Tambdi Bhaji is a healthy recipe made using red leafy amaranth leaves. This is a zero oil, vegan, under 30 minute recipe in which the chopped amaranth leaves are cooked by boiling. Red Leafy Amaranth is commonly found in Goa. Tambdi Bhaji is also known as Lal math in Maharashtra. Some people also call it as lal bhaji. “Tambdi” and “Lal” both refers to red color.
Health benefits of red amaranth leaves is that it is packed with antioxidants, proteins, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates and iron.
There are numerous ways of cooking red amaranth leaves. We can stir fry, add to soups or salads too. You can add pulses like dal to the below given recipe or do a quick stir-fry. Some people even add prawns to tambdi bhaji.
I prefer to cook this by boiling as it is much healthier. This is my mom’s recipe and her style of cooking leafy vegetables. You can alter the taste by adding tamarind paste or even ginger-garlic paste.
In Bangalore, the red leafy amaranth that we get is slightly different than the one we get in Goa. The leafy amaranth looses the red color on cooking. But the Goan one retains the rich red color even after cooking.
Check out the video recipe to make red leafy amaranth video recipe.
Related posts: Radish leaves subzi(moolyachi bhaji), Moringa leaves stir fry(maskachi bhaji) , Spinach dal (dal palak)
Ingredients to make tambdi bhaji:
- Red leafy amaranth: Fresh bunch of leafy vegetable is to be used in this recipe.
- Green chilies: Green chilies add the required amount of spice to the lal math bhaji.
- Grated coconut: Grated coconut is added to this recipe. Since we have not added oil, grated coconut helps in providing the needed fat.
- Onion: Finely chopped onion is added to this recipe. If you want to make no onion no garlic version, you may not add onion and proceed with the recipe.
- Turmeric powder: This is the only spice powder which is added to the recipe. It is available in all Indian grocery stores.
- Jaggery: Little amount of jaggery is added to this recipe which provides and slightly sweetish taste.
How to cook red leafy amaranth?
- Take a kadai / wok and add chopped amaranth, green chilies, turmeric powder, jaggery, grated coconut and ½ cup water.
- Switch on the gas / heat.
- Close the lid of wok and cook on medium flame for 20 minutes.
- Add salt to taste, mix and cook for 5 minutes.
Serve the lal math bhaji with rice, Goan prawns curry, sol kadi and yam fritters.
You can even have it with chapatis.
Red Leafy Amaranth Subzi | Tambdi bhaji
Equipment
- Kadai / wok
Ingredients
- 2 bunch 4 cups red leafy amaranth/tambdi bhaji
- 2 green chilies
- 4 tablespoon grated coconut
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 medium sized chopped onion
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp jaggery
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash and chop the red leafy amaranth.
- Soak them in a small vessel full of water for 20 minutes.
- Later drain the water and keep the chopped vegetable aside.
- In a pan, add chopped leafy amaranth, chopped green chilies, chopped onion, 1/2 cup water and close the lid. Let this cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
- Add grated coconut, jaggery, turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add salt to taste and let this get cooked for 5 minutes.
Video
Notes
- In Bangalore, the red leafy amaranth that we get is slightly different than the one we get in Goa. The leafy amaranth looses the red color on cooking. But the Goan one retains the rich red color even after cooking.
- Preparation steps remains the same.
- You can alter the taste by adding tamarind paste or even ginger-garlic paste.
- Prawns can also be added while cooking.
- Always cut leafy vegetables and soak in water before cooking.
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Note: Recipe was published on 27 Dec 2014. It is updated with pinterest image.
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