Aloo Lobia & A Quick Note on RCI

Aloo Lobia

No rants, no ramblings, and none of my usual long posts today. All I want to share today is a quick recipe I created over the weekend.

Before I do that there is one more thing I want to mention quickly. It’s regarding RCI round-up. My initial plan was to post the round-up in first week of August. But due to heavy workload and some personal workload I haven’t had any time to sit and work on it. So my sincere apologies for the delay and I am hoping to post the round up in a week or two. Please bear with me this time! With over 80 entries, this edition of RCI-Udupi & Mangalore is going to be one bumper bonanza and I want to do full justice to it.

And now coming back to today’s recipe of Aloo Lobia, this recipe is something I came up during one busy weekend (yeah, even weekends are busy these days). I wanted to cook something good and comfort food as I was craving for some carbs by the end of the day after working non-stop. At that same time I didn’t want to spend more than 5 mins in front of a stove. One quick thinking and pairing black eyed peas and potato seemed like a good combination. And voila, it was better than good! An aromatic Tadka of cumin and curry leaves followed by cooking sweet onions and then a can of chopped tomatoes didn’t take more than few mins. By the time the ground spices were added and cooked along tomatoes, I was ready with cubed potatoes and rinsed black eyed peas. I literally dumped everything in a pressure cooker and left it cook on medium flame. While I stretched my feet with my favourite novel, the aroma of Aloo Lobia curry tickled my nose and then my stomach was giving all the signals for a delicious meal to look forward to. And it indeed turned out to be one delicious meal where I enjoyed this creamy Aloo Lobia with frozen chapattis and Krish enjoyed with Jeera Rice.

Black Eyed Peas, Potatoes & Tomatoes for Aloo Lobia

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Aloo Lobia (Spicy Potatoes and Black Eyed Peas Curry)
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or flavoured/steam cooked rice

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Ingredients:
3 medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
¾-1 cup Lobia/Black Eyed Peas/Alasande KaLu, washed and soaked in water till needed
1 large Onion, finely chopped
3 large/1 can Tomato, chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1-2 Green Chillies, slit
1 tsp Tamarind Paste
½-1 tbsp Jaggery/Palm Sugar (Adjust acc to taste)
Salt to taste

Spices Used:
1 tbsp Sambar/Rasam Powder or use 1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp each Coriander & Cumin Powders
½ tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 springs Curry Leaves
A big pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
1 tbsp Oil

Special Utensils:
A Pressure Cooker

Aloo Lobia

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red, add hing and curry leaves. Sauté it for few seconds.
Add finely chopped onions and cook till they turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for a minute.
Mix in chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes and cook till they are pulpy and release their juice, about 3 minutes.
Add all the spice powders (sambar/rasam powder, coriander and cumin powder and turmeric powder) along with tamarind paste, jaggery and salt to taste and mix well. Cook on medium heat for a minute.
Now add 3-4 cups of boiling water and bring the whole mixture to gentle boil, about 3 minutes.
Mix in cubed potatoes and soaked black eyed peas and cover the lid. Place the weight on lid and cook for 2-3 whistles or 12-15 minutes on medium flame. Let the pressure be released completely before opening the lid.
Serve this delicious Aloo Lobia with any Indian flat bread or flavoured/steam cooked rice and enjoy!

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Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry with Random Rants :)

Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry

Missed participating in blog events - Check.
Missed visiting blogger friends – Check.
Missed leaving comments in their blog – Check.
Missed posting recipes twice a week – Check.
Missed writing new post for Beyond Curries – Check.
Missed cooking recipes from other blogs (at least 2 recipes per month) – Check.
Missed taking photographs of new recipe I cooked and loved for blog – Check!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I can understand the first six things happening now and then when I am buried till my nose with all new projects and meeting deadlines. But I am still scratching my head thinking how I could have missed taking photos for my blog??? Looks like I am not only busy with hectic work schedule but may be little stressed also. HELP… Anybody?!

Few days back I found few interesting replies from friends on FB when I mentioned that my blog honeymoon period seems to be finally over after 2½+ years of blogging. Some said they too are sailing in the same boat with me and others said this too shall pass! But there was this dear friend of mine who mentioned as far as she was concerned, her relationship with her blog is over and they are divorced! :) I couldn’t help but wonder what will happen to my blog in few months time? Will I ever reach that stage and stop blogging for good? Hopefully not for a while… Yes, not yet!!!! I hope that dear friend of mine resumes blogging as I really miss visiting her witty, humorous and delicious blog. And at the same time I wonder will I be missed by readers of my blog if I decide to stop blogging? :) Looks like I have some food for thought ;)

And not to forget, I also have some recipe for all you lovely people. Today we have this simple, delicious and flavourful Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry to please all your senses! I am quite fond of coloured bell peppers and baby corns and I use them quite often in Indo-Chinese cuisines. Using these two veggies in Indian cuisine has got nothing to do with my creative brain cells or unusual taste buds. It was the result of lack of vegetables in fridge and also laziness to go out for shopping. But I am not here to complain as the chemistry between bell peppers and baby corns was quite hot and sizzling and they literally set our taste buds on fire! ;) While creamy onion and almond gravy tasted superb, the crunch from capsicum and baby corns were very pleasing to our palettes. When served with soft and warm Phulkas and simple Cumin Rice, it was nothing short of touching the stars! Try this curry when you are tired of eating same combination of vegetables or pulses and see this colourful Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry winning positive approval from everyone sitting around your dining table. :) And off this goes to dear Vysh who has spiced up all our blogs by asking us to cook some spicy dishes for her JFI: Chilli, an event initiated by dear Indira of Mahanandi and dear Priya who is guest hosting AFAM-Bell Peppers, an event started by Maheshwari of Beyond Usual.

Capsicums & Baby Corns

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Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry (Tender Baby Con and peppery Bell Peppers cooked in creamy gravy of Onion, Tomato and Almonds)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30-40 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium to Hot
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or with flavoured/steam cooked rice

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Ingredients:
15 Baby Corns, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large Capsicums/Bell Peppers (I used 1 red and 1 green)
3 large Tomatoes, pureed
1 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Kitchen King Masala (Optional)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp Cumin Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder or 1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Sugar (Optional but recommended)
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

For Onion-Almond Paste:
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 large Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamoms
2 Cloves
10 Almonds, soaked in warm water for 10 mins and skinned
½ tbsp Oil

Capsicum & Baby Corn Curry

Method:
For Onion-Almond Paste:
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a pan and add cinnamon stick, cloves and green cardamoms. Cook for a minute, on medium heat, and then add cumin seeds to it. When cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red, add roughly chopped onions and fry till they turn transparent, about 2 mins.
Next add ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute or two till raw smell disappears. Switch off the flame and transfer the content to food processor or mixer jar. Let it cool slightly.
Add skinned almonds and grind the mixture to smooth paste without adding any water.

