The Night Diary

by Veera Hiranandani

Hiranandani family recipe for Sindhi Sai Bhaji This recipe was passed down to me from my aunts. Sai Bhaji actually means green vegetables, so if you don’t like spinach, you can substitute other greens. It’s common to the area of Sindh, Pakistan, where my father was born. 1 box of frozen chopped spinach (10 oz.) thawed 1 onion, chopped 1 bunch of fresh dill, washed and chopped 1-inch cube of ginger root, peeled and grated 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 5 green chilies, chopped (Serrano peppers are good. Use less if you want less heat.) 3 large tablespoons of rinsed chana dal (dried yellow split chickpeas) 2 chopped tomatoes or ¼ cup of tomato sauce 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups of water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and green chilies in pot with oil until softened. Then add the rest of the ingredients except for the lemon juice. Cook on low to medium heat until channa dal is soft, about 45 minutes. Then add lemon juice and cook for ten more minutes. After cooking, mash with a potato masher to blend ingredients. Salt to taste and serve warm as a side dish. Enjoy!