A Beloved Recipe for Fermented Gundruk ko Jhol from the Nepali Diaspora

Winter greens that are fermented and dried, are at the heart of this Nepali jhol.

Every winter, my grandmother buys an unreasonably large stock of winter greens, and begins preparing a batch of gundruk to last the coming year. Gundruk, a Nepali tradition of dried, fermented greens, features a mix of mustard and radish leaves, though some people include cabbage leaves.

To make gundruk, leafy greens are crushed with stones and washed thoroughly in warm water. This washing removes dust and soil from the leaves, and helps develop its distinct pungency through the fermentation process. The leaves are then stores in an airtight container, in a dark corner of the kitchen for four or five days. After a few days of fermentation, the wet gundruk is spread out in a nanglo, a circular tray made of bamboo, and set out to dry in the angan of the house, under the hot winter sun. Over the next couple of days, the water evaporates, leaving the leaves firm and crisp. Gundruk is now ready to be stored safely, and available to consume all year round. Gundruk ko jhol, a gundruk broth, is a soupy dish with a strong, tangy flavour and pungent aroma. A bowl of gundruk ko jhol over steamed white rice is the essential comfort food to the Nepali-speaking diaspora in India and Bhutan.

Gundruk As A Probiotic

I am not sure if my grandmother, in the absence of a formal education, knew the word probiotic, but until she died at the age of 75, she understood perfectly that gundruk helped her bowels be regular; gundruk ko jhol was her unfailing prescription for the family’s gut health. Modern science has gone to great lengths extolling the benefits of probiotic food, and the Nepali communities of India, Bhutan and Nepal itself, have a long list of fermented foods in their culinary repertoire: gundruk, kinema (fermented soybean), sinki (dried, fermented radish), sidra-shukuti (dried fish), etc. Given the extreme weather conditions of the eastern Himalayan region, local communities preserve seasonal produce, through drying and fermentation, to last the year.

Gundruk at the market
Picture credit: Sanjog Rasaily

Recipe: Gundruk ko Jhol

Ingredients
1 tbsp gundruk per person
1 red onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 green chilli, chopped
1 large potato, boiled and chopped (optional)
2 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp haldi powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder(for some colour)
A sprig of coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method
Soak the gundruk in water for a few minutes, wash and squeeze out excess water.
Meanwhile, heat a deep cooking pan/pot and add mustard oil — once the oil reaches smoking hot temperature sauté garlic, onion, ginger, chilly and tomatoes.
Add the soaked gundruk and sauté it.
Next add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. My grandmother would add a chopped boiled potato to this, and smash it with the ladle along with the fried vegetables. This step can be skipped if you want a clear broth.
Once it is well sautéd and the smell of the turmeric is gone from the mix, add water accordingly, one cup per person works well. Let the jhol come to a rolling boil.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Diwash Gahatraj is an independent journalist based in Siliguri. He writes on people, health, food & culture.

Banner image credit: Sagar Chakraborty.

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