Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup moong dal
• 1 tsp peanut oil
• 2 1/2 tsp gram dal
• 1 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 3-4 cascabel chili (rattle chili) or any other type of dry chili pepper
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp asafetida
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 15-20 curry leaves
• 75 gm small peeled whole red onions or 1 large onion chopped
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 4-5 round eggplants, chopped small
• 3/4 cup tamarind water – 1 medium lemon size of tamarind (50 g) soaked in hot water and squeezed
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp jaggery (optional… and don’t overdo else the gotsu will taste like Gujarati sweet dal!)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Wash and cook mung dal (pressure cooker 2-3 whistles) and keep aside
2. Put your cooking pan on medium heat
3. Add oil to the pan
4. Add gram dal and sauté for 1 minute
5. Add urad dal and sauté for 1 minute
6. Add coriander seeds and red chilies and roast all the ingredients well on low medium heat for 2 minutes
7. Add fenugreek seeds and roast for another minute
8. When roasted well, turn off the heat, add asafetida and mix well
9. Transfer the roasted mix to a plate and let it cool and then grid to fine powder and put aside
10. Lightly mop up the pan and heat sesame oil on medium heat
11. Add mustard seeds and let them pop
12. Add curry leaves and sauté for about 30 seconds
13. Add onions and sauté well for 4-5 minutes till light brown
14. Add chopped tomato and stir well
15. Add turmeric powder and mix well
16. Add chopped eggplants, mix well
17. Turn on the heat to high, add 1/2 cup water and cook for 5-6 minutes
18. Add tamarind water and mix well
19. Add salt, jaggery and mix well
20. Add the dal powder done in the earlier step, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes
21. Add cooked moong dal, mix well, add 1 cup water, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes
22. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with pongal, vada or dose

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

(Bottle gourd and Split Bengal gram lentil curry)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Split Bengal gram dal (lentil)
• 1 medium size bottle gourd
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or any other vegetable oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafetida
• 1-2 dry red chilies broken in large pieces
• 1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tbsp lime / lemon juice
• 1 tbsp jaggery powder
• 2 tbsp chopper cilantro

Method:

Preparation

1. Properly wash split Bengal gram dal and soak it for a couple of hours
2. Taste bottle gourd at both the ends to ensure that it’s not bitter… must not use bitter bottle gourd in your cooking!
3. Chop bottle gourd into small / medium pieces
4. Make ginger, chili, garlic paste

Cooking

1. Cook the dal in pressure cooker (2-3 whistles) or in instant pot (5 minutes under pressure)
2. Once you are able to open the cooker without forcing it, add chopped bottle gourd, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, mix well and cook for another 3 whistle (if in Instant Pot, for 10 minutes under pressure)
3. Heat the oil in a pan on medium / high heat
4. To hot oil, add mustard seeds. When the seeds start crackling, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds start crackling, add asafetida and red dry chili pieces
5. Add curry leaves, onions and sauté till the onions are translucent
6. Add the ginger, chili, garlic paste and sauté for a minute
7. Add the chopped tomato and sauté for a couple of minutes
8. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, red chili powder and sauté for a minute
9. To the pan, add the cooked bottle gourd and split Bengal gram dal and mix well and cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes
10. Add lime / lemon juice, jaggery powder, mix well, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with any Indian bread like chapati or paratha

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplant medium size
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• 2 tbsp any vegetable oil, such as peanut oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 1 green chili, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

1. Make vertical slits in eggplants and stuff with peeled garlic cloves
2. Roast eggplants in an over or on flame until it is cooked
3. Put the eggplants in some container for 10-15 minutes and then peel them, mash them along with the garlic cloves and keep aside
4. In a pan, add both the oils and heat on high heat
5. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle
6. Add chopped chili and sauté for 5-10 seconds
7. Add onions and ginger and sauté for 4-5 minutes till the onions become light brown
8. Add turmeric powder and red chili powder and sauté for 2-3 minutes
9. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and sauté till the tomatoes are cooked and the oil starts separating from the sides
10. Add mashed eggplant and mix well and take it off from the flame
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any Indian bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 green chili, finely chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 14 oz (400 gms) paneer, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tsp freshly ground coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp pav bhaji masala
• 1 tsp kasuri methi

Method:

1. Heat the ghee in a pan on medium heat
2. Add cumin seeds and saute till they start crackling
3. Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, till it becomes translucent
4. Add garlic, ginger and chili and saute for a couple of minutes
5. Add capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes, till somewhat soft
6. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala and kasuri methi and saute for a couple of minutes
7. Add tomatoes, salt and saute for 3-4 minutes till most of the water is evaporated
8. Add grated paneer, mix well, cover the pan and cook on medium / low heat for 2-3 minutes
9. Serve this paneer bhurji hot with lightly grilled bread or some nice Indian bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

PANEER BHURJI

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp cooking oil, such as peanut oil
• 1 tsp curry powder (such as from Simply Organic)
• 14 oz can coconut milk
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 cup broccoli florets, small to medium size
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder or to taste
• 1 cup water
• 2-3 spring onions, chopped for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, garlic and ginger and saute for a couple of minutes. Let it cool and then blend to smooth paste. (in our experience, blending raw onion makes the end-product taste bitter!)
3. In the same pot, heat the other 1 tbsp oil and saute the onion, garlic, ginger paste for a minute.
4. Add curry power and saute for a minute.
5. Add coconut milk and mix well.
6. Add broccoli florets, edamame, salt, sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add pineapple and chili powder, mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
8. Take off the heat, garnish with spring onions and serve with rice.

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

Coconut Cream Pineapple Curry