Bathua raita
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Blanched bathua (lamb's quarters) greens folded into spiced curd, a winter side dish of the UP countryside.
Region: Across Uttar Pradesh, especially the western districtsOccasion: Winter mealsTime: 20 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups bathua leaves, cleaned
- 2 cups curd, whisked
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- Salt and black salt to taste
- Optional tempering: 1 tsp ghee, ½ tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of hing
Method
- Boil the bathua leaves in a little water for 5 minutes until soft. Drain and cool.
- Squeeze out the water and chop finely or mash.
- Mix the greens into the curd with salt, black salt, cumin and chilli.
- If you like, pour over a tempering of ghee, cumin and hing.
- Chill and serve with roti, paratha or dal-rice.
History
Bathua grows wild in wheat fields in winter and has long been gathered by farming families of the Gangetic plain for saag, parathas and raita.
Significance
It is one of the seasonal greens that mark winter meals in UP villages, eaten for flavour and for its traditional reputation as a healthy green.