Shakambari-Vegetables unlimited

Paneer Egg Kofta - Want to impress your guests ?

For the eggs:

Paneer - 200 gms

Cornflour - 2 tbsp

Salt

Yellow colour

Oil - to fry

Crush paneer & mash nicely with the base of your palm.

When soft, add cornflour & salt.

Knead to a soft dough.

Take a little of the same & add yellow colour to make the egg centres.

Divide into 6 parts & make tiny balls.

Divide the white into 6 parts.

Take each part, flatten your palm, place a yellow ball in the centre & shape like an egg.

Heat oil in a pan.

Fry 2,3 eggs at a time, fry on slow fire till brown.

Gravy:

Make any spicy gravy given in
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13016&postcount=150

Before serving, put the eggs in a serving dish.

Pour 1/3 cup gravy on them & leave for 10 mts.

Then pour the rest of the gravy over the eggs.

Cut 2, 3 eggs lengthwise into two parts & garnish the top with these eggs.

Sprinkle chopped coriander.

 

Jain Vegetable Stew - Goes with puri & chappathi.

I call this Jain because onions & garlic are not included.

This can be made with only potatoes or potatoes and peas.
This can also be made with a combination of potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower and baby corn.

Cut the vegetables into 1 cm cubes except potatoes. Potatoes should be separately boiled & lightly broken to get the right thickness for the dish.

Vegetables - 3 cups

Green chillies - 3, 4, slit lengthwise

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Cashewnuts - 10-12

Curry leaves - few

To the coconut, first add 1 cup of water & take out the first millk.

Next to the coconut, again add 1 cup of water, blend & take the second milk.

Boil the potatoes separately, lightly break & keep ready.

In a pressurepan, to the second milk, add vegetables & green chillies.

Close, keep the weight & cook for 2 whistles.

Cool & open.

Add the potatoes.

Grind coconut to a paste with minimum water.

To the pan, add salt & paste.

Simmer to boil on a low fire.

Now add the first milk, simmer for a few mts without allowing to boil.

Remove & add curry leaves.

 

Agathikeerai Poriyal - a healthy dish, besides being tasty !

I am giving the first 2 steps in MW & last tempering on stove-top.

Since this keerai is slightly bitter, it is cutomary to add a little sugar or jaggery to tone down the bitterness. However this is optional.

Agathikeerai leaves - 3 cups ( chop, wash & drain well)

Tur dhal - ¼ cup

Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Sugar or jaggery powdered - to taste

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Red chillies, broken - 2,3

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Soak tur dhal in ½ cup of boiling water for 30 mts.

Add ¼ cup more water & MW medium for 10 mts.

It should become just soft & not too soft.

To the greens add ¼ cup water, cover & MW for 6-8 mts, depending on the freshness of the keerai.

Rest for 5 mts & drain thoroughly.

Use the drained water for rasam or kuzambu – it is full of nutrition.

Drain the dhal also & use the water for rasam.

In a kadai, heat oil & temper as given.

Add the keerai, cooked dhal & salt.

Mix well & cook on a low fire for a few mins.

Lastly add the sugar or powdered jaggery, coconut & switch off.
This goes well with all kuzambus which contain no dhal, like vatha kuzambu, morkuzambu etc.

 

Undhiyu - the flavourful, traditional Gujarathi Dish!

There are different metods to make undhiyu. I learnt this from my friend, who has lived in Bombay for long. I have given the maximum combination of vegetables. Papdi ( avarakai), Kand ( elephant yam), sweet potato, brinjal, raw banana are a must. Small potatoes, mochai and green channa ( fresh thuvarangai) are optional. Methi muthias is a must. This is a delicious dish and a good accompaniment for puri & shrikant. All vegetables must be ( chenai, sweet potato, raw banana with skin) cut into 1“ cubes. Avarakkai, if thin variety, can be stringed & used whole. If it is the broad variety, cut into 2 pieces. Select small brinjals and small potatoes and make a criss cross cut without separating the segments. Make one vertical slit in the center of each banana piece.
The coriander-coconut-methi combination gives an excellent aroma.

