Potato Roast - the Perfect foil to Vengaya Sambar. Potatoes - ½ kg ( select firm ones without blemishes & green patches) Red chilli powder - 2 tsp Hing - 1 tsp Salt, haldi Fresh curds - 4 tbsp Oil - 3 tbsp ( minimum) Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 1 tsp Wash & scrub potatoes well. If they are big, cut into 2, otherwise they can be boiled whole. Put them in a pressure pan in water to which little vinegar is added. ( this gives a nice white colour to the potato). When the first whistle comes, simmer the flame & cook for 8-10 mts, depending on how fresh or old, the potatoes are. Cool, open & peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1” cubes. Mix curds, chilli powder, salt, hing & haldi. Marinate the potatoes in this mixture for minimum 30 mts. Then in a kadai, heat oil & temper mustard seeds & urad dhal. Next add the potatoes which would have absorbed the curds now. Initially keep the flame on medium for about 10 mins & then lower it. Regular & gentle stirring is necessary. Saute till they become crisp. Potato – onion roast: For ½ kg potatoes, 3 medium onions are required. Slice them thin & long. First, heat 2 tbsp oil & fry onions adding a pinch of sugar till they become light brown ( sugar caramelises to give a rich colour !). Remove & keep them. Then roast potatoes as given above & finally add the roasted onions to mix well & serve.
Kasal Khoora - know not the reason of the name ! This is a jain dish – that is, free from onions & garlic ! This dish is prepared with white pumpkin or brinjals. If using brinjals, cut into 1 “ cubes & in case of pumpkin cut little smaller. White pumpkin or brinjal cubes - 3 cups Khus khus - 1 tbsp Green chillies - 5,6 Ginger - 1” Hing - 1 tsp Grated coconut - 1 cup Salt To temper: Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Curryleaves - few Roast dry khus khus & first powder it in the mixie. In the same mixi, add coconut, ginger, green chillies & grind together. Mix this paste with vegetable cubes & salt. In a pressure pan heat oil & temper as given. Add the mixture, salt, close the cooker, put the weight & cook for one whistle. The moisture in the mixture is enough to cook for one whistle. Goes well with chappathis & rice.
Bittergourd Roast - a Delicious avatar of bittergourd. For this dish, fresh bittergourds are ideal. Finely grated bittergourd - 3 cups Grated or very finely chopped onions - 2 cups Grated coconut - 1 cup Red chillies - 4,5 ( or to taste) Jeera - ½ tsp Oil - 4 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Curry leaves - 2,3 sprigs Salt Wash, wipe & grate the bittergourd. Steam it till just soft ( microwave steamer or regular steamer). Coarsely grind coconut, red chillies & jeera without water. In a kadai, heat oil & temper mustard seeds & urad dhal. Then add all other ingredients. Add salt & fry on a low fire till light brown & crisp. It takes minimum 45 mts – 1 hr ! Adding powdered jaggery halfway through is one’s option.
Stuffed Palak Curry - a different way with greens. Palak bunches with big leaves - 2 Soak & grind to a thick coarse paste: Urad dhal - 3 tbsp Gram dhal - 1 tbsp Red chillies - 4 Green chillies - 2 Hing - ½ tsp Curry leves - few Salt. To temper: Oil - 2-3 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Take the big leaves, clean & wipe. Chop the small leaves fine & mix with ground paste. Take each leaf, smear the paste fully, roll & secure with a toothpick or tie with a thread. Steam them well. Cool, cut into small pieces. Heat oil, temper & saute the cut pieces on a low fire carefully without breaking them.
Bhindi Masala - yet another mervel from my young Bihari friend ! Ladies’ finger - ¼ kg – cut into 2” pieces Oil - 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp Tomato - 2 – chop Jeera - ½ tsp Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped To grind: Red chillies - 3,4 Dhaniya - 1 tsp Cloves - 2 Cardamom - 2 Onion - 1 big In a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil, shallow fry the ladies’ finger pieces till soft. Remove, add 1 more tbsp of oil add jeera & then the ground masala. When the masala turns red, add the vegetable, chopped tomato, salt & 1 cup of water. When everything has boiled together, remove & garnish with coriander leaves
Mirchi ka salan - Imported from Hyderabad ! Andhra chillies - 10 – 12 Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp to soak chillies Chilli powder - 1 tsp Oil - 4 tbsp Salt, haldi, little jaggery Onions - 2 – chop, fry till brown in 2 tsp oil & grind Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp Roast dry & grind to a paste: Seasame seeds ( til) - 2 tbsp Peanuts - 2 tbsp Dhaniya - 1 tbsp Grated coconut - 2 tbsp Jeera - 1 tsp Cinnamon - 1” Cloves - 3 Wash, slit, deseed & soak chillies in thin tamarind water for 30 mts. Drain completely. Mix onion paste, roasted & ground paste, salt, haldi & chilli powder. Stuff the chillies with as much paste as they will hold. Reserve the remaining for the gravy. Mix tamarind paste with 1 cup of water. Heat oil, fry ginger-garlic paste. Add the left over paste also. Now add the stiffed vegetables, salt & jaggery. When the mixture starts boiling, simmer till chillies become soft. Remove & serve hot. One whistle method in the pressure pan is also suitable for this dish.
