What is dill leaves, shepu, suva bhaji?

Dill has a bouquet that is aromatic and somewhat sweet. It is not a "hot" herb, like red chili peppers; rather, dill provides a delicate taste sensation. The dill plant grows to a height of 8-30 inches. The leaves are feathery and fernlike. The plant is a dark sea green color, with yellow flowers. The light brown seeds are about 3.5 mm (0.15 in) long, with a winged and oval shape. One side of the seed is flat, with two ridges; the other side, is convex with three ridges and three oil channels. The leaves, flowers, and oval flat seeds of the dill plant are all edible. The plant has thin, feathery green leaves, of which only about the top eight inches are used.

Dill is one of those herbs that in effect have two different seasons. In early spring it is used for its leaves and then later in fall for its seeds. Each part of the plant has its own characteristics and properties. One of them is Dill seeds.

How to select dill leaves, shepu, suva bhaji

Providing a tangy addition to pickles, salad dressing fresh dill is available at markets during the summer and early fall while dried dill is available throughout the year. At the market: Dill is sold as fresh cuttings (sprigs) bundled into convenient amounts, in sprinkle-pour bottles of dill weed (dried leaves), and in sprinkle-pour bottles of dill seeds.

Culinary Uses of dill leaves, shepu, suva bhaji in Indian Cooking

1. Dill has a simple, clean taste. When using dill leaves, it is best to use it fresh rather than dried to get the most flavors. The flavor of dill weed diminishes greatly the longer it is cooked. Add it at the last minute for full flavor and aroma.

2. Quick dill butter: Add 1/4 cup minced fresh dill weed to 1/2 cup softened butter. This goes delectable with all kinds of breads. Similarly, you can prepare a Lemon Dill and Cream Cheese Butter in a jiffy and use it as a dressing, dip or spread.

3. Fresh and dried dill leaves are used as herbs.You can even make a refreshing Lemon Dill Dressing that can be drizzled on salads.

4. Use dill weed as a garnish for sandwiches.

5. This fernlike leaves are aromatic, and are used to flavor many foods - soups, salads and pickles.

6. The crisp grassy taste makes a good vegetable that is not only tasty but also, rich in nutrients. Suva Palak Methi Subzi, Suva Moong Dal Subzi paired with Bajra or Jowar roti makes up a healthy meal.

7. Also, you can perk up the health quotient of snacks with the addition of dill leaves. Dill Dosa, Masala Vadai, Dill Baby Potatoes are some appetizing, irresistible snacks.

8. The combination of dill and paneer works very well together. You can make different delectable snacks/starters like Cottage Cheese and Dill Canapés, Paneer, Cucumber and Dill Toast, Paneer and Suva Sandwich, Malai Paneer Dill Balls and enjoy!

9. Cucumbers are another food that partners well with dill, either in salads, chilled soups or on tea sandwiches. Check out recipes Dill Cucumber Salad, Cucumber Snack, Dill and Cucumber Raita

10. You can even make lip-smacking baked goodies like the Cheese, Leek and Dill Muffin which will lure everybody.

11. Enhance the taste of your daily meals with the addition of suva which has an extremely distinct flavor. Try your hands at delicious Gujarati Suva Kadhi, Suva Moong Dal, Dill Corn Soup.

12. Also, you can make innovative party starters like Grilled Mushrooms in Garlic and Dill and Corn and Dill Canapés that are not only attractive but, delicious too.

How to store dill leaves, shepu, suva bhaji

Fresh dill should always be stored in the refrigerator either wrapped in a damp paper towel or with its stems placed in a container of water. Since it is very fragile, even if stored properly, dill will only keep fresh for about two days. Dill can be frozen, either whole or chopped, in airtight containers. Nutritive Information for Suva Bhaji (Dill leaves):

1 Cup of chopped dill leaves is about 20 grams

RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy - 7 calories

Protein – 0.6 g

Carbohydrate – 1 g

Fat – 0.1 g

Fiber – 0.2 g

Vitamins:

0.006 mg of vitamin B1 (Thiamine) = 0.5% of RDA ( (about 1.2 to 1.6 mg for men)

0.2 mg of vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) = 1.3% of RDA (about 1.4 to 1.9 mg for men)

17 mg of vitamin C = 42.5% of RDA 9about 40 mg)

1436.4 mcg of vitamin A = 29.9% of RDA (about 4800 mcg)

Minerals:

38 mg of Calcium = 3.8% of RDA (about 1000 mg)

3.5 mg of Iron = 17.4% of RDA (about 20 mg)

8.4 mg of Phosphorus = 1.4% of RDA (about 600 mg)

11 mg of magnesium = 3.1% of RDA (about 350 mg)

147.6 mg of potassium = 3.1% of RDA (about 4700 mg)

Health benefits of dill leaves, shepu, suva bhaji

Now that you are well versed about each nutrient that suva bhaji lends us, let’s check out how they help us individually.

1. Dill Leaves Exhibit Antioxidant Property: Antioxidants are the substances that help in removing the potentially harmful substances called “free radicals” from our body. They prevent or stop cell damage in your body and thus lowers the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. They are also a good way of flushing out toxins from our body. Dill leaves are rich in antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C. A cup of chopped leaves fulfil 42.5% of day’s vitamin C and 29.9% of day’s vitamin A requirement. Experiment with Suva Palak Methi Subzi for a complete antioxidant boost.

2. Dill Leaves Maintain Bone Health: Osteoporosis is a disease which affects many people as they age. Protein and calcium are the twin pillars to keep the bones healthy. While protein and calcium can be sourced from sprouts, dals, pulses and dairy foods, we also get calcium from cereals like ragi, nuts like almonds and walnuts, seeds like sesame seeds and fruits and vegetables like broccoli, avocado and of course dill leaves too. So don’t forget to add suva bhaji to your list of calcium rich foods. Further to enhance calcium absorption, pair it with a source of vitamin C rich food. Out specially crafted recipes Suva Paneer Dip and Dill and Cucumber Raita suit this purpose perfectly.

3. Boost Immunity: Our body needs to build white blood cells (WBC) to strengthen our immune system. Suva bhaji with its loads of vitamin C helps us achieve this goal. It enhances the body’s anti-microbial activity and helps fight infections. To benefit from its vitamin C the fullest, freshly chop the leaves and use them immediately. Also try and minimize the cooking time as vitamin C is highly volatile and is lost to some extent on exposure to air and heat. The heartiest way is to use them salad like Bean Sprouts and Suva tossed Salad, which makes a quick satiating snack by itself.

Click here to know more about the 5 Health Benefits of Suva Bhaji (Dill Leaves).

chopped dill leaves

Wash the dill leaves thoroughly or soak in water containing a pinch of salt to remove all the dirt. Place the dill leaves on a chopping board and using a sharp knife chop them roughly or finely as the recipe requirement.