This laal shaak bhaja is a Bengali stir-fried vegetable recipe made using red amaranth leaves, also known as laal shaak (“লাল শাক” ). Simple recipes like this saag bhaja give us easy-to-cook meals as they come together in a few minutes.
Vegetarian recipes using leafy green vegetables are very popular in Bengali cuisine. Shaak bhaja recipes are served at the beginning of the meal as prothom paat (first serve) to add fibre to the diet. Serve it with some bhaat, dal, and seasonal chatni for a wholesome meal.
Laal shaak bhaja recipe ingredients
- Red Amaranth or Laal Shaak: 1 bundle weighing a kilo.
- Mustard Oil: 2 tablespoons
- Mustard Seeds: 1/4 teaspoon
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves
- Dry Red Chilies: 1-2 (adjust to your spice tolerance)
- Turmeric Powder: ½ teaspoon
- Salt: ½ teaspoon (or to taste)
- Sugar: ½ teaspoon
- Kasundi: 1 tablespoon (optional)
Laal notey shaak bhaja recipe instructions
- Step 1: Prep the laal shaak – Pluck the leaves and separate the younger stalks. They can be easily chopped up into this dish as they cook fast, like the leaves. Wash everything well 2-3 times to remove any dust or sand sticking to the leaves. Drain the water completely before chopping everything into smaller pieces.
- Step 2: Heat the oil – Grab a medium-sized pan or kadai and heat mustard oil over medium flame. Once it’s hot (you’ll see it shimmer), toss in the mustard seeds, sliced garlic, and dry red chilies. Let them sizzle for 10-15 seconds
- Step 3: Cook the shaak – Add the chopped red amaranth leaves and stalks to the pan. Sprinkle in the turmeric powder, salt, and sugar, then give everything a good stir. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the stalks start to soften slightly. Cover the pan with a lid for faster cooking. Leafy green vegetables release a lot of moisture, so this allows cooking in their juice.
- Step 4: Adjust and finish – Once the laal shaak has fried and reduced in quantity, check for seasoning. Finish with some kasundi if you are a fan of the pungency. If you want to add some crunch, then top it with some fried kolai dal er bori or peanuts.
Serving suggestions
A Bengali everyday meal often comprises bhaat, a Bengali dal, a vegetarian dish of seasonal vegetables, and a fish or meat-based side dish (although not mandatory every day).
A vegetarian cuisine recipe like this laal shaak bhaja would be traditionally served at the beginning of the meal.
Vegetarian dishes like this laal notey bhaja add a good dose of fiber along with minimum calories.
More Bengali shaak recipes
- Palong Shaker Ghonto | পালং শাকের ঘন্ট
- Bhapa Pui Shak | পুুই শাক ভাপা
- Kochu Shak Ghonto | কচু শাকের ঘন্ট
- Macher Matha Diye Pui Shaak Chorchori | মাছের মাথা দিয়ে পুঁইশাক চচ্চড়ি
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This laal shaak bhaja is a Bengali stir-fried vegetable recipe made using red amaranth leaves, also known as laal shaak ("লাল শাক" ). Simple recipes like this saag bhaja give us easy-to-cook meals as they come together in a few minutes.
- Red Amaranth or Laal Shaak 1 bundle weighing a kilo.
- 2 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- ¼ tablespoon Mustard Seeds
- 1-2 Dry Red Chilies adjust to your spice tolerance
- 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
- ½ tablespoon Turmeric Powder
- ½ tablespoon Salt or to taste
- ½ tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kasundi optional
Step 1: Prep the laal shaak – Pluck the leaves and separate the younger stalks. They can be easily chopped up into this dish as they cook fast, like the leaves. Wash everything well 2-3 times to remove any dust or sand sticking to the leaves. Drain the water completely before chopping everything into smaller pieces.
Step 2: Heat the oil – Grab a medium-sized pan or kadai and heat mustard oil over medium flame. Once it’s hot (you’ll see it shimmer), toss in the mustard seeds, sliced garlic, and dry red chilies. Let them sizzle for 10-15 seconds
Step 3: Cook the shaak – Add the chopped red amaranth leaves and stalks to the pan. Sprinkle in the turmeric powder, salt, and sugar, then give everything a good stir. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the stalks start to soften slightly. Cover the pan with a lid for faster cooking. Leafy green vegetables release a lot of moisture, so this allows cooking in their juice.
Step 4: Adjust and finish – Once the laal shaak has fried and reduced in quantity, check for seasoning. Finish with some kasundi if you are a fan of the pungency. If you want to add some crunch, then top it with some fried kolai dal er bori or peanuts.
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