Name: Vegetables and split chickpeas in spinach sauce
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 225 g/8 oz canned chopped tomatoes with their juice; 30 ml/2 tbsp dill leaves, roughly chopped; 60 ml/4 tbsp sunflower oil or light olive oil; 1 small tomato, cut into julienne strips, to garnish; 10 ml/2 tsp ginger purée; 125 g/4½/¾ cup split Bengal gram (channa dhal or skinless split chickpeas); 125 g/4½oz carrots, scraped and cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks; 2.5 ml/½ tsp ground turmeric; 225 g/8 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes; 250 g/9 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped; 5 ml/1 tsp salt, or to taste; 1 large aubergine (eggplant), cut into 2.5cm/1in chunks; 2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped (deseeded if preferred); plain (all-purpose) flour and Indian bread, to serve; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook

By Mridula Baljekar

Published 2017

About

Sai Bhaji is the national dish of Sindh, in the Indus Valley, the site of the world’s most ancient civilization. A selection of vegetables mixed with split Bengal gram are cooked together until they reach a soft, pulpy texture.

Ingredients

125 g/4½/¾ cup split Bengal gram (channa dhal or skinless split chickpeas)
225

Method

Wash the split Bengal gram, transfer to a large bowl and soak in cold water for 30–60 minutes. Drain well, then put them into a pan with the potatoes, carrots, aubergine and dill.
Pour in 425ml/15