Govardhan Puja Special Annakut Sabji | Annakut Ki Sabji |Gadd Ki Sabzi

Annakut sabji is traditionally prepared for Govardhan Puja. Its taste with puris is so delicious that you’ll want to eat it every day. The more vegetables you use, the better it tastes. Keeping a slightly higher quantity of potatoes and eggplant improves the flavor further.

Ingredients for ...

• Vegetables (whatever is available — total about 1.25 kg / 1250 g)
  Examples: eggplant, potato, cauliflower, pointed gourd (parwal), spinach, taro root (arbi), tomato, pumpkin, green beans, bottle gourd, cowpea (lobia), cluster beans (guar), okra, carrot, capsicum, radish, a little bitter gourd (peeled), ridge gourd (tori), ivy gourd (tindora), small guava, etc.

  • Use a bit more potato and eggplant.
  • Do not cut the vegetables in advance (they turn black). Keep eggplant and potato pieces submerged in water.

  Spices & Others

• Mustard oil – 4 tbsp (or any cooking oil)
• Cumin seeds (jeera) – 2 tsp
• Bay leaves – 3
• Cloves – 6–7
• Black pepper – 2 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing) – 2 pinches
• Salt – 2 tsp (or to taste)
• Green cardamom (badi elaichi) – 3
• Cinnamon – 1 small piece (½ inch)
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder – 2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 3 tsp
• Ginger-green chili paste – 1 tsp (or 2 small tsp)
• Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 1 tbsp
• Fresh coriander leaves – as needed
• Water – as required (about 2 cups, added little by little

How to make ...

1. Wash all vegetables thoroughly and cut them. Place eggplant and potato pieces in water so they don’t turn black.
2. Heat 4 tbsp mustard oil in a kadhai. Once hot, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 bay leaves, 2 cloves, 7–8 black peppercorns, and 2 pinches of asafoetida. Keep the flame low so the spices don’t burn.
3. First add the eggplant and potatoes, then add the remaining vegetables one by one. Add salt and sauté well for 2–3 minutes while mixing.
4. Increase the flame to medium-high. Add about ½ cup water, cover, and cook on medium flame for 5–6 minutes.
5. Prepare the spice mix while the vegetables are cooking:
   • Peel 3 green cardamoms and remove the seeds. Lightly crush (or coarsely grind) them with ½-inch cinnamon, 4–5 cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, and 1 tsp black pepper.
   • In a separate bowl, mix turmeric powder, coriander powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder with a little water so they bloom.
6. After 5 minutes, open the lid, stir the vegetables, and add another ½ cup water. Cover again. Do not add all the water at once — add it little by little so the vegetables cook faster and better.
7. When the vegetables are half-cooked, add both the crushed whole spices and the wet spice paste. Also add the ginger-green chili paste (add it later for a fresher aroma). Add a little more water and cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Check by cutting a piece of potato or taro. Once cooked, add finely chopped tomatoes (about 200 g / 2 medium tomatoes). Do not add tomatoes at the beginning, or the vegetables will take longer to cook. Cook for another 5 minutes.
9. Finally, add fresh coriander leaves and 1 tbsp kasuri methi (lightly roasted and crushed). Remove the bay leaves. Mix well.

The sabji should have a light, slightly gravy-like consistency (not completely dry). It will have a beautiful color and wonderful aroma.

Tips

• Annakut sabji is ready. It tastes especially wonderful with puris. On Govardhan Puja, offer it as Annakut-puri prasad/bhog to Kanha Ji.
• It is very easy to make and so tasty that you’ll want to eat it again and again.
• Let me know how you liked it!