A–Z Ingredient Guide: Amaranth — The Saag For All Seasons

As children, vegetables didn’t go down easily. Anything healthy was looked down upon as ‘boring’ and not tasty. There was one exception: tambdi bhaji (red amaranth leaf) cooked into a simple stir fry with coconut. Tambdi bhaji was, and is, a staple dish at my home and across Goan homes. 

Then again, the amaranth is an easy green to love. Nutritious, easy to digest, and cook, and holding its own when it comes to flavour. 

Amaranth is a group of plants that belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. It thrives in tropical regions and is known as an all-rounder — every part of the plant can be eaten, from the seeds (the grain rajgira) to the stem. The world over, the amaranth plant is being hailed as a superfood: the ancient grain is gluten-free, and the leaves are filled with iron and are a good source of protein and fibre. In India, amaranth has always been a beloved vegetable, eaten across the country. 

“It is very important to Indian cooking because it is a common green, and a widely localised plant,” says cultural anthropologist & college professor Deepa S Reddy. “Amaranth probably predates the arrival of the other ubiquitous green, palak. It is a wild green but is also grown locally. It is used in all kinds of local dishes as it is quite versatile and easy-going.”  

Many Names, One Love

The name may differ across India — chulai in the North, the umbrella term of saag, shaak (Bengal) and xaak (Assam). In acceding to the unique flavour of the leaves, most cook it simply, as a stir fry with minimal spices or additions.

“Amaranth leaves are a staple in Andhra cooking. Thotakura, as we fondly call it, is incorporated into dals and fritters,” says chef and F&B consultant, Sreya Vittaldev. “The green ones we use with mixed spinach are very nutrient-dense. The red ones are a rarity, thus having it for any meal makes it a special treat.” The mixed leaves are used to make a pulusu (tangy gravy) and undalu (steamed amaranth mixed with besan and spices, and then fried in small balls). 

Kashmir typically uses the red amaranth leaves called woste haakh. “It's cooked in multiple ways, generally all by itself, with the red hue staining the white rice we eat, or sometimes with an egg. Some people also cook it with chicken or lotus stem,” says Azmat Ali Mir, owner of Sarposh in Bengaluru.

In Kerala, cheera is commonly consumed in a thoran, mezhukkuparati, a stir fry without coconut; an avial; or a puliserry with coconut and yoghurt. Maharashtra uses lal maath (red amaranth) in a simple bhaji. Tamil Nadu calls it arakeerai and cooks it as a masiyal with dal, a poriyal or stir fry, and with tamarind or puli. Manipur calls it chengkruk and turns it into a stew with fermented fish, or as a dal. Assam does a morisa xaak (a stir fry), a sorsori (using the stem) and a fish curry. Mangalore does a curry called bhajji amshi with the red leaves, coconut and tamarind; and a sambhar. “These leaves are so nutritious that everyone should include these greens in daily meals if possible. In Uttarakhand, we make a chaulai ka saag by mixing them both and cooking them in mustard oil with onions,” says chef Pawan Bisht. Goa uses both leaves - tambdi bhaji and dhavi bhaji. “We make two kinds of bhaji. One is a stir fry, with coconut and chillies. In the other version, I add dal and coconut masala and make it into a sweet and tangy dish. Sometimes, we add hog plum or ash gourd to it,” says Shubhra Shankhwalker, founder of Aai’s, Goa. 

In Karnataka, dantina/harive soppu (green amaranth) is part of the everyday diet: as a chutney, harive soppu bendi, a coconut curry, and soppu huli (sambhar). “We make palya (sabzi), sambar, gojju (chutney-like but thicker, made with the red leaves), and hasi (raita) with the leaves,” says housewife Bharati Hegde. Hosa Goa makes a ragi mudde with bassaru. “Bassaru is a spicy, flavourful broth made using the stock from boiled lentils and greens or vegetables,” says chef Harish Rao.

In Bengal, the green variant is called notey shaak, and the red, lal shaak. “When it comes to this green, less is more in Bengali cuisine. A mild tempering of mustard or nigella seeds with a dried red chilli in mustard oil is enough to bring out its uncomplicated earthiness,” says Subhasree Basu, founder, Hungry Cat Kitchen. At home, sometimes, she adds sautéed prawns to the dish.

Pairing Greens With Meat Is Another Common Indian Culinary Story

“Thotakura (amaranth leaves in Telugu) and liver fry is a delicacy in Telangana. People sometimes offer kallu (toddy) and liver fry to the deceased person on the 13^th day. Amaranthus leaves are one of the main ingredients in mourning food in Telugu households. Thotakura mutton curry is also a well-known dish,” says Deepthi Tanikella, food entrepreneur at Pinch of South. In Tanikella’s Vaidika Brahmin community, people who perform the last rite rituals abstain from eating heavily spiced food so a common dish eaten is thotakura vepadu (stir fry). Additionally, thotakura is also given as danam to the pujari during the 13th-day rituals. Tanikella’s mother is from Telangana, and father from Andhra, and amaranth is popular in both regions. She’s eaten it as a thotakura pulusu (stew) with green amaranth; veypadu, a stir fry with red amaranth and moong dal; and as a pappu. 

Amaranth is versatile enough to be used in many different ways, which is why restaurants love it. I’ve eaten a tambdi bhaji spanakopita with cashew butter at Chef Avinash Martins’ Cavatina Cucina, and amaranth tempura at For The Record-Vinyl Bar. My preferred way to eat it, even as an adult, is that simple tambdi bhaji stir fry with coconut.  

The A–Z Ingredient Guide is ELLE Gourmet India’s monthly series celebrating the rich tapestry of regional Indian ingredients — and the many ways they’re cooked across homes and cultures. We begin with Amaranth, and each month, we’ll explore a new ingredient from the next letter of the alphabet. Stay tuned.