Proceed to Make Curry:
Heat tbsp of oil in a pan and add ground onion-almond paste. Saute on medium flame till the paste turns light golden brown in colour and becomes one dry mass, about 5-6 mins.
Add garam masala, kitchen king masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and stir for 30 seconds.
Mix in pureed tomatoes and give it a good stir, about 3 mins. Add 1-1½ cups of water, amchur powder, sugar and mix in salt to taste. Keep the flame on medium and bring the whole gravy to gentle boil, about 5 mins.
Add baby corn pieces and cover and cook for 5 mins. After 5 mins, add peppers/capsicums and cook uncovered for another 5-7 minutes till vegetables are cooked through but retain their crunch.
Serve this delicious Baby Corn-Capsicum Curry hot, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves, with any Indian flat bread or flavoured rice and enjoy.

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Baghare Baingan: From Nawaab's Darbar to My Plate!

Baghare Baingan

What happens when my current obsession meets my all time favourite vegetable? The answer is not just licked clean plate but licked clean vessel in which it was cooked, and also the fate doesn’t end there! It goes well beyond like licked clean spoon, serving bowl, and storing container also. Err… pardon my poor sense of humour but being foodie and food blogger means suffering some side effects of the same!!!

So my current obsession being Peanuts and my all time favourite vegetable being Brinjal I had to cook Baghare Baingan. ‘Baghar’ means Tadka or tempering and ‘Baingan’ is of course eggplants in Urdu and loosely translated Baghare Baingan means ‘Tempered Eggplants’. The technique of tempering which is well known in Indian cooking is nothing but flavouring the oil with aromatic spices and herbs which takes any dish to another level in taste department.

I first tasted ‘Baghare Baingan’ at my friend’s wedding who was a resident of royal city of Nawaabs in south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh called Hyderabad. This delightful bi-religious city is famous for its world famous cuisine and honestly I feel Baghare Baingan is one their best and finest delicacies. My friend always said that no important function is complete without serving Baghare Baingan in their lunch or dinner menu. It said to be one of the main dishes served in Nawaabi Darbar (royal court) as it uses rich ingredients fit for kings and queens palettes. Although we don’t have any royalties ruling our country anymore, they have left their rich food culture which occasionally every common man can enjoy in their modest homes.

The trademark of this dish is baby eggplants which are cooked twice, first shallow fried in oil and then cooked in creamy and delicious gravy of peanuts and coconut along with caramelised onions. While these caramelised onions lend its sweet taste to the base gravy, poppy seeds, sesame seeds and peanut give it a nutty flavour. And addition of roasted dry coconut gives it a creamy, dreamy texture to already rich and flavoursome gravy. The actual spices used are handful in the base gravy. But the real smoky flavour comes from the Baghar or Tadka or tempering of selected aromatic spices that infuse smoky flavour to the base gravy. The recipe may sound little laborious and time consuming but trust me when I say it’s worth it. It won’t take more than one bite for your loved one to fall in love with this dish and of course, fall in love with you again ;)

While we are talking of recipes, how about some delicious, quick meal? Check my post on Lemon Rice at Beyond Curries for this weekend's quick fix meal ideas :)

Roasted Spices, Coconut, Peanuts & Onions for Baghare Baingan

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Baghare Baingan (Tempered Baby Eggplants in rich & creamy sauce of roasted Peanuts & Coconut)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 30-40 mins
Serves: 5-6
Recipe Inspiration: 660 Curries
Recipe Level: Medium to High
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or flavoured/steam cooked Rice

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Ingredients:
10-12 Baby Purple Brinjals/Eggplants
2-4 tbsp Oil (I used 2 tbsp Oil)
Salt to taste

For Peanut-Coconut Gravy:
2 medium Onions, thinly sliced
½ cup Peanuts
¼ cup Desiccated Coconut/Kobbari (Dry Coconut)
1½ tbsp White Sesame Seeds
½ tbsp White Poppy Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Preferably Kashmiri/Dhegi Chilli Powder. Substitute it with 1 tsp chilli powder+1 tsp Paprika, adjust acc to taste)
¾ tsp Haldi/turmeric Powder
1 tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder or 1 tsp Tamarind Paste (Optional, adjust acc to taste)
½ -1 tbsp Jaggery/Brown Sugar (Adjust acc to taste)

For Baghar/Tadka/Tempering:
1-2 tbsp Ghee/Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
½ tsp Kalonji/Nigella Seeds (Optional)
1 tsp Methi/Fenugreek Seeds (Optional)
2 Dry Red Chillies (halved)
A Spring of Curry Leaves
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

Baghare Baingan

Method:
Preparing Peanut-Coconut Paste:
Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add thinly sliced onions. Fry these onions till they are caramelised and turn golden brown, about 5-8 mins, on medium-high heat. Transfer them into a food processor or mixer jar.
In a same oil roast coriander seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds till they turn light golden and release their aroma. Add them to caramelised onions.
In a same wok, stir in desiccated coconut and sauté till they turn light golden shade. Add them to caramelised onion and roasted spices.
Next roast peanuts in a same pan till they are lightly roasted, about 3 minutes, on medium-high flame. Mix them with other fried/roasted ingredients.
Let all these roasted/fried ingredients cool slightly.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and dry mango powder/tamarind paste with other roasted ingredients.
Grind these ingredients to smooth paste adding enough water (about ¼-½ cup) as and when needed. Keep it aside until needed.

Preparing Baby Brinjal:
You can keep the stems or simply remove it as I have done here. Wash the eggplants and pat them dry.
Make ‘+’ incisions carefully from the base of each eggplant, making sure that the stem end is intact.
Heat oil in a wok and arrange all the eggplants in single layer. The water in eggplant will make the oil to splutter. So cover the wok with lid and reduce the heat to medium-high.
Cook these eggplants, stirring in between, till their skin is charred and they fork tender, about 10-15 mins.
Transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.

Preparing Baghar/Tempering:
Heat 2 tbsp of ghee/oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to pop and splutter, add cumin seeds, kalonji, methi, hing, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté till cumin seeds turn golden red in colour, about 1 min.
Next add ginger-garlic paste and keep stirring till the paste turns golden red and becomes dry mass, about 2-3 minutes, on medium heat.
Mix in Peanut-Coconut paste that you had prepared earlier and close the lid for a minute or two. This way the base gravy gets smoky flavour of bhagar or tempering of spices.
Open the lid and let the paste cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring in between, on medium flame.
Add about ½ -1 cup of water to the gravy and salt to taste and bring the whole mixture to gentle boil, about 5 mins.
Drop shallow fried baby eggplants into the gravy and cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes till eggplants are cooked through and all the flavours blend well.
Serve this delicious Bhagare Baingan with any Indian flat bread or bowl of steamed or flavoured rice and enjoy!

Baghare Baingan

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Notes:
Use small Indian eggplants that are fresh, round and have shiny purple body and green stems. If they have black seeds then it is better to discard them as they tend to be bitter in taste.
If you don’t get baby eggplants then simply use the common purple aubergines you get in your nearby supermarket. Slit this big eggplant lengthwise and then slice them in to ½ inch moons and proceed with the recipe.
While grinding all the roasted spices, peanuts, onion and coconut, you can also add few cashews nuts or almonds which lend rich taste to the gravy.

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Tofu Matar: Why Not Try Something New Today?

Tofu Matar

Last week I was here, staying at one of the picturesque places of England. Our little cottage was tucked in between soothing sound of flowing river, breath taking landscape of mountains and miles of green fields. For once we were away from everyday hustle bustle and running around chasing deadlines and never ending word loads and I couldn’t help but feel blessed to be surrounded by Mother Nature in her warm bosom!

Every morning we woke up to tweeting birds and oh yes, braying sheep which was music to our ears compared to deafening alarm clock or noise from traffic. The weather God was unbelievably kind to us during our stay and everyday I felt the warmth of bright sun and his rays dancing on my face. As the puffy marshmallow-ey clouds floated on clear blue sky, puffy and soft bundle of woolly sheep were lazily munching the emerald green grass. And those little, cute lambs hopping and jumping around merrily were the constant reminder of my own childhood days! While buzzing bumble bees were soothing music to ears, the burst of colourful wild flowers were joy to eyes, and even the smell of earth was much better than the aroma of any expensive and exotic perfumes on my dressing table. Nature, free of all man made things, is a soothing balm to ones troubled spirit and heart! It was nothing short of heaven! It’s amazing to see how Mother Nature takes care of all her children, including us, by embracing us in her warm bosom. I, after a long time, felt at peace with my inner self…

Fast forward and I am back to reality of daily routine life! As much as I enjoyed my break; it feels good to be back to some kind of routine! After one week of indulgence in peaceful countryside retreat, I felt good to be back in familiar surrounding and especially to be cooking in my little kitchen. Since our fridge was almost empty except for few herbs, I used the ingredients in hand and prepared this delicious Tofu Matar by giving a twist to much loved Matar Paneer. Creamy tofu and lively and bouncy green peas literally dunked in creamy gravy of onion, tomato, cashew and almonds was match made in heaven! Addition of Kasuri Methi gave that ‘oomph’ factor to the curry and made it all the more enjoyable. Don’t be chuffed off by the list of ingredients as close inspection will show how simple this recipe is. Cook it for your Vegan friends or people like me who are fond of tofu and see them lick their plate clean! :)

Tofu Matar

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Tofu Matar (Tofu and sweet Green Peas cooked in creamy gravy of Almonds & Cashews)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 5-6
Recipe Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or with flavoured/steam cooked Rice

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Ingredients:
1 pack Tofu (approx 5X5 inch), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 heaped cup Green Peas, fresh/frozen
3 large Tomatoes or 1 canned Tomato, pureed
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi/Sun dried Fenugreek Leaves (Optional)
1 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Kitchen King Masala (Optional)
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Oil
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Juice of ¼ Lime/Lemon
Salt to taste

For Onion Paste:
1 large Onion, roughly chopped
¾ inch Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 large cloves of Garlic
½ inch Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamoms
2 Cloves
½ Star Aniseeds

For Almond-Cashew Paste:
8-10 Almonds, soaked in warm water for 10 mins and peeled
4-6 Cashews, soaked in warm water for 10 mins

Tofu Matar

Method:

Grind all the ingredients listed under onion and almond-cashew paste separately, with out adding any water, to smooth paste and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. When cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red, add onion paste. Keep stirring for 6-8 mins till onion paste turns light golden brown and becomes one dry mass. Make sure that you cook this onion paste thoroughly or else the gravy will taste bitter.
Mix in sugar and kasuri methi leaves and stir for another minute or two. Next, add pureed tomatoes and mix well. Bring the mixture to gentle boil, about 4-5 mins.
Mix in garam masala, kitchen king masala and salt to taste and add about 1-1½ cups of water.
Reduce the heat to low and add tofu cubes and green peas and cover the lid. Let it cook undisturbed for 5 mins.
Mix in almond and cashew paste and stir well. Increase the heat to medium and let the curry cook uncovered for another 5-7 mins. The gravy will start to thicken at this stage. Adjust the seasoning and add little more water if you prefer little thin gravy.
Switch off the flame and squeeze in lime juice. Serve this delicious Tofu Matar garnished with coriander leaves and enjoy!

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Notes:

Those who don’t like Tofu can simply substitute it with Paneer. Shallow fry Paneer cubes in little ghee till both the sides turn golden red in colour. Keep them in a bowl of warm water till needed and proceed with the recipe.
And if you are not fond of Paneer and Tofu, simply substitute them with boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes.
Green peas can be substituted with black or Kabuli channa or chickpeas.

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Ridge Gourd Curry: For Busy Weekdays...

Ridge Gourd Curry

What a week it turned out be!!! Meetings one after another, deadlines to meet, problems to resolve, and never ending telephone conversations with clients! By the time I get back home, I feel like I am ready to hit the pillow and never bother about cooking or even eating for that matter! Yes, it was one of those crazy weeks!

While my work life has taken over my personal life, I still managed to take some time to talk to my babies, feed them and sing them lullaby! Yes, it’s been more than ten days since I have had sowed all those seeds and right now only Methi plants have sprouted with tiny (a very tiny) leaves. Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope other will follow the suit pretty soon.

As far as the cooking is concerned, we have been surviving eating a large bowl of Salad with Dal Rice or with frozen Rotis and pickle. Once really hot stove has turned really cold but microwave is thriving on all the attention it’s been getting since past few days! And it would have kept going like this if not for this delicious bowl of Ridge Gourd Curry.

