Rishi Panchami Bhaji | Rushichi Bhaji

Rishi panchami bhaji recipe with step by step pics – Rishi panchami is celebrated on the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi festival. On this day all Sapta Rishi (seven sages) are worshipped and remembered. The seven sages Kashyapa, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Atri, Gautam, Bharadwaj, Vashishta are worshipped. Even sage vashishta’s wife Arundhati is worshipped. This year Rishi panchami is celebrated on 20th september 2023.

In Maharashtra a special dish is cooked on this day – Rishi panchami bhaji or Rushichi Bhaji. This bhaji comprises of a dish containing of mix veggies. Usually seasonal veggies and tubers are used. The veggies that are used are the ones where the oxen is not used for farming.

Rishi panchami bhaji is also made in way that can be compared to the way cooking was done during the time of the rishis – simple and healthy food.

Traditionally earthen pots are used and the veggies are cooked separately as their cooking time differs. cooking each veggie separately takes a lot of time. Moreover preparing the veggies also takes time. I always cook everything together and at times even use a pressure cooker. In the recipe I have shown the veggies being cooked in a large pot.

More time is required in the preparation of the bhaji rather than the actual cooking. The cooking part is easy and does not take much time. Since rishi panchami bhaji is prepared once in a year, its fine if some time is taken to do the prep work.

I had got a couple of requests to share rushichi bhaji and finally I am sharing one. For the last four to five years I was just not able to share the recipe. This year I prepared rishichi bhaji some days back and sharing the recipe now.

It is one of those sabzis that is my favorite too as it is not just delicious, but super healthy, vegan and gluten free too.

Another seasonal and festival recipe made in Maharashtra one day before Makar Sankranti is this Bhogi chi bhaji recipe.

For making rishi panchami bhaji, you can use the following veggies:

• Amaranth leaves – chawli, chaulai (red or green)
• Sweet potato – shakarkandi
• Elephant foot yam – suran
• Potatoes – aloo, batata
• Pumpkin – kaddu, bhopla
• Colocasia roots – arbi, alu
• Colocasia leaves – arbi ke patte, alu che paan
• Raw banana – kachche kele
• Tender peanuts – moongphali
• Snake gourd – chichinda, padwal
• Ridge gourd – turai, dodka
• Corn – makai, makka

I have added colocasia and yam in the bhaji. So I have used tamarind pulp also. Some fresh curd can be added instead of tamarind. You can skip tamarind if not using veggies like colocasia and yam. Then jaggery also can be skipped.

Rushichi bhaji can be served hot or warm with rice flour bhakris or rice pooris. You can also serve with chapatis or phulkas or with steamed rice.

How to make Rushichi Bhaji

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, take 1 teaspoon tamarind and ¼ cup hot water. Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes.

2. Later squeeze the pulp from the tamarind and keep it aside.

3. Meanwhile when the tamarind is soaking, rinse the leafy vegetables very well and keep them aside. For the greens I have used colocasia leaves (arbi patta) and red amaranth leaves (chaulai).

4. Also rinse and peel the other veggies. I have here used ridge gourd, yellow pumpkin, elephant foot yam, unripe banana and corn. I have used 700 grams of mix veggies including the greens.

5. Shell fresh peanuts and rinse them too. You will need ½ cup fresh peanuts. If not using fresh peanuts, then soak ½ cup raw peanuts overnight in water. Drain the water and keep aside.

6. Chop each veggie in squares or cubes. You can keep medium sized cubes. I have also chopped the stems of amaranth and colocasia leaves.

You can chop the corn cob in roundels or you can even scrape of the corn kernels from the cob.

Making rishi panchami bhaji

7. Heat 3 tablespoons of peanut oil in a large pot or pan. Add 2 green chilies (chopped). You can also use ghee instead of oil.

8. Saute green chilies for some seconds.

9. Then add the chopped amaranth and colocasia leaves along with the stems.

10. Saute for a minute.

11. Then add the remaining chopped veggies and tubers.

12. Mix very well and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

13. Add the ½ cup peanuts.

14. Add 2 cups water. For a semi dry or dry bhaji, you can add less water.

15. Season with salt as per taste.

16. Stir and mix very well.

17. Cover and simmer the veggies on a low to medium heat.

18. Check at intervals and give a stir.

19. Simmer till the veggies are cooked and tender. Cooking veggies take about 25 to 30 minutes.

20. Then add the tamarind pulp (which was made in steps 1 and 2).

21. Add 1 cup of grated fresh coconut. You can grind coconut a bit coarsely if you want and then add.

22. Stir and mix very well.

23. Cook rishi panchami bhaji without a lid on a low heat till the raw aroma of tamarind goes away. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.

24. Lastly add 1 tablespoon of jaggery powder or add as required.

25. Mix very well and simmer the bhaji for a minute.

26. Serve rishi panchami bhaji hot or warm with rice bhakris (rice rotis) or rice pooris. You can also have Rushichi Bhaji with steamed rice or chapatis. The bhaji is so good that you can even have it plain.

Few more veggie recipes for you!

• Bhindi ki sabji
• Shirali bhaji
• Padwal sabji
• Shepu bhaji

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more veetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Rishi Panchami Bhaji recipe from the archives first published in August 2017 has been republished and updated on January 2023.