Gundruk

                                       

                          One of the national dishes of Nepal, it is a fermented and sun-dried leafy vegetable that can be stored for years, made of various leafy vegetables such as reddish leaves, mustard leaves and cauliflower leaves. It has a strong fermented smell and a varying degree of sourness. Gundruk provides minerals and vitamins when we are having fewer fresh vegetables in winter and dry seasons. It is one of the versatile food items which can be served as either soup, appetizer or side dish. This is one of the favourite food of Nepalese people. It is rehydrated with hot water and used in making various dishes.

I will be sharing some of the dishes which can be made from Gundruk

Gundruk ko Jhol (soup) is a most common way of consuming Gundruk. Let's start out with ingredients.

• one fist full of Gundruk rehydrated 
• 4-5 medium size of potato boiled crush with hand 
• Mustard oil 
• 1 large chopped onion, 2 -3 tomato chopped 
• Spices- turmeric powder, whole cumin, coriander powder, chilli powder, dried chilli, salt and ginger garlic paste.

Preparation

• Heat the pan and add 2-3 tbsp of mustard oil
• Now add Gundruk and stir fry till it turns golden brown and leaves an aroma. Take it aside in a small bowl.
• In the same pan add 1-2 tbsp of oil and heat it up to add whole cumin as it sizzle, add ginger garlic paste and fry for a bit, add chopped onion fry till golden brown and in all the remaining spices and tomato. Cook and make the paste, you can add 1-2 tbsp water if it is sticking on the bottom of the pan.
  
  
  
• Now add in the crushed boiled potato and fried Gundruk and give a mix, fry for 2-3 minutes let the spices stick slightly in the pan.
• Now add in water 2-3 cups of water, bring it to boil for 1-2 minutes and low down the heat and simmer it for about 10-15 minutes so that the flavour and nutrients are absorbed in soup.
• Now the soup is ready and can be eaten with plain rice.

                                         Enjoy!

Gundruk  Bhatmas Sadako is eaten as a side dish or appetizer. It has an appetizing flavour. Let's start out.

Ingredients

• Gundruk one cup shredded and cut in 2-3 inch long
• Fresh coriander and green chilli finely chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1-2  medium boiled tomatoes
• Ginger and garlic one tbsp each finely chopped
• Red chilli powder 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Soybeans 1/2 cup
• Oil for frying 
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Cumin- Coriander powder 1 tbsp
• fenugreek seed 1/4 tbsp

Preparation

• Rehydrate the Gundruk by soaking it in hot water for about 5 minutes or until soft.
• In the grinder add ginger garlic, chilli powder and boiled tomato and make a rough texture paste (use mortar pestle for best result) out of it.
• Heat up a pan and add 1 tbsp oil and roast soybeans.
  
• Squeeze out the Gundruk 
• Now take a mixing bowl, add the tomato paste, roasted soybeans, Gundruk, coriander, green chilli, salt and lime juice (lime juice need to be added after tasting the sourness of Gundruk)
• For tempering, heat up oil in the pan add fenugreek seed and fry till it gets golden brown add in a pinch of turmeric powder, turn off the heat.
• add the tempering in the bowl mix well, check the seasonings and it is done. 

                   Enjoy!