Poi Saag is commonly found in West Bengal.
Poi Saag looks like our old spinach, but contains more nutrients and vitamins.
The winter season means a plate full of leafy greens and brightly colored fruits. In summer there are only a handful of vegetables. Despite this, there is one leafy vegetable in particular that is a must during summer and excellent for your health. We are talking about Poi Saag, also known as Malabar Spinach. It is a powerhouse of iron and is a great source of protein. Due to its various benefits, it is an essential complement to your daily diet during this season.
Poi Saag looks like our old spinach, but contains more nutrients and vitamins. This green leafy vegetable also helps against constipation. Eating this will rejuvenate the body in this sweltering summer. Poi Saag is quite famous in many areas of West Bengal. Apart from cooking it in the form of sabzi, you can also make fritters (pakoras) with it, which make a great appetizer.
Here is a quick and easy recipe to make Poi Saag pakora:
To make this recipe, you will need 250 g poi saag leaves, 100 g flour (besan), 50 g rice flour, salt, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp green chili paste, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, 1/2 chili powder, 1/4 turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder and oil for frying.
Recipe:
Wash the poi saag under running water and cut it into small pieces.
Take a bowl and add besan, rice flour, ginger and chilli paste, salt, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and black pepper powder. Beat well and add a few drops of water to make a thick batter. To this, chopped vegetables are also added.
Take a pan and add oil to it.
Make sure it's on medium heat and slowly start adding the dough to the oil.
Fry the pakoras until both sides turn golden brown.
Serve them hot with green chutney, tamarind or ketchup.
Reasons why you should eat Malabar spinach:
It is packed with iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A and C, and protein.
Due to the presence of beta-carotene and lutein, it is excellent for eye health and excellent for the skin.
Increases immunity. It also helps against iron deficiency.
It keeps the body cool in summer and helps to achieve a relaxing sleep. Those who suffer from insomnia can add it to their diet. The zinc content helps provide adequate sleep.
Relieves constipation problems by adding volume to the stool.
Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the body.
Magnesium and calcium help strengthen bones. It also offers relief from arthritis pain.
