Niramish pui shak typically consists of pui shak (malabar spinach) and a few vegetables like brinjal and pumpkin pieces. Sometimes, the stems of pui shak are also added for additional taste. The dish needs only a few spices, such as jeera, panch foron, and ginger paste. The process to make niramish pui shak at home is very easy. Read my recipe to learn it.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Niramish pui shak is a very healthy and popular vegetarian dish.
- Serve it with steamed rice, khichuri, or roti for a light and wholesome meal.
- Niramish pui shak tastes mild earthy.
- Other similar recipes are pui shak chorchori and pui shak dal.
The Ingredients:
- 400 grams pui shak (washed, leaves only)
- 2 cups stems of pui shak
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp Indian Five Spice Blend (panch foron)
- 2 pieces dry red chilies
- 8 pieces green chilies (slit roughly)
- 1 piece brinjal (medium size, diced roughly)
- 200 grams pumpkin (diced roughly)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp cumin seed powder (jeera)
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp sugar
I, sort of, stumbled on this recipe while I was looking at a magazine sitting at the reception of a diagnostic center in our area, waiting for my turn. As I was trying to hide my nervousness, this simple recipe drew my attention. I memorized it and tried it that weekend.
My husband said it was calming, and the boys found it different in a good way. Now, it is our recovery-day recipe. This reminded me that comfort may come in different kinds and ways, such as in a reassuring smile and the accustomed smell of a dish. Sometimes, it may also come through a new dish, like the one I found while waiting nervously at the diagnostic center.
How to Make Niramish Pui Shak? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a kadai or a pan on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, put in ½ tsp of Indian Five Spice Blend (panch foron) and 2 pieces of dry red chilies. Stir and cook them for a few seconds, making sure that you do not burn them.
Step 2: Now, add 4 pieces of green chilies to it. Slit the green chilies roughly. Fry them for about half a minute.
(Pro tip: If you intend to add very little or no red chili powder to the dish, you may increase the number of green chilies added at this stage).
Step 3: Now, add small, roughly diced pieces of 1 medium-sized brinjal and 200 grams of pumpkin, one by one, to the spices in the kadai. Stir them nicely so that the green chilies at the bottom do not get burnt.
Step 4: Now, add 2 cups of stems of pui shak to it along with ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Mix them nicely with all the ingredients in the kadai.
Step 5: Cover and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame until they turn soft. Remove the cover and stir the ingredients in between to prevent them from sticking to the bottom and getting burnt.
Step 6: Now, remove the cover and add ½ tsp of ginger paste, another ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of cumin seed powder (jeera), and ½ tsp of red chili powder. Mix the powdered spices nicely but gently to make sure the soft brinjal pieces do not break.
Step 7: Now, add 400 grams of pui shak (washed nicely, leaves only) bit by bit. Mix them nicely. Add the rest of the leaves when it gets reduced. Cover and let it cook on a low to medium flame until the leaves get reduced significantly.
(Pro tip: Keep the flame of the gas stove constant to low to medium. Altering it frequently while cooking may affect the vibrant green color of pui shak).
Step 8: Now, stir the shak and then add ½ tsp of sugar to it. Mix it nicely with all the ingredients in the kadai. Cover and cook it for another 4 to 5 minutes until everything turns soft and mixes nicely and there is little or no water in the dish. Taste and add salt if needed at this stage.
Step 9: Finally, add 4 more green chilies, slit in the middle, to the dish and mix them with the ingredients.
(Pro tip: Adding green chiles in the final stage only adds to the flavor of the dish. They do not make it too hot or spicy).
Step 10: Check the final texture and consistency of the pui shak. It should be a little juicy, as shown in the image below.
Step 11: Your tasty and healthy homemade niramish pui shak is now ready. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy it with steamed rice or roti.
Recipe Card
Niramish Pui Shak
Ingredients
- 400 grams pui shak washed, leaves only
- 2 cups stems of pui shak
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tsp Indian Five Spice Blend panch foron
- 2 pieces dry red chilies
- 8 pieces green chilies slit roughly
- 1 piece brinjal medium size, diced roughly
- 200 grams pumpkin diced roughly
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp cumin seed powder jeera
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in a kadai or a pan on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, put in ½ tsp of Indian Five Spice Blend (panch foron) and 2 pieces of dry red chilies. Stir and cook them for a few seconds making sure that you do not burn them.
- Now, add 4 pieces of green chilies to it. Slit the green chilies roughly. Fry them for about half a minute. (Pro tip: If you intend adding very little or no red chili powder to the dish, you may increase the number of green chilies added at this stage).
- Now, add small, roughly diced pieces of 1 medium-sized brinjal and 200 grams of pumpkin, one by one, to the spices in the kadai. Stir them nicely so that the green chilies at the bottom do not get burnt.
- Now, add 2 cups of stems of pui shak to it along with ½ tsp of salt and ½ tsp of turmeric powder. Mix them nicely with all the ingredients in the kadai.
- Cover and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame until they turn soft. Remove the cover and stir the ingredients in between to prevent them from sticking to the bottom and getting burnt.
- Now, remove the cover and add ½ tsp of ginger paste, another ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of cumin seed powder (jeera), and ½ tsp of red chili powder. Mix the powdered spices nicely but gently to make sure the soft brinjal pieces do not break.
- Now, add 400 grams of pui shak (washed nicely, leaves only) bit by bit. Mix them nicely. Add the rest of the leaves when it gets reduced. Cover and let it cook on a low to medium flame until the leaves get reduced significantly. (Pro tip: Keep the flame of the gas stove constant to low to medium. Altering it frequently while cooking may affect the vibrant green color of pui shak).
- Now, stir the shak and then add ½ tsp of sugar to it. Mix it nicely with all the ingredients in the kadai. Cover and cook it for another 4 to 5 minutes until everything turns soft and mix nicely and there is little or no water in the dish. Taste and add salt if needed at this stage.
- Finally, add 4 more green chilies, slit in the middle, to the dish and mix them with the ingredients. (Pro tip: Adding green chiles in the final stage only adds to the flavor of the dish. They do not make it too hot or spicy).
- Check the final texture and consistency of the pui shak. It should be a little juicy as shown in the image below.
- Your tasty and healthy homemade niramish pui shak is now ready. Transfer it to a serving bowl and enjoy it with steamed rice or roti.
