Recipes

Pakoras, with their crunchy texture and aromatic spices, are a beloved treat across South Asia, colloquially associated with rainy days and iftar feasts. Incorporating foraged nettles into this classic dish adds a unique twist, infusing it with earthy flavors and nutritional goodness. This recipe transforms a humble weed into a delectable appetizer or snack, perfect for any occasion.

Serves – 2

Foraged Ingredients

• A generous handful of nettles, freshly picked and washed.

Other Ingredients

• 1 cupped handful of chickpea flour (besan)/gram flour, available at most major retailers
• 1 sliced onion
• A pinch of turmeric 
• A pinch of ground cumin (dry roast cumin seeds and coarsely pound) 
• A pinch of ground coriander 
• A pinch or teaspoon of chili powder (according to taste)
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed
• Oil, for frying

Method

1. Begin by carefully harvesting fresh nettle leaves; wear gloves to avoid stings. Refer to our beginner’s guide for more details. Wash the leaves thoroughly and chop finely. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine chickpea flour, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and salt. Mix well.

3. Add the chopped nettle leaves and onions. 

4. Gradually dribble in water and whisk the mixture; aim for a pancake batter-like consistency. 

5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.

6. Test the oil by adding a small spoon of the mixture. It should bubble and rise to the top slowly. 

7. Use a spoon to drop the mixture in, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let the pakoras rise to the top (this should take around 2-3 minutes) then flip them and cook the other side. 

8. Using a slotted spoon, remove the golden pakoras and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.

9. Serve the nettle pakoras hot, accompanied by your favourite dipping sauce or chutney. A simple chutney can be prepared by blending yogurt, mint and coriander leaves.

Expert’s Tip

Blanching the nettle leaves before chopping can reduce the sting. And, Briar’s Aysha Imtiaz says, leave the batter a bit on the thicker side before you incorporate the onions, as the onions will release some water of their own.

Saag is a South Asian dish based on spinach with garlic and onion. It is the quintessential foraged dish because it is traditionally made with zero-waste, foraged greens such as mustard greens and fenugreek leaves, which are found across the Punjab region. This leads to a wonderful complexity of flavour and a very forgiving dish. Many families also toss in young leaves from the tops of turnips, beetroots and carrots.

It is traditionally served with a dollop of ghee and makai ki roti (cornmeal flatbread), and increasingly dominates menus with paneer, similar to cottage cheese. At Briar, we love it as a catch-all and malleable dish to help us reinterpret and celebrate our foraged bounty. 

Serves – 2

Foraged Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of fresh dandelion greens (the young, tender leaves) 
• Optional: wild spinach, mustard greens, or wild garlic if in season

Other Ingredients

• 1 small bunch of spinach (more if not using any of the foraged versions above) 
• 1 generous dollop of ghee – may substitute with olive oil 
• 1 pinch of cumin seeds 
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 green chili, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
• 1 pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 pinch of ground cumin
• Salt to taste
• A splash of water
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• A small handful of chopped coriander (optional)

Method

1. Gather young, tender dandelion leaves and rinse them well by swishing them in water until it runs clear. If you’ve managed to find wild spinach and mustard greens, wash them as well.

2. Chop the greens roughly and set aside. Roughly mash the stalks using a rolling pin, pestle and mortar or two rocks if you are cooking outdoors. Set aside. 

3. In a wide pan, heat ghee or olive oil over a medium heat. Add a pinch of cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.

4. Add the turmeric powder, ground coriander and ground cumin in the oil. Let them “bloom”. This means they cook in the oil/ghee and may even stick to the pan. If that happens, just add dribbles of water and stir to release the spices.

5. Toss in the finely chopped onion, letting it soften and turn translucent. Add minced garlic and green chili, sautéing until the garlic is lightly golden. Turn the heat low. 

6. Now, it’s time to introduce the star of our dish – the freshly foraged dandelion greens and spinach, along with wild spinach/mustard greens, if using. Add them to the pan, gently wilting them down with the aromatic base. Use your spoon to roughly mash them and ensure the spices are evenly distributed. 

7. Dribble in more water to help create steam, and stir frequently. Depending on how mushy you like your saag, you can cover the pot and let it cook down with around a cup of water all together, or cook with the lid off, stirring frequently and adding water as you go.  

8. Once it is of a consistency you like, season with salt to taste. It helps to add salt at this point instead of earlier to help get a more accurate idea as quantity can vary depending on how long you cook it down. Depending on the freshness of your leaves, this can take from 15-25 minutes. 

9. You know the saag is ready when there is some oil on the side of your pan and separating from the saag mixture. Turn off the heat. 

10. Finish off with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brightening up the flavours. If you have garam masala in your pantry, add a pinch. For a more decadent touch, you can add a pat of butter or ghee, and chopped coriander on top.

11. Serve your dandelion saag hot, as either a nutritious side dish, explosive dip or a comforting main course accompanied by nan, bread, steamed rice or rustic, cornmeal or oat-based bread.

Expert’s Tip

Briar’s Aysha Imtiaz says parboiling the greens first and selecting the most tender leaves helps reduce the bitterness in saag.