Indian Spiced Swiss Chard Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Coriander

by: lloreen

May6,2013

5

2 Ratings

  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

This Spring I craved the sweet, smoky spices and hot ginger of traditional Indian cuisine, but was trying to cut back on dairy and carbs. Luckily, my garden provided an embarrassment of Swiss Chard and I experimented with spices that would satisfy my craving healthily. This dish is sweet from the cardamon and coriander and packs a heady heat from ginger. Toast and grind your own spices if you can to maximize the flavor.
This dish is delicious as a simple meal over rice with a dollop of yoghurt, but I like to serve it as an accompaniment to simple grilled fish. I served it twice to chard-skeptics and they came back for thirds! —lloreen

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • Spice Mixture
  • 1.5 tablespoonsground coriander
  • 1 teaspoonground cumin
  • 1 green cardamon pods, seeds only
  • .5 teaspoonsturmeric
  • 1 pinchcayenne (to taste)
  • Chard
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoonsfresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoontomato paste
  • 1 dashsea salt
  • 1 bunchchard stems, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 bunchchard leaves, rolled like cigars and cut in thin strips
Directions
  1. Spice Mixture
  2. In a dry hot pan, toast your cumin, coriander, and cardamon, agitating the pan constantly until the pods begin to brown and smell toasted. Be careful to remove them before they burn.
  3. Grind all your spices in a mortar or spice grinder.
  1. Chard
  2. In a large pan with a fitted lid, heat your oil or ghee over medium low heat. Add the onion, stirring to coat with the fat, then let it cook slowly until translucent and the bottom layer begins to caramelize, about 20 minutes
  3. Add the ginger and garlic and stir 60 seconds
  4. Turn the heat up to medium.Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and spice mixture.Cover and let simmer until the tomatoes break apart easily with a wooden spoon and begin to look like a sauce. (about 5-10 mins)--You can make the dish up to this point up to 24 hours ahead and then reheat and proceed at dinner.
  5. Add the chard stems and simmer, uncovered until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
  6. Add the chard leaves, cover, and let simmer until the leaves wilt (2-3 minutes)
  7. Salt to taste.

Tags:

  • Indian
  • Coriander
  • Cumin
  • Vegetable
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-Free
  • Entree
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Violeta

  • AntoniaJames

  • lloreen

  • SCL

7 Reviews

SCL July 22, 2022

This recipe was perfect for us. First, we love the Indian spice pantry. Second, I had a boat load of Swiss chard growing on my patio. I didn't have cardamom pods, so I used ground cardamom (and guessed at the amount; used one teaspoon). Rather than using cayenne, I have a garam marsala mix from a local Indian grocery which has quite a kick, so I used a 1/4 teaspoon of that instead. Loved how the tomatoes broke down and made the dish saucy. I served it under a baked tilapia with a panko breadcrumb coating (adhering to the fish by a layer of dijon mustard). I printed the recipe to save it for repeats in the future.

Florence P. June 14, 2018

This was so good. I was looking for a new way to eat chard and this recipe surprised me. Thanks Lloreen for sharing it. I even used drained canned tomatoes and still got good results. Try adding some chick peas for a main course.

lloreen June 14, 2018

Glad you enjoyed it, Florence! Your suggestion of chickpeas is good. I have a bumper crop of chard and may try that. I bet it would be good on cauliflower rice for a very healthy vegan meal.

mzkmann August 10, 2017

Great recipe, even my wife liked it. Yay, I can continue to grow chard in my garden! Serving suggestion: serve over sticky white Calrose rice OR brown rice. YUM!!! A nice bottle of Central Coast California Cabernet Sauvignon was a nice pairing also!

Violeta April 3, 2014

I made this last night. Absolutely delicious! Such subtle flavours from spices. I served it with grilled sweet potatoes on the top. Thank you Lloreen for the recipe. :)

AntoniaJames May 16, 2013

Love this - especially the blend that's top heavy with coriander. (In so many, cumin takes top billing.) I plan to make this soon, as in tomorrow evening, for house guests, as part of a vegan meal. ;o)

lloreen May 16, 2013

I love cumin but there is something about the milder sweetness of coriander that compliments the iron earthiness of chard. I hope the recipe works okay for you! Enjoy the vegan feast!

