Spinach & Broccoli Baji

Spinach & Broccoli Baji is a soft, puréed vegetable dish built around slowly caramelized onions. The source treats that first step as the key to balancing the strong flavor of the greens.

Butter or ghee and olive oil form the cooking base, followed by onion, ginger, and optional green chili. Spinach and broccoli are then covered and cooked gently with salt until fully softened.

The vegetables are puréed only after they have cooked through. The finished baji is smooth enough to serve alongside chapatis or rice while still tasting clearly of spinach and broccoli.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon butter or ghee
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 fresh green chili, slit at the end, optional
• 5–6 cups spinach, chopped
• 1 head broccoli, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Method

Heat the butter or ghee and olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ginger, and optional green chili and sauté until the onions are well caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the spinach, broccoli, and salt, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20–30 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. Remove from the heat and carefully purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Makes 4 servings.