This got to be one of the simplest recipes I have had created! The base gravy uses the same ingredients that I used for Stuffed Capsicums in Peanut Sauce recipe. I had some left over peanut and spice mixture for Peanut gravy and used them as base gravy ingredients for this recipe. The recipe is simple, quick and straightforward and most importantly, you needn’t stand in front of your stove stirring the ingredients. Tender ridge gourd pieces are cooked along tamarind pulp and jaggary and then in a gravy of roasted peanut powder and spices to enhance its taste. It can’t get simpler than this. Make it when you are running short of time and have no patience to chop one vegetable after another and see how simple food can taste so delicious!

Ridge Gourd

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Ridge Gourd Curry (Ridge Gourd served in Peanut Gravy)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 4-5
Recipe Level: Basic/Beginner
Spice Level: Low to Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or with flavoured/steam cooked Rice

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Ingredients:
1 medium tender Ridge Gourd, slit vertically and then cut into 1 cm thick half moons
Small marble sized Tamarind Pulp/½ tsp Tamarind Paste or 2 tbsp Lime Juice
½-1 tsp Jaggery/Sugar
½ inch Ginger, grated
2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts Powder
½ tbsp Coriander Powder
¾ tsp Jeera/Cumin Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Adjust acc to taste)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½-1 tsp Garam Masala (Adjust acc to taste)
Salt to taste

For Tadka:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Few Curry Leaves
A big pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
1 Dry Red Chilli, halved
1 tbsp Oil

Ridge Gourd Curry

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to pop and splutter, add curry leaves, dry red chilli and hing and sauté for half a min.
Next add grated ginger and ridge gourd pieces along with turmeric powder, tamarind pulp and jaggery. Sauté, on medium flame, for about 3 minutes.
Next add red chilli powder and garam masala and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add about 2-3 cups of water and bring it to gentle boil. Mix in salt to taste and roasted peanut powder and mix them well.
Cook for another 5-10 minutes till ridge gourd is cooked well. Switch off the flame. If using Lime juice, add it now and mix well.
Serve this delicious Ridge Gourd in Peanut Gravy along with steam cooked rice and enjoy!

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Note:
The ridge gourd I have used here is a tender one and hence I have kept its peel. If you are using matured ridge gourd, then don’t forget to scrape/peel the skin and then use it.
Lemon/Lime juice should be added after you switch off the flame or else they will turn the gravy bitter.

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Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce: What is Your Current Obsession?

Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce

Regular readers of my blog will know how obsessed I can get over few things. Ever since I moved to this country, weather has been one of the biggest obsessions of my life. Surprisingly, I am not going to talk about weather today (there is no point in nagging and repeating same things, is it?). But I am going rant on my other obsession in my life! Yeah, you guessed it right. Let’s talk about food! (What you had in mind?;)

I easily get obsessed with one food item at time. If I am start liking one vegetable at one point, then I continue to cook and experiment with same vegetable till I really get tired of it! If one day I chop and cook them, next time you will find the grated form of that veggie. At one time I may stuff that vegetable with aromatic spices and other time I may use it as a stuffing for some other vegetable. Sounds little crazy? Thankfully my ‘much’ better half is not a fussy eater and he doesn’t mind eating them as long as it tastes good!

Like vegetables or fruits, these days I am obsessed with ingredients and right now I am experimenting and dissecting Peanuts! Yes, good old peanuts. After using it in Capsicum Masala Rice and Rhengan Reveya, I seem to have fallen head over heels in love with Peanuts! And why not? They are good as they and get better when they are roasted! But trust me when I say they taste best when they are used as powder form in cooking! This simple looking guy transforms every dish into nutty and flavourful affair! And to prove that again I am presenting you Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce.

Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce

This Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce may look very imposing and complex dish! But trust me my friends, it is one of the easiest recipe that you can cook to impress your family and friends. I have used simple mashed potato spiced with aromatic spice powders as a filling for bell peppers. And the Peanut Sauce that we have here can be cooked by even the novice cook! Don’t shy away looking at the long ingredient list. If you look through them carefully, you will realise that the most of the ingredients used are easily and readily available. So what are you waiting for? Why not try this delicious spicy potato stuffed bell peppers served in delicious, nutty and creamy gravy of peanuts and see how your loved ones lick their plate clean? :) Well, now that you know about my current obsession, how about telling me yours? I am sending this delicious Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce to dear EC's WYF-Side Dish event.

Spicy Potato Stuffed Capsicum before cooking

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Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce (Spiced Potato Stuffed Capsicum in creamy Peanut Sauce)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25-35 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or with flavoured/steam cooked Rice

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Ingredients:
For Stuffed Capsicum:
6 medium Bell Peppers/Capsicum
3 large Potatoes, washed, peeled, cooked and mashed well
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder or Juice of ½ Limes
½ tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tbsp Kasuri Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Optional)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds/Jeera
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
½ + 2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

For Peanut Sauce:
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
½ cup Roasted Peanut, ground to powder
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder or 1 tbsp Lime Juice
½ tbsp Jaggery/Palm Sugar/Sugar
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce

Method:

For Stuffed Capsicum:
Heat ½ tbsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and hing. Sauté till cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red. Add finely chopped onion and sauté till it turns translucent, about 2 mins, on medium flame. Add ginger-garlic paste and kasuri methi and sauté till raw smell disappears, about 2 mins.
Mix in mashed potatoes and all spice powder along with salt to taste and mix them well. Switch off the flame and let this potato mixture cool.
Cut top of capsicum, about 1 cm, and scoop out seeds and membrane so that you are left with capsicum cups for stuffing. Stuff each capsicum with potato filling.
Next heat about 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and arrange capsicum in single layer. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium flame. Open the lid and turn the capsicum around so that it is cooked from all the sides. You will see that its skin is wilted and charred marks start to appear when cooked. Over all it will take 15-20 minutes to cook thoroughly on medium flame. Once cooked, keep it on aside on a plate lined with kitchen towel/paper.

For Peanut Gravy:
Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped onions. Sauté it on medium flame for about 2 minutes and then add ginger-garlic paste. Cook for another 2 minutes till raw smell of GG paste disappears.
Next add coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric powder and cook for half a minute. Add about 2 cups of boiling water and bring the whole mixture to gentle boil.
Mix in peanut power along with amchur, jaggery and salt to taste. Keep stirring till the gravy starts to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. If you think the gravy is too thick, add about ½ cup of water.
Switch off the flame and arrange stuffed capsicums. Serve this delicious Stuffed Capsicum in Peanut Sauce, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves, with any Indian Flat Breads or flavoured Rice and enjoy!

