Bohar Bhaji Recipe: Chhattisgarh’s Most Loved and Expensive Bhaji.

Bohar Bhaji / बोहार भाजी ( botanical name : Cordia Dichotoma) is one of the most loved in Chhattisgarh. Mostly available during March to May is one of the most expensive Bhajis found here. As it is available for a limited period of time, we Chhattisgarhiyas go crazy about it and I bet if you taste it once, you will too! It’s often cooked with Curd and Chana Dal and then tempered with Dry Red Chillies and Garlic.But, the interesting fact is that, it’s not necessarily native to Chhattisgarh. It has a great significance in Thai Cuisine and is the symbol of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province in Thailand. Also the fruits are pickled when it comes to Taiwanese Cuisine. The other popular names of Bohar Bhaji are fragrant manjack, snotty gobbles, cummingcordia, glue berry, anonang, pink pearl, bird lime tree, Indian cherry, Booch (Hindi), लसोड़ा, Dela डेला or Gunda (Hindi),ਨਸੂੜੇ (pronunciation Lasoore in Punjabi) Lasura (Nepali) and Bhokarभोकर (Marathi). The fruit is known as phoà-pò·-chí (破布子), 樹子仔, or 樹子 in Taiwan. गुंदा (Gunda) Gujarati .

How to Use Bohar Bhaji?

Bohar Bhaji has three main elements : The stems, The leaves and the flowers. The leaves and the flowers are generally used while making Bhaji. The thick stems are discarded and the thinner and softer stems with flowers are used.

Ingredients

• 250 grams of Bohar Bhaji.
• A cup of Sour Curd.
• 3 tbsps of Chana Dal.
• 2 tbsps of Tamarind / Imli pulp. (Traditionally used in the Recipes but I don’t)
• 7-8 chopped Garlic.
• 2 dried Red Chilies.
• A tsp of Haldi / Turmeric Powder.
• One and a half cups of Water.
• 2 tbsps of Oil.
• Salt to taste.

How to Cook?

• Wash the Bhaji thoroughly but carefully. You don’t have to chop the leaves. Just pluck it from the stems and use as it is.
• In a Kadhai, add half a cup of water and add Chana Dal. When it starts boiling after a minute or two, Add the Bhaji, Salt, Half a cup of Water and Haldi Powder.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes on a medium to high flame. After 5 minutes when it partially gets cooked, whisk the curd and add it to the bhaji. If you are adding Imli/ Tamarind Pulp too, add it now.
• Mix it well, Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes more on a high flame until the water gets absorbed.
• Bhaji has been cooked now and the last step is to give a Baghaar or Tadka. For that, Take out the Bhaji from the Kadhai and on that same Kadhai, Add oil.
• When it gets heated, Add chopped Garlic and let it fry until it gets dark brown. Add two dried Red Chilies and add the cooked Bhaji. Cover immediately and after two minutes it will be done.
• Remember that you have to cook until the water gets absorbed but it shouldn’t be completely dry. There should be moisture in the bhaji.
• Serve it with Bhaat or Bore Baasi or even Roti.

Raw Bohar Bhaji