Red Amaranth leaves are turned into a delicious, easy to prepare Indian side dish.
This recipe is a Goan, Indian side served with curry rice and other vegetable sides.
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What is Spiced Red Amaranth?
Red Amaranth leaves, which are known in Goa, India as Tambdi Bhaji, are a common sight in the Indian coastline state and the dish prepared with the red leaves is frequently served with Goan fish curry rice.
However, don't ask for red amaranth leaves in the market (for example Mapusa market in Goa) because nobody will know what you are looking for.
Red Amaranth is better known as red spinach and locals will always understand, with a big smile, when you ask for tambdi bhaji.
Tambdi is difficult to pronounce konkani word (Goan language) for red.
Bhaji is actually the local word for a vegetable, but it is also used to describe spiced veg side dishes, an Indian vegetable sabzi.
Just as a side note, the word Bhaji may have other meanings in different parts of India.
My husband is raving about the Goan red amaranth sabzi, that I had to post it eventually.
📖 Recipe
Goan Red Amaranth Leaves Recipe (Tambdi Bhaji)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Red Lentils
- 7 ounces Red Amaranth Leaves fresh
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ¾ cup Broth
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper Ground
- Coconut Raw Freshly Shredded to garnish
Instructions
- Keepthe red lentils to soak for about 30 minutes.
- Rinse your red amaranth leaves and discard spoiled leafs if there are any. You can roughly chop the bunch of red amaranth with a knife or cut it with a kitchen scissor. I like to use the scissor.
- Peel and slice your onion. Rinse your tomato and cut into smaller dices. Keep aside.
- Heat up a pot with 1 Tablespoon of cooking oil and fry the onion first soft, then add the tomato and stir fry until soft. Now add in the chopped red amaranth leaves and cook for a minute or 2. Once the red amaranth has come down and lost some juice add the previously soaked lentils.
- Stir fry for a minute and then add in the broth, salt and pepper. Let the spinach cook on medium stove heat for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and soft.
- Top with shredded coconut. Serve with other Asian meals as a side dish. Works great with Indian meals.
Nutrition
Serving
I am comfortable eating this tambdi bhaji as a side with goan rice, fish, and curry and maybe some pickle.
Indian food is mostly always about smaller portions of different veg and non-veg dishes. This is called a Thali.
Especially in Goa, the rice is covered with homemade spicy coconut curry, accompanied by 1-2 different bhajis (vegetable sides) and some fish, seashells, or shrimp (called prawns) are added at the side.
You can also serve this red amaranth side dish with a Goan lentil daal, rice and instead of fresh fish you can add a pickled dried and marinated spicy Para fish.
More Goan Bhaji Recipes:
