Chorchori / Mixed vegetables cooked the Bengali way

Ok ... this is a hurried post. And am posting this very common traditional Bengali dish in the absence of anything better ... haven't really got the time to click my dishes these days. They go straight from the kitchen to the waiting plates and get devoured.

Chorchori or charchari is a great way to use up leftover vegetables from the fridge ( at least I do so). But it tastes great with fresh vegetables though .... no two ways about it. Once upon a time I would not touch a chorchori if it did not have fish. But now I have come to love the flavours of different vegetables fused together.

I sometimes use Boris / bodi / vadi in it ... and even though I love chorchori made of the Pui / Pohi saag ... have to use the Palak / Spinach as I do not get Pui here. Many people use a little ginger paste in it ... I do not.

Check out Sandeepa's blog for some great writeup on the Charchari.


Need : Palak / Spinach leaves ( I use the stems too ) cleaned and chopped,
chopped onion [ optional ] , diced vegetables like the potato, pumpkin, brinjal, any kind of string beans, sweet potato, potol / parwal ... basically any vegetable you have will do,
paanch phoron, dry red chillies, haldi / turmeric powder, a little cooking oil ( I prefer mustard oil ) and salt to taste.

How to : Heat a little cooking oil in a karahi / wok. Add the paanch phoron and the chillies.

Then add the vegetables and stir well.

Add the haldi / turmeric powder and salt ... remember .... palak is salty ... so add the salt accordingly.

Cover and cook till the vegetables are done. The vegetables will release a lot of water ... so no need to add any.

Remove cover. If using fried boris / bodi / vadi , add them now. Simmer till all water dries up.


I like my chorchori slightly sweetish ... so sometimes add a pinch of sugar too. But if the pumpkin is very fresh and good , it does impart some sweetness that makes the use of sugar unnecessary.

Goes great with hot rice and dal .... makes a simple plateful. :-)

I might get a little irregular with my posting .... but will try to blog hop and check out all your lovelies being dished out.

Take care all !