Malai Kofta - the one dish we order in restaurants! For SBS photos,please go to Malai Kofta For koftas: Potatoes - 1 cup ( boiled, peeled & mashed) Grated paneer - ½ cup Chopped green chillies - 1 tbsp Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp Salt Pepper powder - ½ tsp Garam masala - ½ tsp Knead all the above to a dough consistency & make koftas stuffing inside Raisin - 1 Cashew - 1 piece Salted butter - a tiny cube ( optional) Deep fry koftas in hot oil. ( I shallow fry them in the photo) Gravy: Onions - 3- chop Soaked melon seeds - 1/3 cup ( or ¼ cup cashewnuts) Grated coconut - ½ cup Chilli powder - 2 tsp Salt, haldi Curds - ½ cup Tomatoes - 2 – chop Garam masala - ½ tsp Pepper powder - ½ tsp Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Fry chopped onions well & grind with coconut & soaked melon seeds. Heat oil & fry the paste well. Add salt, haldi & chilli powder. Add chopped tomatoes & fry till soft. Add curds & water. When it boils add garam masala, pepper powder & simmer. Add coriander leaves & remove. Add koftas.
Jain Kurma - Specially for the " non onion-garlic" eaters! By jain, I mean onion & garlic are not added. Carrot, peas, cauliflower, potato, baby corn & few beans can be used. Cubed vegetables - 3 cups Tomatoes - 2 ( chop) Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp Chilli powder - 1 tsp Cinnamon - 1” Cloves & cardamom - 2, each Haldi Salt Curd - 1 cup Make a paste of: Green chillies - 3,4 Ginger - 1 “ Grind to a paste: Coconut - ½ cup Khus khus - 2 tsp Groundnut - 2 tbsp Seasame seeds - 1 tbsp Steam the vegetables & keep ready. In a pressure pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cinnamon, cloves & cardamom. When they splutter, add green chilli – ginger paste Fry for a minute. Add the paste & tomatoes, fry well till tomatoes become pulpy. Add the vegetables, red chilli powder, haldi & dhaniya powder. Add salt & cook till one whistle comes. Cool, open & add churned curds. Mix thoroughly.
Bittergourd-Ginger Curry - an unusual combination ! This goes well with mulakootal, curd rice & parathas.. Bittergourd - 3 medium Green chillies - 5,6 ( or to taste) Tender giinger - 3, 1” pieces ( or to taste) Lime juice - 3 tsp Salt, sugar or jaggery Hing - 1 tsp Haldi Oil - 3 tbsp Was & cut bittergourd, green chillies & ginger into 1” pieces. Heat oil, add haldi & hing. Then add all the vegetables, cover & cook. The flame should be kept low to prevent burning & the vegetables have to cook in oil. Sprinkle water, little by little, as & if necessary. When well cooked, add salt, powdered jaggery & mix very well. Jaggery or sugar can be used & again this is optional. Note: You can steam the bittergourd pieces lightly & proceed as above.
Cauliflower Palkootu - very simple, but very tasty. When I visited Madurai last time, I ate this in a leading hotel. When I asked for the recipe, surprisingly, the chef obliged me & here it goes ! This is a mild, but very pleasant dish with cauliflower. Cauliflower - 1 medium sie Green chillies - 2,3 - slit Grated coconut - 5 tbsp Milk - 1 cup Salt, Curry leaves. Cut the vegetable into small flowerettes. Wash them very well. Boil them in minimum water with salt & green chillies. When the vegetable becomes soft, make a paste of the coconut & add. Simmer for a few mts & add the milk. Do not boil, when the mixture becomes homogeneous, remove, Add curry leaves. Adjust the quantity of milk to get the desired consistency. I added some peas as well.