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Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry: Sunshine, at least, in My Bowl!

Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
~John Ruskin

Yeah, yeah! I got your point Mr. Ruskin! I have decided not to crib anymore about the weather anymore and instead enjoy it. It’s not exactly my resolution, but just to enjoy everyday as it comes irrespective of how gloomy and dark the weather turns out be! Living in a country that is known for its unpredictable weather, there is no point in comparing how brightly the sun shines at this time of the year in India! ~sigh~

Talking about other things, I have been busy shopping for new spring wardrobe (what else?;). But at the same time it’s really saddening to see many top shops and retail stores shutting down due to credit crunch. I kind of feel guilty when I see many people losing their jobs and I am busy walking around the malls with colourful shopping bags filled with new cloths and stuff for home! Once busy and overcrowded shopping malls and streets are now almost empty with very little crowd actually buying things rather than just window shopping. The ups and downs of life, some things that are beyond our control!!!

But what is within our control is cooking food at home instead of ordering takeaways or going to restaurants. K and I are not great fans of eating out. We choose to cook and experimenting in our kitchen than shedding unnecessary money on plate of food that we don’t enjoy. There are very few restaurants in our neck of wood that serves good food and that may be one of the reasons why we enjoy cooking. And having handful of friends is also another reason for not eating out that often. Whatever reason it may be, we both are kind of people who enjoy spending quality time in kitchen, doing things together and having lots of fun with experimenting and tasting new cuisines.

One cuisine that we are very comfortable with cooking is Thai. The simple flavours and aromatic ingredients make it a pleasant eating experience. Pour fridge and freezer is always stocked with fresh batch of homemade Thai curry pastes and when needed all we have to do it take them out and use in making quick and delicious pot of Thai curries. This Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry is one such recipe that requires just few minutes and very little effort in stirring a pot full of aromatic and flavoursome dish in jiffy. The sweet and sour pineapple with soft tofu is a brilliant combination and the addition of peppers and peas gives it a crunchy and peppery flavour. Served along fragrant Thai Jasmine Rice, this Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry is one plate of delicious meal to shoo away all the blues! :) And off this goes to dear Priya who is guest hosting this month's IAVW-Thai, a vegan event started by lovely Vaishali.

Ingredients for Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry

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Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Source: Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott
Recipe Level: Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With Thai Jasmine Rice or Basamati Rice

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Ingredients:
2 cups Tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup Pineapple, cut into 1 inch cubes
1½ cups Coloured Bell Peppers, cut into 1 inch squares (I used red and yellow)
½-¾ cup Green Peas, fresh/frozen
1 cans Coconut Milk or 2-3 cups of fresh Coconut Milk
2-3 cups of Vegetable Stock or Water
2-3 tbsp Yellow Curry Paste (use more according to your taste)
1 tsp Brown sugar
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 fresh Lemon Grass, bruised (Optional)
2 Kaffir Lime Leaves, thinly cut (Optional)
Small handful of Basil Leaves, roughly chopped
Coriander leaves of Spring Onion Greens for garnishing
Salt to taste

Tofu & Pineapple Thai Yellow Curry

Method:

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and empty 1/3rd of Coconut milk in a pan. Stir this coconut milk on medium heat till its sweet fragrance is released and starts to thicken, about 4-5 minutes, in a medium flame.
Now add 2-3 tbsp of Yellow Curry Paste and stir well. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes till the curry paste blends well with the coconut milk and its raw smell disappears. Add the vegetables, pineapple and tofu and mix them well so that each piece is coated with coconut and curry paste mixture.
Mix in vegetable stock or water, remaining coconut milk, Soya sauce, kaffir lime leaves & lemon grass if using, brown sugar and salt to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Open the lid, add roughly chopped basil leaves and adjust the seasonings. Simmer the heat and let it cook uncovered for another 5 minutes till the vegetables are cooked to tender. Make sure that the vegetables are not overcooked and retain their crunch.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and greens of spring onion and serve with aromatic bowl of Jasmine Rice and enjoy.

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Wishing all the readers of Monsoon Spice a very Happy Ugadi!
May you find peace and lot more happiness in coming year :)

Warm Regards
Sia

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Lauki-Lobia Curry: Fascinating Sprouts!

Lauki-Lobia Curry

You know what fascinates me? Life! Life as an individual’s journey on this planet, that begins with birth and ends with death. And according to Hinduism there is one more life, its life after death! Sometimes, I could be too philosophical with some random thoughts surfacing on idle days. I don’t want to go too philosophical today. But sometime I am called crazy for muttering my thoughts loud in front of my family and friends! Let us not go into that part now and concentrate on my today’s musings ;)

Regular readers of my blog will know my love for Black eyed peas. Last week while washing the beans for another batch of Chavli Amti, I suddenly thought of sprouting them and using it in curries. I am among those people who can’t rest until they finish the job that they set in their mind. While the beans were sprouting nicely, I couldn’t help but compare them to the whole process of Life-Death-Life after death! Sounds silly or crazy or both? Didn’t I warn you in the beginning itself?

But think about it, all these beans and lentils usually go though two transformations. First one is when they are young and fresh. All those bouncy and fresh ones jumping and running around with high energy. That’s their first life as child, adolescent and grown-up. And then there is a dried bean, all hard and tough skinned, as if it is dead and can’t feel anything that happens to it. When you soak this same bean in water, it re-hydrates and as a result it’s all round and plumps up. Take these same beans and sprout them and what you see is another life formation! Plant these sprouts in soil and with in few days you will see small plants sprouting and growing and producing new batch of crops. Isn’t it a fascinating process? Give it a thought sometimes and you will know why I said life fascinates me :) Now, do you see the connection between my theory and the theory of Life-Death-Life after Death? If not, just forget it and jump to the recipe part.

There is no denying the fact that all Beans, Lentils or Legumes are good for us as they are. But sprout the same and they become one hot favourite thing to cook and eat at our household. Last week, I sprouted a cup of dried black-eyed peas and cooked this delicious Lauki-Lobia Curry. I chose bottle gourd because it easily absorbs all the flavours and doesn’t over powder the nutty taste of black eyed bean sprouts. But if you are not too fond of bottle gourd, simply substitute it with potatoes or any other veggies of your choice and enjoy its goodness. Cooked with very few ingredients, this Lauki-Lobia Curry is one delightful side dish with steam cooked rice or roties. And not to forget the fact that this Lauki-Lobia Curry is packed with nutrition and flavour! Lauki-Lobia Curry is my contribution for this month's My Legume Love Affair- Ninth Helping hosted by Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska. MLLA is a lovely event strated by dear Susan of the wonderful blog The Well Seasoned Cook.

