Nettle known as “Sisno” in Nepali, has a high nutritional value, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, B, C along with dietary fiber. It is commonly cooked by the hill-area population as a soup or combined with the staples to make a thick broth.

Sishne jhol is prepared with a combination of edible wild varieties of nettle leaves and okra and is a typical Himalayan cuisine served with cooked rice. Many wild varieties of nettle are grown in these regions some of which are edible such as urtica dioica locally called “ghario sishnu”, laportee terminalis “patle sishnu”, and girardinia diversifolia “bhangrey sishnu”. Today, nettle soup is mostly eaten in Scandinavia, Iran, Ireland, and Eastern Europe, with regional differences in recipe, however historically consumption of nettles was more widespread.

Nettle stew was eaten by inhabitants of Britain in the Bronze Age, 3000 years ago. The consumption of young stinging nettle in medieval Europe was used medicinally, primarily as a diuretic and to treat joint pain and arthritis, hay fever and as a blood purifier.

Ingredients

• Sisno - fresh or powdered - 300 gms

• Okra - 40 gms

• Timmur powder- 1 tsp

• Chhyapi – crushed- 2 cloves

• Oil or butter - 2 tbsp

• Salt- to taste

• Water for blanching – 2 liter

Preparation method

1. Blanch the sisno and okra in boiled and salted water

2. Remove from the water and refresh it in iced cold water

3. Drain the excess water, put it in a blender to make the fine puree and keep aside

4. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add crushed garlic and fry until slightly brown

5. Add nettle and okra puree in the pot

6. Cook for few minutes

7. Gradually pour the stock or water and stir well

8. Season with salt, timmur and chhyapi

9. Bring it to boil and reduce the heat, simmer for 15 minutes

10. Pass it through a medium strainer and transfer in a clean pot re heat and serve hot

credit: ashish sunar / www.nepalikhanki.com