In addition to commonly used vegetables across northern India, there are other lesser known
wild plants which are used as vegetables. These vegetables are very special cuisines, famous for their taste and nutritious values in Chamba region.
Phkudi/ Bhruni
Phkudi /Bhruni is a dish made from tender leaves of fig (Ficus carica Linn.). For its preparation, tender leaves are boiled in an earthen pot for 10-15 minutes till soft and then ground well. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies, asafoetida and turmeric powder, heat till brown and put boiled buds to it. Add salt and spices according to taste.Cook it on slow fire for 5 minutes and serve along with chapati.
Karayaei/Kachnar
Boil the buds of Karayaei/Kachnar/ (Bauhinia variegata Linn.) for 10-15 minutes till they become soft. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies, asafoetida and turmeric powder, heat till brown and put boiled buds to it. Add salt and spices according to taste. Cook it on slow fire for 5 minutes and serve along with chapati.
Barah ki chutney
Rhododendron (Rhododendron arboretum Sm.) locally known as brah or chiu ke phool is a flower present in the hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh. It is red to maroon in colour and slightly sour to taste. For making chutney, paste of fresh flowers of barah, onion, mint leaves, basil leaves, green chillies, salt and spices are prepared. It can accompany the main meal which is appetizing in nature.
Phafru ka sag
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) leaves locally known as Phafru are available in the hilly areas. For making sag, buckwheat leaves are washed, cut into fine shreds and then boiled by adding salt till soft. After boiling, make its paste. Mustard oil is heated in a pan; Coriander seeds and red chillies are added to the heated oil and then paste of buckwheat leaves is added. Cook for some time and serve the hut with rice or chapatis; it tastes a bit sour.
Kasrod ki sabji
Vegetable fern/ Kasrod /Lungru [Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw.] available in hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh looks like stems with curled top and with hairy growth over it. For its preparation, remove hair of Kasrod /lungru stems with the help of cotton cloth and then cut into small pieces after washing. It is fried in an open pan with slightly more amount of mustard oil. Add a pinch of asafetida also along with other spices. Curd can also be added at the time of Frying.
Patrodu
Patrodu are prepared from healthy leaves of colocasia (Colocasia antiquo rum Schott). and Make the paste of black gram flour of pouring consistency. Now take few leaves of bhavri (Ocimum basilus Linn.), 2-3 medium sized onion, one piece of garlic, green chillies and salt according to taste. Ground all the ingredients and add these to the dough of Bengal gram flour. Take one leaf of colocasia keeping its lower side upwards; apply the dough over it properly. Cover the leaf with another leaf in reverse manner and again put paste over it' and repeat this process for 4-6 leaves. Fold sides of the leaves inside and then roll like bedding. Apply paste on all sides of bed while folding. For making it one piece, wrap it in a leaf of turmeric and tie with thread. Take a big pan and add small amount of water to it Put small sticks inside the pan to make a rack over water. Place the folded leaves on the rack and let it steam cook. It will take about 20-25 minutes to cook. Take out the leaves, let it cool and cut it into small pieces. Before serving, these pieces can be shallow fried or can be deep fried depending upon the requirement, occasion and availability of time. Patrodu are specifically prepared during the rainy season.
Seul ke Patrodu
Patrodu are prepared from healthy leaves of Seul/ Chenopodium/ Chenopodium album L/ and Make the paste of black gram flour of pouring consistency. Now take 2-3 medium sized onion, one piece of garlic, green chillies and salt according to taste. Ground all the ingredients and add these to the dough of Bengal gram flour. Take one leaf of Seul keeping its lower side upwards;
apply the dough over it properly. Cover the leaf with another leaf in reverse manner and again put paste over it' and repeat this process for 4-6 leaves. Fold sides of the leaves inside and then roll like bedding. Apply paste on all sides of bed while folding. For making it one piece, wrap it in a leaf of turmeric and tie with thread. Take a big pan or tavva and add small amount of Mustard oil it . Cook it on slow fire for 5-10 minutes and serve along with chapati.
Kulfa ka saag
Pigweed plant locally called, kulfa (Portulaca oleracea Linn.) is wildly grown near water channels. It is a bit spongy and contains gum-like substance. Pigweed leaves are washed, cut into fine shreds, boiled by adding salt till soft and ground into paste. Mustard oil is heated in a pan; COl'i:l11c1cr seeds and red chilies are added to the heated oil and then add paste of pigweed leaves, cook for some time and serve hot Kulfa ka saag tastes bit sour and is served with rice or Chapati.
Bicchu buti / Aynni ka saag
In whole district, leaves of bicchu buti/ Ayn (Unicu parviflora Roxb.) are relished as vegetables. Boiled and mashed leaves (100 gm) are cooked in oil with spices like cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), coriander powder (Y2 tsp) and turmeric powder (lit tsp). It is locally called as bicchu buti ka saag