where I live. I have seen your goda masala recipe, but again many ingredients are not available.
skip goda masala and add garam masala powder. for making goda masala you can skip some of the spices if you do not get them.
Hi Dassana,
I adore ALL your recipes and I really want to test this one with spinach (I would not find a colocasia leaves in France).
How many grams of spinach have to I use?
thanks anne. use 3.5 to 4 cups of chopped spinach.
Black chickpeas curry turned out to be super amazing!!!!truly south india:) thnk u once again
welcome riya
Lovely and healthy recipe will surely try 🙂
thanks maria