Jul 27, 2024
Zee Zest and Canva
There is a treasure trove of interesting edible leaves in India and Zee Zest’s new show ‘Patt-ay ki Baat’ with chef Ajay Chopra puts them in the spotlight.
Chef Ajay showcases 48 different kinds of leafy greens including moringa, coriander, curry, sage, and rosemary. During an interview, he revealed his five favourite recipes that foodies must watch out for.
Chef Ajay’s version of the Maharashtrian classic is a sweet potato vada pav. He adds phodshi leaves, native to Maharashtra, into the sweet potato mixture. “Phodshi has a flavour that is close to spring onion, green garlic and spinach,” he tells us.
Bael sherbet is a summer staple in parts of north India, but have you tried a thandai made using bael leaves? The leaves impart a beautiful licorice-type flavour to the drink.
Often underappreciated, radish aka mooli leaves have a pleasant light peppery flavour. While many make a sabzi using it, chef Ajay has created a mooli leaves thecha and used it as the hero element of a wrap.
The celebrity chef’s go-to comfort food is aloo puri and for ‘Patt-ay ki Baat’ he’s elevated the recipe’s flavours by using the nutrient-dense moringa leaves. It adds a mildly bitter and sweet taste to the dish.
Nadru yakhni aka lotus stem in yoghurt gravy, which is a classic Kashmiri recipe. Traditionally, it uses dried mint, but chef Ajay’s version features sage leaves. How does it turn out, watch on Zee Zest’s ‘Patt-ay ki Baat’.