Lauki-Lobia Curry

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Lauki-Lobia Curry (Silky Bottle Gourd and Black Eyed Peas Sprouts cooked in mildly spiced Gravy)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Serves: 5-6
Recipe Level: Basic/Beginner to Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat breads or with flavoured/steam cooked Rice

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Ingredients:
1 medium Bottle gourd, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 cup dry Black Eyed Beans/AlasanDe KaLu, soaked in water overnight, and sprouted (Sprouting is optional, you can directly cook black eyed peas in pressure cooker)
1 large Onion, finely chopped
3-4 large Tomatoes, finely chopped
½ tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Adjust acc to taste)
1 tsp Garam Masala
½-1tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder (adjust acc to taste)
½ tbsp Jaggery/Cane Sugar
Salt to taste

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
A big Pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
2 Springs fresh Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Oil

Lauki-Lobia Curry served with Steam Cooked Rice & Salad

Method:

Cook black eyed bean sprouts in a pressure cooker or on stove top till it turns tender. The beans should retain their shape and make sure that you don’t over cook it. Drain water (that can be used in making dough for chapatti/roti as it has high nutritional content) and keep it aside till needed.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to pop and splutter, add cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves. Saute till cumin turns golden red in colour. Mix in finely chopped onion and sauté till it turn golden red, about 3-4 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it turns pulpy and releases its juice, about 4-5 mins.
Now add all the spice powders (cumin-coriander, turmeric, chilli, garam masala and dry mango powder) along with jaggery, salt to taste and ½ cup of water. Bring the whole mixture to gentle boil and add cubed bottle gourds to it. Cook covered till bottle gourd is tender, about 5-7 minutes, stirring in between to make sure that the curry doesn’t stick to the pan.
Mix in cooked bean sprouts and adjust the seasonings. Add little more water if needed and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes till the bottle gourd is cooked thoroughly and all the flavours blend well.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve this delicious Lauki-Lobia Curry with Roti or Rice and enjoy.

Lauki-Lobia Curry

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Notes:

Not too fond of bottle gourds? Simply substitute bottle gourd with potatoes and enjoy this curry.
Similarly you can chose not to sprout the black eyed peas and go ahead and cook this curry. Or use any other sprouted beans and enjoy this flavoursome curry.
You can also replace Garam Masala with any other curry powder (Sambar, Aamti etc).

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Methi Matar Malai: Green & Cream Indulgence

Methi Matar Malai

How many of you agree that curry powder that is sold in supermarkets in colourful plastic/glass container is nothing but much hyped saw dust?
I am really pleased to see most of you nodding your head in agreement :)

Curry powder!!! Not that I want to sue these stores/super markets for selling something that is totally un-Indian but given a chance I am more than willing to blow their heads off! As if it was not enough to pass the vegetables or meat that float in thick red gravy of oil as Indian curries, many a times people are misguided when it comes to ingredients used in Indian cooking. And hear me loud and clear, please be kind to yourself and your taste buds and throw that awful yellow powder into nearest bin and get a packet of fresh Garam Masala (homemade is still better) and few basic spices used in Indian cooking. Once you cook with these spices and spice powders, you will not go near the aisle that displays this saw dust in little containers. Stock up your pantry with little cumin-coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and you are ready to cook one pot after another pot of delicious Indian curries.

While we are on the topic of cooking curries, how about keeping that bag of maida/all purpose flour away when you are making curry? I have seen many people use them to thicken the gravy. When we have much better options to try out why not use them instead of using bland, white flour? There are many better options to thicken the gravy like onion paste, fresh cream, yogurt, cashew/almond paste than chocking your palettes with maida. Use one of them or combination of two or three and you will be surprised see how creamy and delicious the curry tastes!

Today, I am determined to demonstrate that we needn’t use any curry powder (not even Garam Masala) or maida to get thick, creamy gravy. What we have today is Methi Matar Malai, a delicious blend of fresh fenugreek leaves (=methi) and sweet green peas (=matar) cooked in, what else, fresh cream (=malai). The ground paste of onions, green chilli and ginger along with whole spices forms the base for delicious gravy. The addition of fresh cream, cashews and ground green peas is what thickens the gravy. Yes, no curry powder nor maida. All we have is some fresh herbs and spices and fresh cream that sure to tickle your taste buds. If you are on diet or watching those calories, simply replace fresh cream with yogurt and you will have low fat version of this creamy curry. Looks can be deceptive! Yes, Methi Matar Malai may look like the recipe that needs you to slave in front of stove for hours after another, but in reality it is one of the simple and quick recipes that you can cook to impress your guests. And what more, you get to enjoy goodness of greens without overpowering taste of spice powder.

Green Peas and Fenugreek Leaves for Methi Matar Malai

Ground Paste of Fresh Herbs & Spices for Methi Matar Malai

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Methi-Matar Malai (Fresh Fenugreek leaves and sweet Green Peas cooked in creamy and mildly spiced gravy of Onion, Whole Spices and Fresh Cream)
Prep time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins
Serves: 4-5
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner to Medium
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat bread or flavoured/steam cooked rice

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Ingredients:
1½ packed cups Fresh Fenugreek Leaves (Or use frozen)
1 cup Green Peas, fresh/frozen
1 large Potato, peeled, cut into ½ inch pieces and cooked
¼ - ½ cup Fresh Cream (I used low fat single cream. If using cashews ¼ cup is more than enough)
1 tsp Sugar (Optional but recommended, to mellow the bitter taste of fenugreek leaves)
¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1-2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Grind to Smooth Paste:
1 medium Onion
3-4 Green Chillies (Adjust acc to taste)
½ inch Ginger, peeled
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
3 Cloves
2 Green Cardamoms
4-6 Cashews
3-4 tbsp Green Peas, fresh/frozen (for creamy gravy)

Methi Matar Malai

Method:

Heat oil and add cumin seeds to it. When it sizzles and turns golden red, add ground paste and keep stirring till the raw smell of onions disappears. It takes usually 5-6 minutes for the paste to turn light golden brown and the paste should become little dry. Be patient, or else the gravy will taste bitter.
Once you have cooked the paste, add fenugreek leaves and cook until the leaves are wilted, about 2 mins. Add cooked potato cubes, green peas, sugar, turmeric powder, and salt to taste and cook for 2 minutes.
Now add fresh cream, ½ cup of water and mix well. Simmer the heat and bring the gravy to gentle boil. Add little water if you think the gravy is too thick for your taste. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Transfer Methi-Matar Malai to serving dish and drizzle little cream on top if desired and serve hot with any Indian bread or flavoured Rice and enjoy.

