HAAKH

Nothing expresses comfort food as aptly for a Kashmiri as Monj Haakh or a simple stew of kohl rabi (gaanth gobi) & Kashmiri collard greens. The only addition to the vegetables is 'heeng', green chillies & a dash of Kashmiri 'ver masala'. A perfect accompaniment to a heavy non-vegetarian meal or a soul soothing meal in itself with a plateful of steamed rice & a bowlful of curd.

Recipe

Wash and cut the leaves & keep it on a plate : 500gms
Heat oil in a pan : 1½ tablespoon
Sauté Asafoetida (Heeng) powder in the oil : ½ tablespoon
Roast 2 kashmiri red chillies in the pan
Pour water in the pan : 2 glasses
Add 1 spoon salt (Namak) & bring the water to a boil
Put the haakh leaves in the boiling water & let it settle to the bottom of the pan
Boil for a while
To maintain the color of the leaves, add a pinch of baking soda
Put the lid on the cooker & cook it for whistles
Garnish it with 2 green chillies (split in half) & var masala : ½ teaspoon