Indian Spiced Swiss Chard Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What are 3 ways you can eat Swiss chard? ›

Chard can be steamed or sauteed, and it's great in soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas and quiches. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads. Chard always has green leaves, but the stalks can be a variety of colors.

What is Swiss chard in India? ›

Swiss chard, also known as spinach-chard or silverbeet, is one of the popular green leafy vegetables of European origin. Like spinach, it has the store-house of many phytonutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties.

What is the difference between chard and Swiss chard? ›

All chard is Swiss chard; it's just stalk colors and names that vary! The stalks and leaf veins of Swiss chard vary in color from yellow to pink and deep red to white. Chard with red stalks is called Rhubarb, Red, or Ruby Chard. Chard with multicolored stalks grouped together is known as Rainbow Chard.

Can you eat Swiss chard every day? ›

Can you eat too much Swiss chard? Although Swiss chard is extremely healthy, it should be eaten in moderation. Eating too much can lead to side effects such as: Kidney stones: Swiss chard contains antinutritive oxalates, which may increase urinary oxalate excretion and increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones.

When should you not eat Swiss chard? ›

Kidney stone:

As a result, anyone with kidney stones should avoid Swiss chard because oxalates may increase symptoms in certain people.

Is Swiss chard good or bad for you? ›

Health benefits of Swiss chard. Swiss chard is a highly nutritious vegetable. It is a rich source of vitamin K and may help people maintain healthy blood sugar levels and support heart health. It is also commonly known as silverbeet, spinach beet, perpetual spinach, crab beet, and mangold.

What is chard called in India? ›

Swiss Chard Desi Vegetable Seeds ( స్విస్ ఛార్డ్ ) ( Bachalakura ) - samsgardenstore.

Is Swiss chard better than spinach? ›

Spinach have significantly more Vitamins A than chard. Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron. Spinach is a great source of Thiamin, Niacin, Zinc, Phosphorus.

Can I eat Swiss chard raw? ›

Swiss chard leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Raw Swiss chard is less bitter than cooked.

Which is healthier kale or Swiss chard? ›

While both vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, they differ in their concentrations of certain nutrients. For example, kale is a better source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium, while chard is higher in vitamin A and iron.

What is the English name for Swiss chard? ›

Chard (also known as Swiss chard, silverbeet, perpetual spinach, or mangold) is a vegetable. It is in the same family as spinach, Amaranthaceae.

What is the American name for chard? ›

Swiss chard is just the common name for chard in the U.S. Swiss chard is a highly nutritious leafy green vegetable. The swiss chard plant is characterized by dark green, crinkly leaves and celery-like stalks that come in a variety of colors.

What are the cons of Swiss chard? ›

Like other leafy greens, Swiss chard is high in oxalates, which play a role in the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones — but you can still enjoy nutrient-dense foods high in oxalates. To help prevent kidney stones, try to stay hydrated, limit sodium intake, and get enough calcium ( 32 , 33 ).

What is the healthiest vegetable in the world? ›

According to the CDC, watercress is the most nutrient-rich vegetable on earth. Because high-level amino acid is found in it, it helps in digesting proteins and producing neurotransmitters.

Is Swiss chard hard on stomach? ›

In this case, Swiss chard side effects may include tingling in your mouth or throat, stomach pains, itchiness, rash, etc. If oxalates cause you any serious side effects, you may experience kidney stones, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, vomiting and a weak pulse.

What's the best way to eat Swiss chard? ›

While both young and mature chard leaves are suitable for cooking, large leaves and mature leaves are firm and best suited for moist cooking methods, such as in soups, stews and braised dishes. They are also ideal for dry cooking methods such as stir-frying.

Do you eat Swiss chard raw or cooked? ›

Swiss chard is a type of leafy green packed full of nutrients like fibre, vitamin K and magnesium. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Try adding Swiss chard to your next soup or salad!

Is it better to eat chard raw or cooked? ›

You can eat these greens both raw or cooked. However, cooking chards improves not only the nutrient availability, but also the taste. Swiss chard is susceptible to foodborne pathogens, like other leafy greens, so be careful about washing this veggie thoroughly before preparing it.

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