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    Home » Vegetables

    Tatsoi with Garam Masala

    Jun 23, 2009 · Modified: Dec 1, 2020 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

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    Tatsoi with Garam Masala - Andrea Meyers

    When we planted tatsoi last October, I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t sprout until spring. I had heard it would even grow in the snow, so I impatiently drummed my fingers while checking the garden daily, waiting for signs of life. I had planted the seeds under a cold frame and thought for sure we would have greens in December. When the seeds finally sprouted in March, they grew slowly at first, then as spring went on the leaves suddenly jumped from just four or five centimeters long to as much as 15 centimeters. We will continue to plant tatsoi as a cool weather green because we like the flavor and it grew very well in our garden, much better than the spinach which never grew any taller than a few centimeters.

    Tatsoi is a cool weather green and will bolt in hot weather. You can eat the young tender leaves raw, but as they get larger they need to be sliced and cooked, and they work great as stir-fried greens. Ours went from being about 20 centimeters tall to almost 1 meter tall with the flower stalks when it bolted. It was rather dramatic and I should have taken photos but forgot to take my camera out to the garden that trip.

    Tatsoi and butterhead lettuce plants - Andrea Meyers

    We used the last of our spring tatsoi in this dish and adapted the recipe from a spinach dish by Madhur Jaffrey, one of my favorite cookbook authors. It makes a delicious side, and you can add sliced mushrooms if you like for another layer of texture and flavor.

    Garam masala is one of my favorite spice mixes, and you can usually find it in Asian grocery stores or you can make your own. Many variations on the spice mix exist in Indian cuisine depending on the region of origin and the dish in which it will be used. I’ve included Jaffrey’s recipe below.

    Garam masala - Andrea Meyers

    Grow Your Own logo This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we've grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. The deadline is June 30 and Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

    Tatsoi with Garam Masala - Andrea Meyers
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    Tatsoi with Garam Masala

    Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Course: Vegetable
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: cabbage, garam masala, gluten free, tatsoi, vegetarian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 154kcal

    Equipment

    • large frying pan with lid

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons canola oil (or ghee)
    • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
    • 2 pounds tatsoi (washed and trimmed, cut crosswise into 1 cm strips.)
    • 1 fresh hot chile (finely chopped (or less to taste))
    • 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon sugar
    • ½ cup water
    • ¼ teaspoon garam masala

    GARAM MASALA

    • 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
    • 2 inch stick of cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (or regular cumin seeds)
    • 1 teaspoon cloves
    • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • ¼ nutmeg nut
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    • GARAM MASALA: Grind the cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black cumin seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, and nutmeg. Makes about 3 tablespoons.
    • Warm the oil in the large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir for 3 minutes.
    • Add the sliced tatsoi, chile, ginger, salt, and sugar, stirring and cooking for 5 minutes.
    • Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and and turn heat down to low, cooking for 10 more minutes. Remove the lid and boil away some of the extra liquid. Sprinkle garam masala over the top and stir.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

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    More Tatsoi Recipes from Other Blogs

    • Kalyn’s Kitchen – Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
    • Food Blogga – Gingery Sautéed Tatsoi with Tofu Steaks
    • Eating, Etc. – Tatsoi Salad with Warmed Maple Syrup Dressing
    • Appetite for China – Brown Butter Pasta with Tatsoi
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kalyn says

      June 23, 2009 at 9:19 pm

      I had no idea it took that long to sprout either. I guess I better plant some in the fall for next spring. I discovered this at my farmers market last year and really liked it too. This way of cooking it sounds especially interesting.

      • Andrea says

        June 23, 2009 at 9:25 pm

        I had all but given up on my tatsoi when I saw the little sprouts in March. I found the seeds through Seeds of Change, but this variety has triangular shaped leaves and other varieties I've seen had rounded leaves. Can't seem to find any information on that. The garam masala flavor was good, very peppery.

    2. Christina@DeglazeMe says

      June 23, 2009 at 10:54 pm

      I didn't even know what tatsoi was until I read this posting! I love your creativity and flavor choices. Yum!

    3. Graziana says

      June 24, 2009 at 3:46 am

      I've heard of tatsoi before... but now I know that I HAVE to grow it next year. Thank you for your entry and for the hosting opportunity!

    4. Judy says

      June 24, 2009 at 2:50 pm

      Mmmm. I love the flavor of tatsoi and always get it from my CSA. I have used it in everything from simple ssutees to egg dishes but never with garam masala!

    5. Claudia says

      June 26, 2009 at 10:50 pm

      This sounds good and I'm going to try it, if and when my tatsoi ever gets big enough to do something with. The garden bed has been improved so I may not have to wait much longer.

    6. Chez US says

      June 30, 2009 at 3:00 pm

      Andrea, this sounds amazing! I have been out of the loop the past couple of months but looking forward to some downtime & catching up (taking part in GYO). By the way your new site looks fantastic, love it!!!

    7. kathy says

      January 18, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      Hi -
      I just got tatsoi for the first time and I am going to try your recipe for Tatsoi with Garam Masala. When you say the use a green chili, is there a particular kind you intend? Jalapeno? Something else? I am so happy to have found your blog!
      Thanks!

      • Andrea says

        January 19, 2014 at 8:59 am

        Hi Kathy. Yes, you can use jalapeno or any kind of green chile you prefer. Hope you enjoy it!

    Trackbacks

    1. Tat Soi « Amazing Heart Farm says:
      March 3, 2010 at 6:15 pm

      [...] Tat Soi with Garam Masala [...]

    2. Last Bag for August! says:
      August 24, 2010 at 3:28 am

      [...] Tatsoi with Garam Masala tatsoi with Indian flavor! [...]

    3. Bag Items for September 14 & 15! says:
      September 14, 2011 at 4:33 pm

      [...] Tatsoi with Garam Masala For an Indian inspired side dish, or add mushrooms or chicken for a meal. [...]

    4. News from The Veggie Bin: January 19, 2012 « theveggiebin says:
      January 18, 2012 at 7:38 pm

      [...] Tatsoi with Garam Masala [...]

    5. Tatsoi with Garam Masala | Eatwell Farm Tatsoi with Garam Masala | Eatwell Farm… Food for the Body and Soul says:
      October 31, 2012 at 12:17 pm

      [...] From andreasrecipes.com [...]

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