Vegetable Made Of Bottle Gourd Greens

When I am in the market I am always on the lookout for something new in the rustic vegetables which I can bring home and try out. To my luck on today I found this vegetable of bottle gourd, the whole plant was there with stalks literally and the leaves were so huge. I asked the vendor what it was, the lady said, dudhichi bhaji aahe, which meant that they were bottle gourd greens!!! Found out from the vendor how to make it and tried it out. Must say that it is worth a try. It tastes really strong and pungent unlike the so very mild bottle  gourd!! Here goes the method.

Ingredients

1 whole big bunch of the leaves, cleaned off the stalks and chopped fine
4 green chillies chopped
6 garlic cloves and 1 inch ginger crushed
3 onions finely chopped
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste 
Coriander optional

Method

In a kadhai take some oil, add mustard, once it splutters add turmeric and asafoetida, add the green chillies saute a bit, add the ginger garlic, saute, add onion, wait till they turn golden, add the chopped vegetable, add salt, lime juice and cook covered till it gets cooked and changes colour. No need of adding or sprinkling water since the vegetable will cook in own juices. Now enjoy this rustic, pungent, tasty vegetable with phulkas or the evergreen Maharashtrian bhakri.

This picture shows the huge leaves.