Khuduna mwigong

 




Khuduna mwigong




Khuduna (apologies for not posting an image of a live plant). Known in Assamese as Khutura Xaak and commonly as Green Amaranth in English. It is an annual wild herb that grows in the autumn and winter months in Bodoland, among other places around the world. Bodos. Its tender leaves and young shoots are cooked, but once the plant starts to mature, it grows small, spiky thorns that makes it difficult to pluck the leaves.

In this post, I have boiled some broiler chicken with some Khuduna leaves (pictured above).

Ingredients:

  1. Broiler chicken (500 gm), preferably thigh and leg pieces
  2. A couple bunches of Khuduna (about 300 gm)
  3. Ginger (one thumb)
  4. Garlic (one head)
  5. Green chillies (depending on how hot you want)
  6. Cumin powder (one teaspoon)
  7. Salt (one tablespoon or to taste
Method: Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Keep the paste aside. Heat a kadai on high heat, add some oil if you want and put the chicken once the oil starts to smoke. Now add the chicken, salt, cumin powder and cook on medium/high heat till the meat starts to brown.

Add some water and cook the meat till its done. Now add the Khuduna and cook for a couple of minutes or so. Add a cup of water if you want some gravy. It's done.

Buthua 

Bodos know this wild herb as Buthua. Commonly called Lamb's quarters or goosefoot in English, this plant grows in the wild in the backyard gardens of Bodo households. It tastes quite a bit like spinach with a slight hint of astringency. It is often used along with lafa mwigong and Khardwi to make Wngkrhi gwlao, a Bodo dish.
Here I have prepared it as a side dish (pictured below)


Method: Heat a pan on the stove, add a dash of mustard oil and chuck in the Buthua leaves, sprinkle some salt and saute it, toss it around for 3-5 minutes. I like to add a spoon of Khardwi, which makes the dish look silky, smooth and bright, and enhances the taste too. Serve it hot with hot, steamed rice.

That's it for today. See you next time.

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