Bhogichi bhaji recipe with step by step pics. Bhogichi bhaji is a delicious mix vegetable curry that is made on the day before Makar Sankranti. Bhogi festival is celebrated one day before Makar Sankranti. Thus this mix vegetable dish is made on this day in Maharashtra. Usually bhogi falls on 13th january. During the bhogi festival, the ‘king of devas,’ God Indra is worshipped.
In bhogichi bhaji, seasonal veggies are used. Veggies like various types of flat beans, carrots, brinjals, fresh green chana are added. The recipe has a slight sour and sweet taste with complex flavors. The sourness comes from the tamarind and the sweetness is due to the jaggery used in this dish.
Ground sesame seeds and peanuts are also added. Thus bhogi chi bhaji makes for a warming, filling and nutritious meal. Its often served with bajra bhakri. You can also serve it with steamed rice, khichdi or chapatis.
Another such mix veg curry which is made in Maharashtra is Rishi panchami bhaji recipe. it is made on the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi. on this day all sapta rishi (seven sages) are worshipped and remembered.
Due to time constraints I was not able to add the bhaji recipe yesterday on 13th january. So sharing today. I had also got a few recipe requests for this mix veggie curry. Better later than never. For the recipe method I referred to the cookbooks I have and made using my own measurements and the veggies I had got from market.
You can use any fresh winter veggie in this recipe. the quantity of each vegetable can also be less or more. I did not get fresh green chickpeas. So I have used green peas instead. I have made a gravy version of the recipe, but you can also make a dry or semi-dry version. Onions are garlic are added in the recipe. If you want you can skip them.
Bhogichi bhaji is a lovely melange of winter vegetables. In Gujarat cuisine, undhiyu is also one such dish. Both Maharashtrian bhogichi bhaji and Gujarati undhiyu use fresh winter produce.
How to make bhogichi bhaji
Chopping veggies:
1. First rinse all the veggies, drain the water well and keep them aside. Apart from the veggies, I have also used ¼ cup fresh green peas and ¼ cup lima beans (pavta, surti papdi, avarakkai, mochai).
2. For the green flat beans I have used two types of flat beans. The left side one is broad beans (ghevada, hyacinth beans). The right side one is snow peas (val papdi, valor, field beans, sem ki phalli). Any variety of flat beans can be used.
3. For the beans remove the side string and open both the pods. if there are any worms or mould growth inside the beans, then discard these beans. Keep the chopped beans aside.
4. Then break or chop them in 1 inch pieces. Also chop the other veggies in medium to large pieces. Place chopped brinjals in a bowl of water, so that they do not discolor.
Making tamarind pulp:
5. In a bowl soak 1 teaspoon tamarind in 3 tablespoons hot water for 20 minutes.
6. Later squeeze the tamarind pulp in the water. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
Roasting and grinding:
7. Heat a small pan. Keep the heat to a low and add 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
8. Stirring often roast sesame seeds till they pop and change color. Remove the roasted sesame seeds and keep them aside.
9. In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of peanuts.
10. Stirring often roast peanuts till they become crunchy and you see some browned or black spots on them. Keep aside.
11. Switch off the heat and in the same pan add 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut.
12. Stirring often roast coconut for a minute. There is no need to roast till light brown. The coconut just needs to be lightly roasted.
13. Remove and keep aside and let these three roasted ingredients cool down.
14. Then take them in a small grinder jar or a coffee grinder.
15. Grind to a fine powder using the pulse option or grind for a few seconds and then stop. Do not grind at a stretch as then oil will be released.
16. In a mortar and pestle, crush coarsely or finely 1 inch ginger, 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves and 1 green chili. Keep aside.
Making bhogichi bhaji
17. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large pot or pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
18. When the mustard seeds crackle, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds also crackle and change color.
19. Then add 1 large onion (chopped).
20. Sauté the onions stirring often till they become translucent.
21. Then add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 6 to 7 curry leaves (optional).
22. Stir and mix well.
23. Now add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chili paste.
24. Mix and sauté till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.
25. Now add ½ cup chopped broad beans (ghevada, flat beans, hyacinth beans), ½ cup chopped snow peas, (val papdi, valor, field beans, sem ki phalli) and ½ cup chopped carrots.
26. Mix well.
27. Add ¼ cup water.
28. Cover the pan with a lid and on a medium-low heat simmer veggies for 5 minutes.
29. Then open the lid and give a stir.
30. Now add the remaining veggies – chopped 7 to 8 small brinjals, 1 drumstick (chopped), 2 medium sized potatoes (chopped), 6 to 7 bor (ber, Indian jujubes), ¼ cup green peas and ¼ cup lima beans. Skip bor or ber if you do not have them.
31. Mix again.
32. Season with salt as required.
33. Add 2 cups water. Since we prefer a gravy, I have added water. For a dry or semi dry version of the bhaji, add less water.
