Palak Mooli | Spinach with Radish

I’d heard of Aloo Palak and Aloo Methi, but never of Palak Mooli. Over lunch, one Rajasthani colleague mentioned that they make palak mooli. I generally make mooli sabzi with its own greens, but never with any other greens. The greens mellow down the spiciness of the mooli. But finding fresh mooli with its own greens is quite a task in Bangalore. The only people who sell it are the ones with the carts. If you buy mooli from supermarkets, then they definitely won’t have the greens. This sabzi works well then. I immediately picked up mooli and palak the next day and decided to give it a try. I must say I like this more than the Aloo Palak…

Palak Mooli | Spinach with Radish

A Rajasthani dry curry made with white radish and spinach

Recipe Type:  Side
Cuisine:          Indian / Rajasthani
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Mooli / White Radish / Daikon(longer than 6 inches, else, you may need 2 small ones)
2 Cups Palak / Spinach
1 Onion
1 Tomato
3 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 cloves Garlic
1/2" piece Ginger
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Amchur powder(Optional)
Salt

Method:

• Chop the onion finely.
• Crush the garlic and ginger and chop finely ( or grate them )
• Wash the palak leaves and chop them finely.
• Peel and cut the mooli. I slit the mooli lengthwise twice and then cut into slices.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds.
• Once they splutter, add the cumin seeds.
• Once the cumin seeds brown, add the onion, ginger and garlic.
• Fry until the onions are slightly browned.
• Chop the tomato and add to the oil.
• Fry for 1-2 mins until the tomatoes have softened.
• Add the mooli and the palak.
• Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder, mix well.
• Cover and cook until the mooli is done.
• Add salt and amchur powder.
• Mix well.
• Serve hot with rotis.

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Kochhidu moolangi salad | Mooli salad | Radish salad

Crunchy, Peppery, Sharp - That's how I describe this Radish Salad made using both the root and the leaves.

What have you been upto this week? Me, I've been gardening a little.

Tomatoes are blooming, I see 2-3 juicy ones in the future. But today, was the day to harvest the Mooli (Daikon or Moolangi). I was surprised at how easy and low maintenance Mooli. Just throw in the seeds and stop worrying about them. Wait until they pop out of the ground, and they are ready to be harvested. Two lovely white moolis were peeking out of the soil in my pot. So harvest them, I did. 

Whatever I've grown in my little balcony garden, I've tried to celebrate those vegetables. Home grown vegetables are so fresh and tasty, they need to be celebrated. Hence, this healthy awesome crunchy salad that uses the root as well as the leaves. Waste nothing my friend. And this salad needs the leaves, it taste absolutely nothing like what it should without those peppery leaves. If you cannot find Mooli with the leaves attached to them, I suggest using any other peppery leaves like Arugula. 

This is my Grandmother's recipe and one knows Grandmothers are rarely wrong when it comes to food. I've never been too fond of daikon or Moolangi (Mooli), but this Salad is one that I will never refuse. 

This Mooli Salad is not a salad that can be had for lunch or dinner on its own like Caesars salad. This is more like an accompaniment to a meal. Give me a plate of rice and dal and this salad makes an amazing side with its crunch and freshness.

If you liked this, you may also like:

• Kosambri - Simple salad made using cucumbers and soaked moong dal. Serve as an accompaniment with a full meal.
• Mooli Palak Sabzi - Rajasthani sabzi made with the mooli root and palak leaves. 

Kochhidu Moolangi Salad | Mooli Salad | Radish Salad

Fresh salad made from finely chopped daikon radish or mooli and its leaves.

Recipe Type:  Salad
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

2 Daikon Radish or Mooli or Moolangi
Daikon leaves or Mooli ke patte or Moolangi Soppu
2-3 dry Red Chilli
2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Method:

Break off the leaves of the mooli and wash nicely
Chop the leaves finely
Peel the mooli and cut it finely.
Mix the leaves, mooli and salt.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds.
Once they splutter, add the red chillies to the oil and fry for 30 seconds.
Add this tempering to the salad and mix well

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