Sai Bhajiسائي ڀاڄي

Name: Sai Bhaji
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sindhi
Ingredients: 1 cup Chana dal / split chickpeas (چڻا دال); 3 cups Spinach (پالڪ), roughly chopped; 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 1 medium Potatoes, diced; ½ cup Fresh fenugreek leaves / methi (میتھي); a generous handful Fresh dill (سووا); 2 tsp Amchur / dried mango powder (آمچور); 1-inch piece Ginger, minced; 2 Green chillies; ½ tsp Turmeric; 2 tbsp Ghee or oil; to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 15m🍳 Cook 50m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegan

Video: Chef Vinny Shukla (YouTube)

Sai Bhaji is the Sindhi community's most beloved comfort dish — chana dal slow-cooked with spinach, fenugreek, dill, and a tangle of vegetables until everything melds into a fragrant, thick stew. It is served at celebrations and weekday dinners alike, always over plain rice with a generous spoonful of ghee. Sindhi grandmothers measure its quality by how well it has cooked down, not up.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪Chana dal / split chickpeas (چڻا دال)1 cup
▪Spinach (پالڪ), roughly chopped3 cups
▪Tomatoes, chopped2 medium
▪Onion, finely chopped1 large
▪Potatoes, diced1 medium
▪Fresh fenugreek leaves / methi (میتھي)½ cup
▪Fresh dill (سووا)a generous handful
▪Amchur / dried mango powder (آمچور)2 tsp
▪Ginger, minced1-inch piece
▪Green chillies2
▪Turmeric½ tsp
▪Ghee or oil2 tbsp
▪Saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Fresh fenugreek leaves are sold in Indian grocery stores; kasuri methi (dried) works well at 1 tbsp — rub it between your palms before adding to release the aroma.
Fresh dill can be found at most Western supermarkets; dried dill (1 tsp) is an acceptable substitute though less fragrant.
Amchur (dried mango powder) gives the characteristic tartness — tamarind paste (½ tsp dissolved in water) or a squeeze of lemon juice at the end is a good substitute abroad.

Method

1Rinse chana dal and pressure-cook with 2½ cups water, potato cubes, and turmeric for 3 whistles (or simmer 45 minutes) until completely soft. Do not drain.
2In a large pot, warm ghee over medium heat. Sauté onion until golden, 8 minutes. Add ginger and green chillies; cook 2 minutes.
3Add tomatoes and cook to a thick masala, about 5 minutes.
4Add spinach, fenugreek leaves, and dill. Stir and cook 3–4 minutes until fully wilted.
5Pour in the cooked chana dal along with its liquid and the potatoes. Stir well, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered 10 minutes — the mixture should be thick and unified, not soupy.
6Stir in amchur for tartness. Adjust salt. The dish should taste earthy, mildly spiced, and slightly sour.
7Serve over plain boiled rice with a spoonful of ghee stirred in at the table.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.