34. Stir.
35. Cover the pan with a lid.
36. Simmer on medium-low to medium heat till the vegetables are almost cooked.
37. In between do check when the mix vegetables are cooking. Simmer till the veggies are almost done.
38. Now add the tamarind pulp.
39. Add the ground sesame seeds+peanuts+desiccated coconut powder. Also add 2 teaspoons goda masala (or kala masala or 1 teaspoon garam masala powder) and ½ to 1 teaspoon jaggery.
40. Add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves.
41. Mix well.
42. Simmer bhogichi bhaji further for 4 to 5 minutes. Check the taste and add more salt or jaggery if required.
43. Lastly switch off the heat and add 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
44. Serve bhogichi bhaji hot with sesame seeds-bajra bhakri, chapati, khichdi or steamed rice.
Few more veggie recipes for you!
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Bhogichi Bhaji
Ingredients
to roast and ground:
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons peanuts
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
for tamarind pulp:
- 1 teaspoon tamarind
- 3 tablespoons hot water
other ingredients for bhogichi bhaji:
- 2 tablespoons oil (preferably peanut oil)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large onion – chopped or ¾ cup chopped onions
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 6 to 7 curry leaves – optional
- 1 inch ginger – roughly chopped
- 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves – roughly chopped
- 1 green chili – chopped
- 1 medium to large carrot – chopped
- ½ cup chopped broad beans (ghevada, flat beans, hyacinth beans)
- ½ cup chopped snow peas (val papdi, valor, field beans, sem ki phalli)
- 1 drumstick – peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup green peas or fresh green chana
- ¼ cup beans shelled from lima beans (pavta, surti papdi, avarakkai, mochai) – optional
- 7 to 8 small brinjals – chopped, (baingan)
- 2 medium sized potatoes – chopped
- 6 to 7 bor (ber or indian jujubes)
- 2 cups water or add as required
- 2 teaspoons Goda Masala or kala masala or 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- salt as required
- ½ to 1 teaspoon jaggery or add as required
- 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
chopping veggies for bhogichi bhaji recipe:
- First rinse all the veggies, drain them well and keep aside. Apart from the veggies, I have also used ¼ cup fresh green peas and ¼ cup lima beans (pavta, surti papdi, avarakkai, mochai).
- For the beans remove the side string and open both the pods.
- Then break or chop them in 1 inch pieces. If there are any worms or mould growth inside the beans, then discard these beans. Keep the chopped beans aside.
- Also chop the other veggies in medium to large pieces. Place chopped brinjals in a bowl of water, so that they do not discolor.
making tamarind pulp:
- In a bowl soak 1 teaspoon tamarind in 3 tablespoons hot water for 20 minutes.
- Later squeeze the tamarind pulp in the water. Keep the tamarind pulp aside.
roasting and grinding:
- Heat a small pan. Keep flame to a low and add 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
- Stirring often roast sesame seeds till they pop and change color. Remove and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons peanuts.
- Stirring often roast peanuts till they become crunchy and you see some browned or black spots on them. Keep aside.
- Switch off the flame and in the same pan add 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut.
- Stirring often roast coconut for a minute. There is no need to roast till light brown. The coconut just needs to be lightly roasted.
- Remove and keep aside and let these three roasted ingredients cool down.
- Then take them in a small grinder jar or a coffee grinder.
- Grind to a fine powder using the pulse option or grind for a few seconds and then stop. Do not grind at a stretch as then oil will be released.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush coarsely or finely 1 inch ginger, 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves and 1 green chili. Keep aside.
making bhogichi bhaji recipe:
- Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large pot or pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- When the mustard seeds crackle, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds also crackle and change color.
- Then add 1 large onion (chopped). sauté onions till translucent.
- Then add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 6 to 7 curry leaves (optional). mix well.
- Now add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chili paste.
- Mix and sauté till the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away.
- Now add chopped broad beans, chopped snow peas and ½ cup chopped carrots. mix well.
- Add ¼ cup water.
- Cover pan with a lid and on a medium-low flame simmer veggies for 5 minutes.
- Then open the lid and give a stir.
- Now add the remaining veggies – small brinjals, drumstick, potaotes, bor or indian jujubes, green peas and lima beans. Skip bor or ber if you do not have.
- Mix again. Then season with salt.
- Add 2 cups water and stir.
- Cover pan with a lid.
- Simmer on medium-low to medium flame till the vegetables are almost cooked.
- In between do check when the mix vegetables are cooking. Simmer till the veggies are almost done.
- Now add the tamarind pulp.
- Add the ground sesame seeds+peanuts+desiccated coconut powder. Also add 2 teaspoons goda masala (or kala masala or 1 teaspoon garam masala powder) and ½ to 1 teaspoon jaggery.
- Add ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves. mix well.
- Simmer bhogichi bhaji further for 4 to 5 minutes. Check the taste and add more salt or jaggery if required.
- Lastly switch off the flame and add 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
- Serve bhogichi bhaji with sesame seeds-bajra bhakri, chapati, khichdi or steamed rice.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Bhogichi bhaji post from the archives, originally published in January 2018 has been updated and republished on February 2023.
