Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

Green curry paste

• 1 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed
• 3 Serrano chili, seeds removed
• 1/2 green capsicum, seeds removed and cut into small pieces
• 1 medium shallot, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 1-inch piece galangal (if not available, use ginger), peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 1-inch piece turmeric, peeled, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried turmeric
• 1 kaffir lime leaf, very finely chopped (if not available use 1 tbsp lime zest, from about 2 limes)
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (if not available, use cane sugar)

Green curry

• 2 cans of coconut milk (each can of 400 ml)
• 8 oz baby corn (from can), cut into inch long pieces
• 8 oz sliced water chestnuts
• 8 oz bamboo shoots (thick slices)
  8 oz sliced carrots
• 8 oz red / green capsicum, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 8 oz extra firm tofu, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (if not available, use cane sugar)
• 1 bunch Thai basil leaves, picked and washed

Method:

Green curry paste

1. Saute chopped shallots for a couple of minutes and let them cool. In our experience,  if you grind shallots / onions without sauting, they give bitterness to the end product!
2. Finely grate bottom third of lemongrass into a blender or food processor.
3. Then add the coriander and cumin seeds to blender and blend to smooth powder.
4. Add the rest of the paste ingredients including sauted shallots and blend into smooth paste.

Green curry

1. Heat medium / large pan and add a can of coconut milk.
2. Stir the milk regularly for 3-4 minutes to thicken it.
3. Add the paste to the milk and continue to stir so that the paste it well blended into the milk.
4. Let the milk with the paste simmer on low / medium heat for a couple of minutes.
5. Add 400 ml water and bring to boil.
6. One by one, add all the vegetables… tofu at the last.
7. Add sugar and bring the curry to boil. Then bring down the heat and let the curry simmer till all the vegetables soften to desired softness level (4-5 minutes).
8. Turn off the heat, add Thai basil leaves and serve with Jasmine rice.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-curry-paste

(tweaked for vegetarians)

Remarks:

Ingredients:

Muthia

• 3 tbsp besan (Gram flour)
• 1 tbsp wheat flour (to make muthia softer)
• 3 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek), pre-soaked for 2 hours and then drained
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp dhana-jiru powder (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
• 1/2 tsp Soda bicarb
• 1-2 tbsp peanut (or any other) oil
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• Some water

Valor

• 750 grams valor (frozen or fresh) rinsed
  (if fresh, remove the tips and tough fiber from both the edges)
• 3 tbsp peanut (or any other) oil
• 1/2 tsp soda bicarb
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp dhana-jiru (coriander seed + cumin seed powder)
• some water

Method:

1. Mix all the muthia ingredients in a mixing bowl, add water a few drops at a time to thick consistency
2. In a large pan, heat the oil
3. Add valor, salt, soda bicarb, water and gently mix… make sure there is enough water so that the valor is just about dipped in it
4. Make small muthia (dumplings) and put on top of valor and cover the pan
5. Cook on medium-low flame till muthia are cooked (will grow in size)
6. Once valor and muthia are cooked, sprinkle dhana-jiru and chili powder on it and gently fold so that valor is coated with the spices
7. Cook covered at low heat for 2-3 minutes
8. Serve hot with phulka roti.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source: My mother!

Remarks: