Adrak Lehsun Ki Sabzi is a spicy Indian curry of ginger and garlic. It is a traditional Punjabi recipe, known as Chitt (Ch-itt) , prepared during the winter season to keep you warm and boost immunity.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Punjabi Chitt
- Serving Suggestion
- Adrak-Lehsun Ki Sabzi (Punjabi Chitt)
Chitt is no ordinary curry. I’m talking about the kind of curry that hits the perfect score when it comes to – easy cooking, minimal ingredients, warm and comforting with robust flavours.
Adrak-Lehsun Ki Sabzi is our dinner ritual during the winter season. Reason – ginger and garlic are excellent natural balmy herbs for the freezing winters.
Reasons To Try This Chitt Recipe
- vegetarian
- gluten-free
- keeps you warm
- boosts immunity
- home remedy for cold and cough
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ginger and Garlic: One thing to keep in mind while making Punjabi adrak lehsun ki sabzi, store-bought ginger-garlic paste doesn’t work for this curry. The homemade ginger-garlic paste prepared from scratch is what you need to build the flavour of the curry.
- Spices: Salt, Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder
- Ghee: A Punjabi Chitt is cooked only in pure ghee. It adds to the flavour and nutritional value of the curry.
- Other Ingredients: Milk, Fresh Corriander, Water
How To Make Punjabi Chitt
Step 1) For making adrak lehsun ki sabzi, you need fresh ginger and garlic. Roughly chop them along with one or two green chillies.
Step 2) Make a smooth paste of ginger and garlic in the blender. If required, use water to make the paste.
Step 3) Heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai or casserole.
Step 4) Now add ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat to low and sauté the paste till oil ooze from the sides ( images 1 & 2 ). Keep stirring the paste while sautéing, so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Step 5) Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and saute for a minute ( image 3 ).
Step 6) Add water, stir to combine, and bring chitt to a boil ( image 4 ).
Step 7) Add milk, stir, and allow the curry to simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
Punjabi Adrak Lehsun Ki Sabzi is ready to serve. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestion
In a Punjabi household, adrak lehsun ki sabzi is a main course dish.
Usually, it is served in small quantities, enough to relish one or two Phulkas with it for dinner. On certain bad throat days, we prefer sipping Chitt on its own like soup.
I do not recommend storing it in the refrigerator as the nutritional value of the curry is lost. It is best to make it fresh and serve it warm.
More Traditional Indian Curry Recipes
- Creamy Cauliflower Curry
- Dal Mangodi Ki Sabzi
- Lauki Kofta Curry
- Lotus Stem Curry
- Dahi Potato Curry
- Gatte Ki Sabzi
- Paneer Curry
Ingredients
- ▢ ⅓ Cup chopped ginger
- ▢ ⅓ Cup garlic cloves
- ▢ 1 green chilli chopped
- ▢ 1 tablespoon ghee
- ▢ ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ ⅓ Cup water
- ▢ 1 Cup milk, at room temperature
- ▢ 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
- To prepare the chitt, first, peel and chop the ginger. Wash it nicely. Next, remove the skin of the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the green chilli.
- Make a smooth paste of ginger, garlic, and green chilli in the blender. If required, use 2 to 4 tablespoons of water to make the paste. Transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai. Add ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat to low and sauté the paste till ghee starts oozing from the sides of the paste. This takes 4 – 5 minutes. Keep stirring the paste while sautéing, so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- You will notice after 5 – 6 minutes, the ginger-garlic paste comes together and is no more sticking to the pan.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, and saute for a minute. Add water, stir to combine, and bring the curry to boil once over high heat.
- Now slowly add the milk and keep stirring the curry. Now, allow the curry to simmer over low heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Do not simmer the curry for too long. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve Adrak-Lehsun Ki Sabzi (Chitt) warm with Phulkas.
Recipe Notes:
- I do not recommend using this sabzi for readymade or packaged ginger and garlic paste. The taste and nutritional value of the curry are altered.
- Use heavy-bottom cookware for making adrak lehsun ki sabzi. Otherwise, the paste will stick to the bottom of the pan and will burn quickly.
- Keep stirring the paste while sautéing so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Do not simmer the curry for too long.
- It is best to serve Adrak Lehsun ki Sabzi fresh and piping hot.
Nutrition
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Adrak-Lehsun Ki Sabzi (Punjabi Chitt)
Equipment
- Blender
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup chopped ginger
- ⅓ Cup garlic cloves
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅓ Cup water
- 1 Cup milk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
- To prepare the chitt, first, peel and chop the ginger. Wash it nicely. Next, remove the skin of the garlic cloves. Roughly chop the green chilli.
- Make a smooth paste of ginger, garlic, and green chilli in the blender. If required, use 2 to 4 tablespoons of water to make the paste. Transfer it to a bowl and set it aside.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom kadhai. Add ginger-garlic paste. Reduce the heat to low and sauté the paste till ghee starts oozing from the sides of the paste. This takes 4 - 5 minutes. Keep stirring the paste while sautéing, so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- You will notice after 5 - 6 minutes, the ginger-garlic paste comes together and is no more sticking to the pan.
- Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, and saute for a minute. Add water, stir to combine, and bring the curry to boil once over high heat.
- Now slowly add the milk and keep stirring the curry. Now, allow the curry to simmer over low heat for 5 - 6 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Do not simmer the curry for too long. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve Adrak-Lehsun Ki Sabzi (Chitt) warm with Phulkas.
Video
Notes
- I do not recommend using this sabzi for readymade or packaged ginger and garlic paste. The taste and nutritional value of the curry are altered.
- Use heavy-bottom cookware for making adrak lehsun ki sabzi. Otherwise, the paste will stick to the bottom of the pan and will burn quickly.
- Keep stirring the paste while sautéing so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Do not simmer the curry for too long.
- It is best to serve Adrak Lehsun ki Sabzi fresh and piping hot.
Nutrition
Kacche Kele Ki Sabji is a vegetarian South Indian stir fry made with green banana or plantain. It is gluten-free, vegan, tasty, and crispy to the core. Be sure to watch the video!
The Green Banana
The green banana is known as plantain. In the Indian subcontinent, we call it – Kachha Kela (raw banana). The key difference between the ripe banana and the plantain is – that you never eat a plantain raw. It is always cooked before consumption.
A plantain is more like a potato with no taste, thick skin, and starchy.
It comes from Southeast Asia. However, they are now grown worldwide, including in India, Egypt, Indonesia, and tropical regions of America.
We make kebab , sabzi, kofta, and various other delicious vegetarian dishes using raw bananas in India.
Other Ingredients
Masala Paste: The main flavoring agent in this kacche kele ki sabji is freshly churned masala paste. You need – fresh coriander stalks, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, coconut, black pepper, and garlic.
Tadka (Tempering): Mustard Seeds (rai), Urad Dal, Curry Leaves
Spices & Seasoning: Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Salt
Cooking Oil: I prefer coconut or groundnut oil to make kacche kele ki sabji. You can also use flavorless refined oil, ghee, or mustard oil.
My Tried & True Tips
The nature of plantain is very similar to that of a potato, quick to cook and prone to blackening if left cut for a longer time. Hence, once you remove the green skin, cut it, and soak it in water until ready to use.
Add sufficient oil while cooking kachhe kele ki sabji for a crisp texture.
Adjust the number of red chilies and black peppercorns according to your taste preference. My recipe measurements will give you medium spicy kele ki sabji.
Use a heavy bottom kadhai or a ceramic pan for cooking this sabji. It will ensure crisp texture, even browning, and no sticking to the pan problem.
Watch Kele Ki Sabji Video
Serving Suggestion
We, as a family, enjoy kacche kele ki sabji with arhar ki dal and phulka. Or even piping hot paratha also tastes delicious with this sabzi.
In many places in South India, kele ki sabji is part of lunch thali and other dishes like kosambari , rasam , sambar , lemon rice , kootu, kolambu, and plain rice.
More Indian Sabji Recipes
Arbi Ki Sabzi
Aloo Ki Sabzi
Kaddu Ki Sabji
Dahi Lauki Ki Sabji
Kamal Kakdi Ki Sabzi
Achari Bharwa Baingan
If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 medium-size plantain (kaccha kela)
- ▢ ⅛ Cup mustard oil (see notes)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon white urad dal
- ▢ 2 tablespoon curry leaves
- ▢ 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Ingredients For Masala Paste:
- ▢ ¼ Cup dessicated coconut
- ▢ 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- ▢ 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ▢ 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ▢ 2 dried red chilles
- ▢ ¼ Cup fresh coriander stalks
- ▢ 2 garlic cloves (see notes)
Instructions
- Make slits in the skin of the plantain. Remove the thick green skin. Soak the plantain in water for 5 minutes.
- Dice the plantain into bite size pieces as shown in the video.
- Next, grind the ingredients for masala paste to a coarse powder without using water in a spice grinder or mixer. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 – 40 seconds or till dal becomes light golden.
- Add the chopped plantain along with salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric. Stir to combine. Cook covered for 10 minutes over low to medium heat or till plantain is fully cooked.
- Once the plantain is cooked through and crisp, add the masala paste prepared earlier. Stir to combine. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve Kacche Kele Ki Sabji warm with chapati.
Recipe Notes:
- Adding garlic is optional. You can make the masala paste without garlic as well.
- For cooking you can use coconut oil, mustard oil, ghee, or groundnut oil.
Nutrition
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