Red Amaranth leaves are turned into a delicious easy to prepare Asian side dish.
This recipe is Goan, Indian side dish served with curry rice and other vegetable sides in a thali.
Red Amaranth leaves, which are known in Goa 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) 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. Hope that is not confusing you…
My husband is raving about the Goan red amaranth sabzi, that I had to post it sooner or later.
He enjoys eating red spinach not only because of its taste but also for its great health benefits.
I am more fascinated by the red amaranths leave color and natural beauty and I don’t remember seeing red amaranth leaves in Europe while growing up.
Yet, 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 nonveg dishes.
Especially in Goa, the rice is covered with homemade spicy coconut curry, accompanied by 1-2 different bhajis and some fish, seashells or prawns are added at the side.
Sometimes instead of curry lentil daals are served with rice and instead of fresh fish you will find a delicious goan specialty, dried marinated spicy Para fish.
However, vegetable stir fries are always omnipresent no matter if served with curry or daals.
More Goan Bhaji Recipes:
Have you ever eaten cooked red amaranth leaves?
Red Amaranth Leave Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Red Lentils
- 7 ounces Red Amaranth Leaves fresh
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
- ¾ cup Broth
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper
- shredded Coconut 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.