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Notes:

For low fat version of this Methi Matar Malai, replace fresh cream with yogurt. You can also avoid using cashews or replace it with almonds to get thick gravy. Or simply add ¼ cup of ground green peas that will simply thicken the gravy. But please avoid adding maida which will simply ruin the taste.
You can also add ½ tsp of Garam Masala if needed. I prefer it without any overpowering taste of spice powder.
Addition of sugar is optional. I add it to gently mellow the bitter taste of fresh fenugreek leaves.

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Malai Kofta: Temptress, Seductress and Highly Addictive!

Malai Kofta

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”.

Do you know the origin of this theory? It is said that the American statesman John Adams wrote in a letter some where in early 19th century, “The shortest road to men's hearts is down their throats” and that's how this theory or statement was originated. So my question is how many of you believe in this theory? Does this statement hold true in your life?

When I think of 19th century I get these black and white images of that era flashing in front of my eyes where many men looked for good wife who would be a good mother to his children and take care of his family affairs. The fact that she could cook well was a good indication to her role of being a nurturer. Unlike our time where we have an option of marrying a person whom we know and eventually fall in love with them, it may have been the best way to please his stomach and work your way up in winning his heart in that period of time! Steaming pot of delicious food may make someone feel cared for by triggering their childhood memories of food served by their loving mother. I wonder if this feeling of satisfaction after been served a good food is mistaken for love!

Cooking is not just chopping, grinding or mashing and throwing everything into a pot and stirring. Any good cook will be able to tell you how much work is involved when it comes to cooking food for someone you care. The person who cooks for you at home knows what food you like, how you like it and when you like to have it. When I cook for someone I make sure that they will remember the food I cooked for long time, a very long time indeed! I choose the best of ingredients with care and use them in such a way that they leave lasting impression. Even everyday simple food served to my man is cooked with utmost care and love. There are no food games in my kitchen as the food should not only taste good it should also be good for you. Well, don’t we all agree that the food cooked with care and love not only will taste good, it will also make them feel cared for and make them feel at home?

We can also argue that food alone is not enough in making the relationship work between two individuals who think differently and have different opinions. There are few restaurants that serve the best food I have ever tasted. Does that mean I will fall in love with chefs just because he/she cooked one of the best meals I have had? I know for sure that the food is prepared with utmost care and to a very high standard. After all I am paying very high price for that plate of meal. In an end it is my man who cooks simple everyday Rasam and Dal whom I love. He may not be the best cook around but he has many qualities that made me fall in ultimate love trap :) It’s definitely not our cooking skills that made us love each other. Any relationship to go strong needs many other qualities in each other and not just our cooking skill. But yeah, we can’t rule out the fact that ability to cook good food will definitely help in nurturing the relationship. Remember, it’s just one of the things that can take you close to man’s heart! Not the ultimate one…

Malai Kofta

This is a good topic for discussion/debate and I have participated in many such discussions. Sometimes I agree with this theory and there are times when I have gone against it. We will continue to argue on this topic as long as there are people who love to cook and eat good food. So I can’t just come to a conclusion as whether I agree with it or not. But it would be great to hear from you as what do you think of it? So let’s hear from you guys…

While we are on this topic, let me share one of the ultimate food seductions. We have Malai Kofta in our menu today. Spicy dumpling of Indian Cottage cheese that is deep fried and served in delicious, creamy and spicy gravy of fresh cream and onion-tomato paste is nothing short of sinful indulgence. Try cooking it once and see your taste buds falling head over heels in love with this tempting Malai Kofta. Yes, Malai Kofta is a temptress, a seductress and highly addictive! ;) I am sending this to Lavi who is guest hosting this month's RCI-Lucknow, a wonderful event started by dear Lakshmi of Veggie Cuisine.

Koftas, Before & After Deep Frying

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Malai Kofta (Deep fried spiced Indian Cottage Cheese dumplings in creamy Onion & Tomato gravy)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 45-60 mins
Serves: 6-8
Recipe Level: Intermediate to Difficult
Spice Level: Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat bread or flavoured/steam cooked rice

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Ingredients:
For Kofta:
1½ cups Grated Paneer
2 large Potatoes, cooked, peeled and well mashed
1 medium Onion, very finely chopped
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, very finely chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, very finely chopped (Optional, adjust acc to taste)
1½-2 tbsp Gulab Jamun Mix/Milk Powder (Optional but recommend)
¼ cup Bread Crumbs
2-3 tbsp Corn Flour (Acts as a binding agent while deep frying)
1 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Amchur/Dry Mango Powder (Optional, for little tangy flavour)
6-8 Cashew Nuts, cut into small pieces (Optional but recommend)
1-2 tbsp Raisins (Optional but recommend)
Salt to taste
Oil for Deep Frying

For Gravy:
For Onion Paste:
2 large Onions, peeled and quartered
1 inch Ginger, peeled
3-4 cloves Garlic
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
3 cloves
3 Green Cardamoms

Other Ingredients for Gravy:
4-5 large Tomatoes, pureed
1 tbsp Cashew/Almond Paste
¼-1/2 cup Fresh Cream (I used low fat single cream)
1-2 tsp Garam Masala (Adjust acc to taste)
1 tsp Kitchen King Masala (Optional)
½ tsp Turmeric
½-1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder (Optional)
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi/Sun dried Fenugreek Leaves
½ tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
Salt to taste

Malai Kofta

Method:

For Gravy:
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and hing. Add onion paste that you had prepared just when cumin starts to sizzle and turn golden red. Stir it continuously for 5-7 minutes till the paste turn golden brown and the raw smell of onion disappears. This is the very important step as you don’t want to rush and end up having bitter tasting gravy. So be patient!
Once the onion paste is cooked thoroughly add kasuri methi and sugar. Saute for a minute or two. Next add tomato puree and stir well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Next add garam masala, kitchen king masala, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder and salt to taste and mix well. Bring this whole gravy to gentle boil, about 5 minutes.
Mix in cashew/almond paste, fresh cream and ½-1 cup of water (depending how thick you prefer the gravy) and cook for another 5-7 minutes on low flame.
Adjust the seasoning and add little more water if the gravy is too thick and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame and mix in finely chopped coriander leaves.

