Malabar Spinach Curry - Valichi Bhaji / Mayalu Bhaji

My parents are here and its fun when they visit us especially during the summer months. Well, when Mom is here, then its always authentic Konkai or Maharashtrian food that we ask her to cook for us.

The other day we went to the local Asian market and found some nice Malabar Spinach - its call Mayalu in Marathi and Valichi Bhaji in Konkani. We immediately remembered the nice tasting curry and decided to buy it and have it for dinner. Ofcorse, we added shrimps to the curry. it was yumm.

This is the recipe - as told by Mom.

Ingredients

Malabar Spinach - 1 bunch

1 onion - roughly chopped

1 tomato - roughly chopped

1 cup fresh desiccated coconut

7 to 8 dried red chillies

2 tablespoons coriander seeds (akkha dhnaia)

9 flakes of garlic

pinch of turmeric

salt as per taste

1 teaspoon oil

8 to 9 big shrimps - cut into bite size pieces (optional)

Method

clean the malabar spinach very well and separate the leaves from the long stem. The stem is also used for the curry. Roughly shop the spinach leaves and cut the stems in 1/2 inch pieces - keep the leaves and the stems separate.

The stems have to be cooked in a pressure cooker by adding some water and a pinch of turmeric. Once cooked, keep it aside.

In a blender/mixer - add the coconut, the coriander seeds, the red chillis and the garlic and grind to a fine paste by adding just enough water to get a thick consistency. Keep this mixture aside.

In a karahi add the oil and when it gets hot add the onions and fry till they get transparent. Now add the chopped tomatoes and the spinach leaves and mix well. Add 1/4 cup of water and let the spinach leaves cook through. If you want to add shrimps, you can add it now and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

Once the spinach leaves are cooked through, add the stems and mix well. Then add the coconut masala mixture and add salt to taste and bring this curry to a boil. Add some salt as per taste.

Malabar spinach curry is ready to be served with boiled rice.