Papdi ( avarakai) - ½ cup

Chenai - ½ cup

Sweet potato - ½ cup

Banana - ½ cup

Potato ( small ) - ½ cup

Ajwain (omum) - ¼ tsp

For methi muthias:

Cleaned methi leaves - ½ cup

Besan - 2 tbsp

Wheat flour - 2 tbsp

Soda-bicarb - 1 tiny pinch

Hot oil - 2 tbsp

Green chilli-ginger paste - 2 tsp

Salt, sugar, haldi, hing

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Oil - to deep fry

For the masala:

Mix together

Fresh coconut - ½ cup

Green chilli-ginger-garlic, minced fine - 2 tbsp

Minced garlic - 1 tbsp (optional)

Dhaniya, jeera & red chilli powders each - 1 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - ½ cup

Salt, sugar, lime juice

Oil - 2 tbsp

Fill some masala in the slits of brinjal , potato & banana,

To make methi muthiyas , knead all ingredients together with minimum water, roll cylindrical ( 1” long) & deep fry in hot oil to golden brown.

In a pressure pan, heat oil & temper ajwain.

Add all vegetables, remaining masala, 1cup water, salt ( remember there is salt in the masala) & little sugar ( optional).

Close & cook for 2 whistles.

Cool, open, add the muthiyas & close.

Without putting the weight, cook on a low flame till the muthiyas are soft.

This is a fairly dry dish without gravy.

Serve hot with puris.

 

Beetroot Kootu - a less common, but mouth-watering dish !

This is delicious with rice as well as parathas. Ideal combination with kuzambus which have no dhal & with thogayal sadam.

I prefer to pressurecook beetroots whole & then peel & chop into tiny cubes.

Beetroot cubes - 2 cups

Gram dhal - ½ cup ( soak & cook till soft & grainy, not mushy))

Tamarind paste - 1 heaped tsp

Sambar powder - 1 tsp

Salt, hing

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Curry leaves - few

In a pressurepan, mix boiled beetroot cubes, boied gram dhal, tamarind paste, sambar powder, salt & haldi.

Add ¾ -1 cup water & cook for 1 whistle.

Cool, open & temper the given ingredients – coconut gratings should turn golden colour.

Some prefer to add little jaggery – this is individual preference.

Tur dhal can be used instead of gram dhal.

 

Drumstick Leaf - Onion Curry - Packed with iron & nutrition !

Drumstick leaves used for cooking must be very fresh and tender.
Small onions give the best taste. If not available, use big onions.

D Leaves - 3 cups

Small onions, chopped - 1 cup

Salt

Green chillies, chopped - 2, 3

Red ciliies, broken - 2-3

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Freshly grated coconut - 2 tbsp ( optional )

Heat oil in a kadai.

Temper red chillies, mustard & urad dhal.

When done, add onions & green chillies & fry till the onions turn ransparent.

Add leaves, cover well & cook on a medium-lo flame.

If the leaves are fresh, water need not be sprinkled, otherwise 1 or 2 tbsp may have to be sprinkled.

When done, add salt & mix well.

When the curry becomes dry, garnish with coconut & switch off.

It is optional to add a tsp of sugar.

Here are the MW timings.

Just to temper mustard & u. dhal in 1 tbsb oil - 2 mts. high, the red chillies are added during the last 40 seconds (just to retain the colour).

For 2 cups of leaves, 3/4 cup of onions and 2 chillies are cooked for 4 mts high (If nicely fried, they look beautiful).

After adding the leaves cook on high for 3 mts. Need not add any water if the keerai is fresh. Otherwise add 1-2 tbsp of water.

Finally add the coconut and salt.

 

Ways with Cluster Beans - we call it, Kothavarangai.

Always select tender ones. Cut both ends & string on both sides to remove fibre.
Chop fine for curries.

Dry curry::
Cook 1 cup of chopped vegetable with haldi for 2 whistles till soft & drain.
Take about 2 tbsp of cooked tur dhal or moong dhal, slightly grainy – they should be just cooked & not soft..
Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai, temper 1 or 2 broken red chillies, ½ tsp mustard seeds , 1 tsp urad dhal & a few curry leaves.
Now add the vegetable, cooked dhal & little salt.
Saute on a low fire till dry, taking care not to mash the dhal.
Optionally 2 tbsp grated coconut can be added just before removing.
It is customary to sprinkle just a pinch of sugar for this vegetable since it has a slight bitter taste - again this is one’s choice !

Paruppusili –

This is a classic recipe, most famous with this vegetable. Please refer to recipe no: 4 in the Shakambari thread. Use chopped clusterbeans in the place of mixed vegetables & proceed as given there

Puli vitta kootu ( with dhal):--

In a pressure pan, lightly sauté 1 cup chopped vegetable in a little oil.Add 1 tsp tamarind paste, 1 cup of water, haldi, salt, hing & 1 tsp sambar powder. Add 2 tbsp cooked & mashed tur dal. Cook the entire mixture for 1 whistle.Cool, open & add 2 tbsp coconut ground with a pinch of jeera.
Alternately, can add coconut & curry leaves fried to light brown in a little oil. Or coconut can be entirely omitted. Temper in 1 tsp oil with ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dhal, curry leaves & ½ tsp hing powder.2 tbsp roasted peanuts added along with the tempering increases the taste. Adding a little jaggery is optional.

