Kandalee ka Saag

Stinging nettle saag — young nettle leaves (kandalee / bichu patta) harvested in spring using gloves, blanched in boiling water to neutralise the sting, then cooked with garlic, dried red chilli, and mustard oil into a dark, intensely flavoured green preparation. The cooked nettle has a mild, spinach-like flavour with a slight mineral depth. A wild-foraged forest food of the Garhwal and Kumaon hills, eaten as a seasonal saag during the spring months when nettles are tender.