Shak Vorta or Saag Ghota or Mashed Greens is a traditional Bengali dish that showcases the vibrant flavors of mashed greens, typically spinach.
This dish is known for its simplicity and bold, spicy taste. Shak Vorta is a delightful fusion of earthy greens, pungent mustard oil, fiery green chilies, and aromatic spices.
It’s a staple in Bengali cuisine, often served as a side dish or accompaniment to rice and other main courses. In this recipe, I’ll guide you through the process of making Shak Vorta from scratch.
Key Takeaways:
- Saag Ghota is a popular and nutritious dish in Bengali cuisine, known for its vibrant flavors.
- It is made with leafy greens such as spinach and can include other greens like mustard greens or chickpea greens.
- Shak vorta has a rich and earthy taste.
- It is commonly served with rice, roti, or paratha
- A few alternatives to Shak Vorta include aloo bharta, baingan bharta, mashed cauliflower, and mashed peas..
The Ingredients:
- Spinach 1 bundle (cleaned and chopped)
- Chickpea greens: 1 bundle (cleaned and chopped)
- Garlic: 2 pieces (grated finely)
- Green chilies: 5 to 6 pieces
- Salt: As required
- Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
How to Make Shak Vorta (Step by Step Images)?
1. Place a wok on a gas stove and let it heat up. Once hot, add water as required (approximately 250ml). Cover the wok with a lid.
2. When the water starts to boil, add the spinach, chickpea greens and green chilis.
(Pro tip: Adjust the amount of green chilies according to your preferred level of spiciness. Note that these greens are typically enjoyed with a bit of spiciness.)
Cover the lid and let them cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir all the ingredients once and add ½ teaspoon of salt.
(Pro tip: Avoid adding too much salt as the greens will reduce in volume when cooked and it will taste salty. The salt is added to help soften the greens.)
Cover it again with the lid.
4. Open the lid and stir it again to check if it has boiled properly.
(Pro tip: If desired, you can add masoor dal or red lentils to this dish when cooking with only spinach or any other greens apart from chickpea greens. It adds great taste. You can also add rice flour to thicken the paste, if desired.)
Cover it with the lid again. As the water reduces, the greens will become soft and mushy.
5. Once again, open the lid and check if there is a little bit of water remaining in the wok. Use a smasher to gently mash the greens. Keep the gas flame low to medium. You can also use a steel bowl to mash them.
6. The mashed greens should not be completely dry; they should have some water content so that when sautéed in oil, they turn out perfectly.
7. Heat another wok on the gas stove and add 2 and a half spoons of oil to sauté the mashed greens.
8. When the oil is hot, add the grated garlic and sauté it lightly for 2 to 3 seconds.
9. Once the garlic turns slightly red, add the mashed greens and increase the flame. Stir all the ingredients until the water is completely reduced. Stir it for 5 minutes.
10. At this point, add less than a tablespoon of salt and mix it well with the mashed greens.
11. The mashed greens are almost ready. You’ll notice that they have turned into a smooth, mushy paste.
12. Transfer Shak vorta to a bowl and garnish with a green chili and a slice of lemon. Serve it with steamed rice, paratha, roti or chapati.
Recipe Card:
Shak Vorta (Saag Ghota, Mashed Greens)
Ingredients
- 400 grams Spinach (cleaned and chopped)
- 250 grams Chickpea greens (cleaned and chopped)
- 2 pieces Garlic (grated finely)
- 6 pieces Green chili
- 2½ tablespoons Mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place a wok on a gas stove and let it heat up. Once hot, add water as required (approximately 250ml). Cover the wok with a lid.
- When the water starts to boil, add the spinach, chickpea greens and green chilis.(Pro tip: Adjust the amount of green chilies according to your preferred level of spiciness. Note that these greens are typically enjoyed with a bit of spiciness.)Cover the lid and let them cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir all the ingredients once and add ½ teaspoon of salt.(Pro tip: Avoid adding too much salt as the greens will reduce in volume when cooked and it will taste salty. The salt is added to help soften the greens.)Cover it again with the lid.
- Open the lid and stir it again to check if it has boiled properly.(Pro tip: If desired, you can add masoor dal or red lentils to this dish when cooking with only spinach or any other greens apart from chickpea greens. It adds great taste. You can also add rice flour to thicken the paste, if desired.)Cover it with the lid again. As the water reduces, the greens will become soft and mushy.
- Once again, open the lid and check if there is a little bit of water remaining in the wok. Use a smasher to gently mash the greens. Keep the gas flame low to medium. You can also use a steel bowl to mash them.
- The mashed greens should not be completely dry; they should have some water content so that when sautéed in oil, they turn out perfectly.
- Heat another wok on the gas stove and add 2 and a half spoons of oil to sauté the mashed greens.
- When the oil is hot, add the grated garlic and sauté it lightly for 2 to 3 seconds.
- Once the garlic turns slightly red, add the mashed greens and increase the flame. Stir all the ingredients until the water is completely reduced. Stir it for 5 minutes.
- At this point, add less than a tablespoon of salt and mix it well with the mashed greens.
- The mashed greens are almost ready. You’ll notice that they have turned into a smooth, mushy paste.
- Transfer Shak vorta to a bowl and garnish with a green chili and a slice of lemon. Serve it with steamed rice, paratha, roti or chapati.
Video
Notes
- I select fresh and tender spinach greens. This will ensure the right kind of taste and flavor to the dish. Blanch them for a few minutes in boiling water before cooking or blending to retain their vibrant green color and prevent them from being overcooked and turning dull.
- Spice you dish up using a variety of spices as a combination. To enhance the flavor, dry roast them and grind them at home in a traditional mortar and pestle before cooking.
- To have a more intense flavor and richness, temper the Saag Vorta with asafetida, dry red chilies, and cumin seeds fried in hot ghee.
- You can have different textures of this dish. If you want it chunkier, blend some greens and use the remaining as whole pieces. If you want a smoother texture, blend the entire green in a mixer grinder or a food processor to make a puree.
- Be patient enough to simmer the green on a low to medium flame. This will allow all the flavors to blend perfectly together and offer a more intense and richer taste.
