Shakambari-Vegetables unlimited

Jain Ghatta Surprise - A Rajasthani Dish.

By Jain, I mean, onion & garlic are not added.
Lauki, grated - 3 cups

Besan - As given below

Curds - 1 cup

Oil - 4 tbsp

Saunf - 1 tsp ( optional)

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Chilli powdewr - 2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp

Mint leaves, chopped - few

Salt, haldi

Grate lauki, cook for 1 whistle in a pressure pan.

Squeeze & add to besan, little salt & haldi.

Add I tbsp oil & knead everything, adding warm water if necessary.

When you knead, you will be able to determine the amount of besan needed.

You should be able to roll into long rolls – that is the consistency.

Roll into 1” thick & 6” long rolls.

Put the rolls in boiling water & allow to boil.

When they start floating, take them out & cut into 1” pieces.

Now the ghattas are ready.

Reserve the strained water after removing the rolls.

Heat the remaining oil, add methi seeds, saunf & the masalas.

Lower the flame for a mte.

Add curds, simmer stirring continuously, till oil starts floating.

Mix the reserved water & boil for sometime.

Add ghattas & simmer for a few mts.

Garnish with chopped mint leaves ( this is optional ).

Goes well with rice as well as parathas.

 

Warm wishes, dear Jay !

Lauki is sorakkai or bottle gourd or ghia.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Jain Moong - goes with pulaos & parathas !

By Jain, I mean onion & garlic are not added.
I am giving this recipe with sprouted moong, since I always sprout the same & make.
This can be made with plain whole moong also.The choice is yours.
If using whole moong, fry very lightly & soak for 8 hrs.

Moong sprouts - 1 cup

Oi or ghee - 2 tbsp

Tomatoes - 4, deskin & chop


Jeera 1 tsp


Hing 1 tsp


Chilli powder 2 tsp


Dhania powder 3 tsp


Salt, haldi,

Coriander leaves (chopped ) - 2 tbsp

Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a pressure pan, add jeera, hing and haldi.


Fry till golden & add chilli powder, dhania powder and finely chopped tomatoes in that order.


When all ingredients are well fried add sprouts, 2 cups of water,salt &
close the cooker & put the weight.


Cook for 3 whistles.


Cool ,open, add 1 tsp ghee ( this makes it delicious! ) and add chopped coriander leaves.

Goes with plain parathas & vegetable pulao.

 

Instant Kurma – shall we call it a “ kurma revolution” ?

This recipe was shared with me by my dear friend Devanai, who makes it in bulk dutifully & sends it to her daughter, nieces & nephews living inthe U S.

This recipe is literally a “ child’s play “ with mixed frozen vegetables & the kurma mix !

The following powder may be made & kept for instant use.

Saunf - ½ cup ( this gives a fairly strong flavour. So, to suit your taste, you can decrease it or omit it totally).This is known as sombu or perunjeerakam in tamil.

Jeera - ¼ cup

Khus khus - ¼ cup

Cashewnuts - ½ cup

Green chillies ( chopped & sun - dried) - 4 cups

Cardamom - 10

Cloves - 10

Fried gram ( pottu kadalai) - 2 cups

Dry chopped green chillies in the sun till crisp & ready to be powdered.

Dry roast each of the other ingredients separately.

Grind fine in the mixi & preserve.

This is the instant kurma powder.

Grind 2 tbsp of this powder with 1 cup grated coconut - this is the kurma paste for 3 cups of mixed vegetables.

This can be made with mixed vegetables like carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower, potato, corn, baby corn etc. or with only cauliflower or corn.

Chopped vegetables - 3 cups

Tomatoes - 3, chopped

Onions - 2, chopped

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp ( optional)

Curds - ½ - 1 cup ( churned)

Salt

Oil - 1 tbsp

Steam the vegetables & keep ready.

Grind 1 cup grated coconut with 2 tbsp kurma powder.

In a pressure pan, heat oil & fry onions.

When they turn transparent, add ginger-garlic paste, followed by chopped tomatoes.

Fry till the tomatoes turn soft.

Now add the steamed vegetables, ground paste, ½ cup of water & salt.

Close the cooker, keep the weight & cook for one whistle.

Cool, open & add the churned curds.

Mix well & remove.

Note:

This can be prepared as a Jain dish, omitting onions & ginger-garlic paste – it tastes very good.

Saunf can be completely omitted, by choice.

Since the green chillies are sufficient in quantity to give a spicy taste, red chilli powder is not necessary.

 

Hello Lakshmi !

Saunf is known as sombu or perunjeerakam in tamil.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

 

Babycorn Delicious - crunchy & tasty !

This can be made with mixed vegetables also.

Babycorn, chopped 1” long - 3 cups

Tomatoes - 2 big, deskin & puree

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt, sugar

Cream - little, optional

Fry in 1 tsp ghee & grind to a paste:

Grated coconut - ½ cup

Dhaniya seeds - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 ½ tsp

Cinnamon - 2 “

Cloves - 3

Pepper - ½ tsp

Garlic cloves - 5

Red chillies - 7,8

Khus khus - 3 tsp

Onion - 1

Steam babycorn pieces till tender.

In a pressure pan, heat oil & fry the masala paste for 2 mts.

Add tomato puree & babycorn.

Add salt & a little sugar.

Pressure cook for one whistle.

Cool, open & add cream.

Serve with pulao or paratha.

 

Jain Potato-Pumpkin Sour Sabji - called Khatte alu-kaddu.

By Jain, I mean onion & garlic are not added.
This is a dry dish of U P , served with puris.

Panch phoren is a mixture of ½ tsp each of mustard seeds, methi seeds, ajwain, jeera & 1 tsp saunf. This recipe changes with each state & some prefer to add kalonji ( onion seeds ) instead of saunf. This is one’s choice.

Medium potatoes, peeled & quartered - 250 gms

Ripe yellow pumpkin, pared & cut into, same size cubes - ½ kg

Green chillies - 3

Oil - 3 tbsp

Chilli powder - ½ tsp ( or more to taste)

Panch phoren - ½ tsp

Curd- 2 tbsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi

In a pressure pan, heat oil.

Add panch phoran & then the potatoes.

Stir for 3-4 mts & then add curds

Saute for a few mts to soften the potatoes slightly & then add all other ingredients.

Fry well & add ½ cup of water.

Cook for 2 whistles.

Note:

If you prefer it to be more sour, add 2 tsp tamarind paste instead of curds & amchur powder.

 

Sag Paneer:- Goes with chappathis as well as pulaos.

Spinach - 2 big bunches –( chopped – 3 cups )

Onions - 2 big, sliced thin

Ginger - two, 1” pieces, thinly sliced

Green chillies - 4,5 slit

Tomatoes - 4 , chopped

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (or to taste)

Garam masala - ¼ tsp

Pepper powder - ½ tsp

Salt

Curds - 1 cup

Paneer cut into cubes - 200gms ( shallow fry in 2 tbsp ghee or oil )

Ghee (or oil) - 2 tbsp.

Coriander leaves - few, chopped

Clean, wash & chop greens fine.

In a kadai, heat ghee, add onions, green chillies & ginger.

When they are fried, add tomatoes & continue to fry till they become pulpy.

Now add chopped greens, salt , red chilli powder & haldi.

When they have all boiled & blended, add curds.

Simmer, add pepper powder & garam masala.

Mix, add chopped coriander leaves & fried paneer pieces.