Swiss Chard Challenge - Roundup 3

I opened the Home section of the Washington Post last Thursday and was pleasantly surprised to be reading about Malabar Spinach. It pleased the author with its hardiness and love of the sun. The sun loving Malabar Spinach plant might soon be visiting a nursery near you.

See here how Malabar Spinach has Sandeepa of the Bong Mom's Cookbook all happy because she was able to cook it and we thank D her better half for his hard work in the garden. That is the constant with Malabar Spinach, makes the gardeners and cooks who come in contact with it very happy.

1. Shhak er Ghonto - Pohi Greens/Pui Saag/Malabar Spinach

they sure are pretty and I am craving for some of that Ghonto. Malabar spinach in dal is also a delight to the tongue.

Swiss Chard is another green that keeps on giving. Linda had to wait nearly a good two decades to grow them again. But delighted she is now after the woolly caterpillar had been taken care of. I am saving some of my chard from the delicious rice she has cooked up.


2.“Thotakoora” Koora Rice with Swiss Chard

Beautiful aren't they?

3. Purslane flowers from Soma's e-curry

Soma has them growing wild in her yard.

They have succulent leaves and grow wild in a lot of places and around my garden and have been victims more often of my weeding zeal. Have not tasted or cooked with them yet.

The Chard Challenge is open for another month and I am more than eager to accept any entries. Thanks to all the participants for your enthusiasm.

Swiss Chard Challenge Roundup - 2

If I have a dream (which I often do) of how my garden should look like, here it is. Partners in Paradise is the article about the couple who live and have their garden in Vermont, in Washington Post if you are interested. I am not sure if in my lifetime I would get there but I sure would like to give it a shot. First I need to save money to buy myself some serious land to start the project ;)

The Chard Challenge was a call to gardeners to test their green thumb. Here is the second installment of the roundup.

Soma from the lovely eCurry blog has sent me 2 entries. I adore both of them. Tada the first one, beautiful red and green Amaranth.

1. Soma's Shak Bhaja: Amaranth Stir Fry

Gorgeous aren't they?


Second is the stunning Methi green also from Soma's garden.

2. Soma's Methi Dal (Lentil Soup with Fenugreek)

Rinku of Cooking in Winchester sends me her beet greens from the garden cooked up with some white lentils.

3. White lentils with beetgreens

Thanks Soma and Rinku.


Chard Challenge is still on and I would be very pleased to get a few(lot) more entries. The event goes on till the end of October.

Swiss Chard Challenge Roundup - 1

This is a great article, Read on,

It's often said that a green thumb is a dirty thumb. The best way to learn to garden is simply to start doing it, with a sharp eye out for the way plants grow
successfully in the wild. Certain rules apply, and whether those are unchanging natural laws and part of a grand plan, nobody knows. But there are enough observable patterns of cause and effect that if you jump onto nature's merry-go-round at the right speed, you are guaranteed a good ride.

-- Click to continue reading the article in the Washington Post titled Nature and Nurture, Slowly.

Yup, gardening requires a lot of patience and a bit of hardwork. But the rewards are huge. I am very happy that a lot of people are taking up the Swiss Chard Challenge and growing their favorite greens. I got a few entries for the roundup this month. Here I present the entries I have received so far.

Asha of Foodie's Hope with Swiss Rainbow Chard Dal and Stir-Fry

Asha's enthusiasm is infectious. Amidst the hustle and bustle of returning from India and having to get ready for her daughter's graduation (Congratulations! Trisha)she took the time to send me some beautiful Chard.

Aarthi of Random thoughts and musings

While waiting for her Swiss Chard Aarthi sent me some green green Methi. I am looking forward to seeing her Chard plants.


and finally my Chard Plants.

Roundups will continue every month till October. So go ahead and send in your entries. Details here.

The Chard Challenge - Calling all Gardeners!

Are you tired of the cold, the wind, the overcast gloomy days and ready to welcome spring (the last few teaser days were a delight) here is your chance to chase the winter blues and start thinking green.



The latest bit of change that the local food and environment groups are asking the incoming(already in) Obama folks to dig up the South Lawn of the White House and turn into a vegetable garden(I am not sure if they are asking for a garden czar and keeping up with the nominee qualification have tax problems :) . I bet this requires a political will like everything else the President is expected to do. But we do not have to wait for the White House to show us the way. Here is your chance to show off your gardening skills if you are an expert gardener, learn a few skills if you are a novice willing to get your hands dirty and if you are some where in between now is a perfect time to sharpen your gardening skills and maybe learn a few new tricks.

Is It really a challenge?
Not exactly! There won't be any prizes for growing the biggest Swiss Chard Leaf or maybe there will be. All you need to do is grow some greens in your backyard, patio or even indoors and of course show off.

Pink, yellow and white stemmed swiss chard and beet greens

Why Swiss Chard?
Ever since I picked up that first bunch of Swiss Chard some 3 years ago I have been in love with it. I started growing them 2 summers ago and they have been the most profilic and highly satisfying green to grow. Chard are well suited to growing in pots, 2 pots supplied us with greens from late spring to early fall almost every week so not having a backyard should not be a reason not to grow them. It is one of most easiest greens to grow with a kind of live let live attitude. It can grow in direct light or shade, a few frosts or a slight cold weather is not going to damage it much. Water regularly, trim of the grown leaves regularly and new growth happens till the plant dies of completely. As far as I have seen very few pests other than the occsional slug coming to eat the dead or rotten leaves and make its way up to the fresh leaves.

If swiss chard is not your favorite green, grow a green that you are most fond of. If chard is not found in your neck of the woods, you are welcome to grow a green that grows in your area best.


What is Swiss Chard?
Swiss Chard belongs to the beet family but unlike beets that are grown for the edible root these are predominantly grown for the leaves. Chard have stalks of different colors, purple, green, yellow to name a few. The leaves are peppery tasting and don't taste good when eaten raw. They taste great in stir fries, in sambhar - it is my favorite right next to drumstick sambhar, kootu, parathas.
More info in this article on NPR - Letting Leafy Greens into Your Life

Rules for the Challenge
Just like everybody else I hate rules. So there are no rules really. Just let your green thumb run wild. Post your gardening stories, tricks, ideas and if you are generous share your secrets as well.

1. Send the URL of your post to indosungod[AT][GMAIL][DOT][COM] with the subject "Chard Challenge"
2. If you have pictures, I'll just link to the picture on the roundup post. (If this is not OK please mention in the email.
3. A link to this post would be nice
4. The challenge runs all through Spring and Summer and will stop when Fall hits.
5. If blogging is not your thing but would like to share your story you are welcome to send your entries. They will be posted on this blog as a post and will be included in the roundup.

Roundups will be done every month from May through October. So if you are game for more than one entry you are welcome.