Kottu kootu -

This does not contain dhal. Roast in 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp each of urad dhal & gram dhal, 2,3 red chillies, ½ tsp hing & grind to a coarse paste with 3 tbsp grated coconut.
In a pressure pan heat 1 tsp oil, fry the chopped vegetable slightly, add 1 tsp tamarind paste, ½ cup of water, salt, haldi & ground paste. Cook forb2 whistles. Cool, open & temper with ½ tsp mustard seeds , 1 tsp urad dhal & few curry leaves in 1 tsp oil.

Kothavarai can also be used for sambar and vathakuzambu.
Puli vitta kootu photo is posted below.

 

Jain Methi Kofta - Delicious, but not spicy, please !

This, I call Jain, since it is free from only garlic and onions.

For methi Koftas:

Cleaned methi leaves - ½ cup

Besan - 2 tbsp

Wheat flour - 2 tbsp

Soda-bicarb - 1 tiny pinch

Hot oil - 2 tbsp

Green chilli-ginger paste - 2 tsp

Salt, sugar, haldi, hing

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Oil - to deep fry

To make methi koftas , knead all ingredients together with minimum water, roll cylindrical ( 1” long) & deep fry in hot oil to golden brown.

Gravy:

Big tomatoes - 5, 6 (deskinned & chopped)

Oil - 2 tsp

White til seeds - 2 tsp

Ginger, finely chopped - 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Dhaniya poswder - 2 tsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Salt, haldi, hing

Curry leaves.

Heat oil, temper til seeds & the add ginger & curry leaves.

Add all masalas & tomatoes. Add 3 cups of water.

When it starts boiling, simmer & cook for 10 mts.

Add koftas & cook for a few mts.

Goes with parathas, pulao etc.

 

Alu – Channa sabji - Do we ever get tired of Channa, I wonder !

Kabul channa - 1 cup

Potatoes - 2 – cut into cubes

Onions - 2, big

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Jeera powder - ½ tsp

Garam masala powder - ½ tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt

Grind together:

Tomatoes - 3

Green chillies - 4,5

Ginger - 1 “

Garlic - 7,8

Coriander leaves, chopped - ½ cup

To garnish:

Raw sliced onions - from 1 onion

Lemon wedges - few

Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Wash & soak channa overnight in plenty of water with very little cooking soda.

Next morning, wash very well & cook them in just enough water with little salt, till just soft.

Steam the potatoes & keep ready.

Grate the onions & squeeze the juice from them.

Reserve the juice for the gravy.

Heat the oil & fry the squeezed onions till the colour changes.

Then add the ground paste & fry till the raw smell goes.

Now mix all masalas with 1/2 cup of water & the onion-juice.

Add to the fried ingredients & give a boil.

Add salt, channa & potatoes.

Boil the mixture together to get the right consistency.

Garnish with raw chopped onions, lemon wedges & chopped coriander leaves.

 

Alu Gobi (potato-cauliflower) - the standard favourite, with only one tsp oil !

This goes with parathas and can be served with pulaos also. I am giving this dish less spicy, more to cut down on oil.

Cut gobi & alu into chunky pieces – 2 cm square, roughly. The proportion of both is one’s choice. They can be equal or there can be more of cauliflower, but not potato.

Cauliflower pieces - 3 cups

Potato pieces - 1 cup

Onions - 2 ( cut thin & long)

Tomatoes - 4 (deskin & blend)

Green chillies - 3,4, slit into 2

Ginger juliennes ( thin strips) - 2 tbsp ( or less)

Oil - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp

Jeera powder - ½ tsp

Salt, haldi

Chopped coriander leaves - to garnish

Steam both vegetables till “crisp soft”.

In a pressure pan, add oil & fry the onions first on low fire.

Add tomato pulp & fry both together on medium for 5-7 mts.

Now add all the ingredients & salt.

Close the cooker & keep the weight.

As soon as the first whistle comes, switch off.

Cool, open & garnish with coriander leaves.

If you want with gravy, add half cup of water with all ingredients.

Usually, this tastes best with little gravy only.

Those who prefer can add garlic pieces, chopped long & thin along with onions.