Author Notes
About Galumpkis, this is a traditional East European dish made with cabbage. Leaves are wilted in salted water, stuffed (or should I say rolled ) with rice, meat (usually pork) and seasonings & baked or steamed till the flavors have blended. This is a staple dish in a lot of Slavic countries like Croatia.
Swiss Chard makes for a fabulous substitute for spinach in all Indian dishes, once the crunchy celery like central vein has been removed. the leaves are also a bit more sturdy compared to the delicate spinach leaves, and will not fall apart as easily when subjected to extended cooking.
This offering is a tribute to the culinaryl mecca that New Delhi truly is. The foods that rule in Autumn with the chilly nip in the air are Makki di roti, Sarson da saag, not to forget the streetside chaatwaalas selling charcoal baked sweet potatoes smoky flavored & redolent with the incomparable taste of chaat masala & lime.
Here is my interpretation of Galumpkis, a baked saag stuffed with marinaded paneer & served over a bed of rice. with a side of sweet potato fries seasoned with lime & chaat masala.
—Panfusine
Ingredients
- Galumpkis
-
6-8
large leaves of swiss chard
-
8 ounces
block of Paneer
-
1 tablespoon
canola oil
-
1 pinch
asafetida powder
-
Cayenne pepper to taste
-
Salt to taste
- Gravy
-
1
medium sized onion
-
1/3-1/2 cups
Cashew nuts (depending upon how sweet you prefer the gravy)
-
1
clove garlic
-
2-3
small green chillies OR 1 deseeded jalapeno
-
1
inch piece fresh ginger root
-
1 tablespoon
ghee
-
1 tablespoon
oil
-
1/4 teaspoon
garam masala
-
1 cup
1 % or skim milk
Directions
-
Using a vegetable peeler cut thin slices of paneer into a mixing bowl. Add the oil, salt, chilli powder and asafetida & toss well till the spices are evenly distributed over the paneer slices. Cover & set aside in the refrigerator for ~ 1-2 hr till the flavors have set in.
-
Remove the central white colored vein of the chard leaf. Dip the leaf in scalding water for ~ 10 s till the leaf wilts (alternatively, you may steam them for ~ 30 s).
-
Pat the leaf dry and place 3-4 slices of the marinaded paneer . Roll the leaf over the paneer as one would for a spring roll.
-
Grind all the gravy ingredients, except for the oil, ghee, turmeric, garam masala & milk, to a paste. In a skillet, heat the ghee & oil. add the paste & cook on a low heat till the raw smell of the onion disappears. Add the turmeric and garam masala & mix well. Continue to cook on a low flame till the oil/ghee begins oozing out of the paste.
-
Gradually add the milk and whisk to eliminate lumps. Cook down to a thick gravy consistency.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pour a thin layer of the makhani gravy at the bottom of an ovenproof dish and spread evenly.
-
Arrange the paneer/chard rolls seam side down in the dish.
-
Pour the remaining gravy over the rolls, cover with aluminum foil with a few slits to let out steam. and place in the oven for ~ 20 minutes.
-
To serve, carefully remove & place the rolls over a bed of Basmati rice. Serve with a side of fried sweet potato seasoned with lime & chaat masala.
A biomedical engineer/ neuroscientist by training, currently a mommy blogger on a quest for all things food - Indian Palate, Global perspective!
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