Veggie Foodie

Kalvan – Veg Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mixed boiled vegetables (carrots, French beans, green peas and potatoes)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon oil

For the gravy

• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 4 to 6 curry leaves
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the onions, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and sauté for 4-5 minutes over slow heat
2. Add desiccated coconut and stir constantly till it becomes light brown in color
3. Add chili and turmeric powder, salt and chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are cooked
4. Cool the mix and then grind it to a fine paste
5. Bring the paste to the same pan and put it on slow heat
6. In a separate small pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add cumin seed. When the seeds crackle, add asafetida. Add this oil to the paste being sauted in the pan
7. Cook this paste / gravy on slow heat till the gravy thickens and the oil starts to separate
8. Add the milk, 1 cup water, sugar and the cooked vegetables
9. Bring to boil and add more salt if necessary
10. Serve hot with any Indian bread

Servers: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp urad dhal
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds, coarsely pounded
• 1 dried chili, broken into 2-3 cm pieces

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 green chili, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 10-12 curry leaves

• 500 g / about 1 lb pumpkin, seeded, peeled and cut into 2-cm cubes
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste

• 50 g tamarind, mixed with 100 ml water and then strained
• 2 tbsp grated jaggery or brown sugar
• 3 tbsp grated coconut

Method:

1. Heat the oil and fry urad dhal, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and dry chili pieces till mustard seeds start popping, making sure dhal doesn’t turn too dark / start burning
2. Add fennel seeds and stir for a few seconds
3. Add onion, green chili pieces and curry leaves. Saute till onion is golden brown
4. Add pumpkin pieces, chili, cumin, coriander and turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds
5. Add water, bring to boil and then lower heat, cover till pumpkin is very tender (almost mushy)
6. Add tamarind, jaggery and coconut. Cook till liquid is absorbed (1-2 minutes)
7. Serve hot with hot chapatti (soft Indian bread)

Servers: 4

Inspiration source:

South Indian Cookbook by Devagi Sanmugam, page 126

Malai Paneer Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 cup paneer (cottage cheese) 1 cm cubes
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (medium size)
• 1/2 cup malai (fresh cream / whipping cream)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 8-10 almonds
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp garam masala powder or cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and black pepper powder (1/3 tsp each)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tbsp + 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Soak cashew nuts and almonds in hot water for 20 minutes and grind them with 2 tablespoons water to make a smooth dry-fruit paste
2. Heat 1 tablespoons oil in non-stick pan over medium flame. Shallow fry paneer until its edges turn light brown. Drain and transfer to a plate
3. In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry cauliflower till light brown and mostly cooked. Drain and transfer to a plate
4. Heat remaining 1-tablespoon oil in same pan. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown. It will take approx. 1-2 minutes on medium flame. Add grated ginger and crushed garlic, sauté for a minute
5. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt; stir and sauté for approx 30 seconds
6. Add dry-fruit paste (prepared in step 1) and sauté for a minute
7. Add 1/2 cup water and let mixture boil over medium flame
8. When mixture starts to boil, reduce flame to low and add paneer and cauliflower, garam masala powder, dried fenugreek leaves and sugar
9. Mix and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add cream over it
10. Mix cream with curry and cook for a minute or little less
11. Turn off the flame and transfer prepared malai paneer to serving bowl
12. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with any Indian bread (naan / paratha / roti)

Servers: 4

Inspiration source:

http://foodviva.com/curry-recipes/malai-paneer-recipe/

Remarks:

It turned out quite close to what we had had at Copper Chimney restaurant in Mumbai!

Ingredients:

• Assorted mix vegetables such as cauliflower, potatoes, French beans, carrots, cut in small / medium size pieces, 1 cup
• Additional vegetables such as green peas, soya bean peas, etc,, 1 cup
• Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
• Asafetida, ¼ tsp
• Chili powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Steam-cook the vegetables (keep slightly firm)
2. Heat the oil in a pan
3. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them pop and then add asafetida
4. Add cooked vegetables, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and toss to nicely cover the vegetables with spicing
5. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve hot with any Indian bread or rice

Servers: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, medium diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 – 10 oz boxes of frozen whole-leaf spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt strained / Greek yogurt
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Method:

1. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat
2. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly brown, about 3 minutes
3. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala and coriander powder and cook briefly, stirring constantly, 10 – 15 seconds
4. Add the spinach and 1/2 cup water. Cook while stirring until well mixed and heated through, 2 – 3 minutes
5. Remove from the heat and season with the salt, pepper and sugar
6. Transfer the content of the skillet to a food processor, add the yogurt and puree
7. Return to the skillet and stir in the chickpeas
8. Set over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper
10. Serve hot with Indian bread or rice

Servers: 4

Inspiration source: Fine Cooking