Hakurei Turnip Paliya

Tender Japanese salad turnips cooked with popped mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried coconut with a touch of agave! Admittedly, asafoetida is not a pantry staple for many folks. If you’d like to try this unique spice without having to go to a specialty market and search it out, just ask us! We have a small Spice Pantry stocked by one of our long term members who wants to help others learn more about Indian food. Just ask one of the volunteers for a sample bag of mustard seeds, asafoetida or curry leaves when you pick up your share!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, sunflower or coconut)

1 ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 strands curry leaves, chopped

¼ teaspoon asafoetida

2 Thai chilies, minced (or to taste)

3 tablespoons grated unsweetened coconut

1 bunch of Hakurei salad turnips (turnips diced, leaves chopped)

1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)

2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon agave or honey

Directions

In a 12″ skillet on medium high heat add cooking oil and mustard seeds. Have a lid nearby and heat the pan until the mustard seeds start to pop, wait for about 20 seconds or so until the mustard seeds stop popping. Add curry leaves, asafoetida, thai chiles, saute for 30 seconds. Add dried coconut, saute for about a minute, or until the coconut just starts to turn very lightly brown. Add diced turnips, along with 1 teaspoon of salt. Saute for about 3-4 minutes, on high heat. Stirring every 40 seconds or so. Add greens, allow then to wilt for about 1 minute. Add the agave or honey. Stir and serve.

Submitted by Kusuma Rao, Ruchikala