Most kids in India may not be fond of it, but shalgam or turnips, as adults know very well, is one of the most popularly consumed vegetables of India, especially during autumn and winter months. In India, turnip season usually arrives in late autumn and stays on till late spring, making this humble and understated vegetable a staple across homes in India. Known for being loaded with dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, this winter veggie should definitely make it to your plate this winter.
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The problem, and perhaps the only one, with turnips is that they tend to have a sharp taste and slightly pungent smell that is off-putting for many, including children. By cooking the root vegetable, however, you can easily overcome this issue as exposure to heat can get rid of the pungence and sharpness of turnips. Once you get over this single barrier, turnips offer a versatility that very few other ingredients can. Versatile, delicious and easy to use, turnips are a must-have during winter months.
There are plenty of recipes from across India that utilise turnips to bring out their deliciousness. If you are up for a few shalgam experiments for dinner this winter, then these turnip recipes from around India should definitely make it to your plate.
Video Credit: YouTube/Chef Ranveer Brar
Shalgam Ki Sabji
A traditional North Indian dish, Shalgam Ki Sabji celebrates the humble turnip into a flavourful and comforting dish to be relished with fresh rotis or rice. To make this easy-peasy sabji, just peel and chop the turnips, then cook them in a tempering of cumin seeds, asafoetida, onions and powdered spices like turmeric, red chilli, coriander and garam masala. You can add water to make this a gravy-based dish or enjoy it dry as per your preferences.
Turnip Poriyal
A Tamil cuisine dish that is eaten with rice, turnip poriyal is a dish that transforms the veggie into a coconut-flavoured delight. First, a seasoning of mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, dry red chillies and asafoetida is added to coconut oil. Then chopped turnips are added in and cooked with turmeric, green chillies, grated coconut and a dash of jaggery for sweetness.
Shalgam Ka Saag
Another North Indian favourite, shalgam ka saag not only utilises the root of the turnip plant but also the greens. Both the greens and roots are washed, chopped and then cooked in a tempering of cumin seeds, garlic, green chillies. Traditional spices like turmeric are added in for flavour and the saag is enjoyed with rotis or parathas.
Turnip Bharta
Popular across the North Indian belt all the way to Bihar and Jharkhand, turnip or shalgam ka bharta is a simple yet flavourful dish. The turnips are peeled, boiled and mashed to create the base of this dish. A seasoning of roasted spice powders like cumin seeds, red chillies, etc is added in along with green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and lemon juice. The dish goes really well with rice and littis.
Shalgam Ka Meetha
Quite like the popular halwa, shalgam ka meetha is a delicious sweet dish prepared with ghee, cardamom, sugar and other traditional ingredients. The only difference here is that the unique recipe calls for turnips that have been boiled and mashed. The vegetable mash is cooked in ghee with cardamom powder, then saffron-infused sugar syrup and allowed to set and cool before being cut into barfi-like shapes. This turnip-based sweet dish should absolutely be on your must-try list this winter.
Video Credit: YouTube/Chef Ranveer Brar
Shalgam Matar Ki Sabji
Made with two winter vegetables, not one, this North Indian favourite tastes simply amazing with ghee-soaked rotis during winter afternoons. Both peas and chopped turnips are cooked in an onion and tomato base, and flavoured with spices like cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Once again, this one can be made with or without a gravy.
Shaljam Gosht
Like most starchy root vegetables, turnips taste great when stewed with red meats—which is why the North Indian shaljam gosht works as a great recipe. Made with sauteed onions, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes and mutton, large chunks of turnips are added into this stew along with spices like turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala. Slow-cooked to perfection, this turnip dish is best enjoyed with rice and rotis.