For Koftas:
First, mix paneer with mashed potatoes, onions, coriander leaves and chillies. Make sure that the paneer and potatoes as lump free as possible. Then add gulab jamun mix/milk powder, salt to taste, garam masala, amchur powder, broken cashews, raisins, bread crumbs and corn flour to the vegetable-paneer mix and mix them well. Use hands when mixing all these ingredients and make sure that all the ingredients are mixed properly. The consistency whole mixture should be as that of chapatti dough and you should be able to make lemon sized balls without breaking them.
Next heat oil for deep frying and reduce the heat to medium to low flame. Make small lemon/golf sized balls and deep fry them in batches of 3-4 balls at time. If the koftas start to break, add 1-2 tbsp of corn flour to the mixture, mix them well and make small lemon sized balls. Fry them till they turn golden brown and crisp and place them in a bowl lined with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
Alternatively you can bake them in an oven at 175 deg centigrade for about 20-30 minutes or fry them in Appam Pan with little oil till they turn golden brown.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat the gravy for few minutes and then transfer it to serving dish. Arrange the koftas in gravy and top it with finely chopped coriander levaes. Malai Kofta tastes best when served with any Indian flat bread (I prefer Naan) or flavoured rice like Saffron rice or Jeera Rice with slices of Onion and lemon wedges.

Malai Kofta

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Notes:

When you deep fry the koftas, first make sure that the oil is hot enough before you place them for deep frying.
Place one kofta at a time in a pan when deep frying. If the Kofta starts to break or crumble add about 1-2 tbsp of corn flour and mix well. Corn flour acts as the binding agent and will prevent the koftas from breaking when deep frying.
Always fry the koftas in low-medium flame so that they are cooked well and get lovely golden brown colour.

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Dahiwale Baingan: Less is More!

Dahiwale Baingan

Some times a bright sun beam escaping from grey clouds is enough to lift your mood…
Some times a small cup of coffee at the end of long, hectic day is enough to cheer you up…
Some times a funny forward in your email box is enough whisk away the blues…
Some times a smile from small baby is enough to wipe away the tiredness…
Some times a little card from your dear one is enough to brighten your day…
And some times a simple food is all we need to comfort us and make us feel at home…

Some times all we need is little things that make your day… Just small things that makes us happy and content!

Yes, today we are talking about simple pleasures of life today and also the theory of less is more. Food that we cook or eat everyday is no exception when it comes to simple pleasures of life. And to prove this age old theory, we have a very simple recipe that uses very few ingredients in creating one of the best tasting curries! I made this Dahiwale Baingan following the recipe posted by Saffron Hut. Saffron Hut was one of the very few Indian blogs I came across during initial days of my blogging and I was instantly hooked to her breath taking photographs and wonderful narration. I had bookmarked her recipe for Dahiwale Baingan, or to be precise, Sour Creamwale Baingan long back and almost forgot about it till yesterday. Why till yesterday? Well, yesterday was the first day in last three years of living here in UK that I came across this popular type of Eggplant that we grow in India. Yes, I got hold of the very old Chinese Eggplants I have been so craving for using in Vangi Bhath and Sweet & Sour Eggplant Palya. At last I found them in new Indian grocery in our city and came back home singing and dancing and all that goes with it! Did I hear some one say “What big show-off”? Well, then you definitely don’t have a clue about my love for these purple beauties! I call it simple pleasures of ‘my’ life…

After cooking and eating Vangi Bhath and Palya to my heart’s desire, I was left with three more Chinese Eggplants. One quick look into my bookmarks and I knew instantly what I wanted to try next. It was Dahiwale Baingan from Saffron Hut and I didn’t waste any time in creating this wonderful recipe. I followed her recipe to T except I used a combination of fresh cream and yogurt in place of sour cream. The end result was something that is hard to put into words! I have never thought simple recipe like this would turn into one of the best tasting eggplant dishes and trust me when I say I have tasted quite many recipes made using the king of vegetables. Thanks to Saffron Hut for making me believe once again that less is definitely more and tastier! Dahiwale Baingan is a simple dish of pan fried eggplants that had been marinated with ginger-garlic paste and salt and then mixed with sour and spicy yogurt gravy. Nothing fancy about it except it can give tight competition to any recipe that uses exotic and exclusive ingredients. Don’t you believe me? Then may be it’s time you tried this Dahiwale Baingan for your self and please let me know how you liked it.

Dahiwale Baingan: Work-in-progress

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Dahiwale Baingan (Pan fried Eggplants served with creamy gravy of Fresh Cream and Yogurt)
Prep Time: 5 mins (excluding marinating time)
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves: 4-5
Recipe Source: Saffron Hut
Recipe Level: Easy/Beginner to Intermediary
Spice Level: Low to Medium
Serving Suggestion: With any Indian flat bread or flavoured/steam cooked rice

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Ingredients:
3-4 long Chinese Eggplants (slit in middle and cut into 1cm half moons)
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
3-5 Green Chillies, finely chopped (Adjust acc to taste)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Fresh Cream (I used low fat single cream)
¼ cup Yogurt
Salt to taste
2-4 tbsp Oil

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Few Curry Leaves
A pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
½-1 tbsp Oil

Dahiwale Baingan

Method:

Rub little salt and ginger-garlic paste to cut eggplant paste. Make sure that you mix them well. Place these eggplant pieces in a colander for 1-1½ hours to marinate. Make sure that you place it near sink as the liquid generated from salted eggplants will drain away. You can also place a bowl filled with water on top (that fits within the colander) which helps in draining more bitter juice from eggplants. Once the juice is drain out, the eggplants fried up very well.
Pan fry these marinated eggplants in little oil, on medium to high heat, till they turn brown and crisp. It’s best to fry them in small batches so that you get evenly fried eggplants. Place them in a plate lined with kitchen towel till needed.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to pop and splutter, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing. Saute till cumin turns golden red. Mix in finely chopped onion and green chillies and sauté till onion turns translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add turmeric powder and sauté the onions for another 2 minutes. Mix in fresh cream and yogurt and reduce the heat to low. Keep stirring the cream and yogurt for another 3-4 minutes and bring it to gentle boil. Switch off the flame and mix in pan fried eggplants and serve this delicious Dahiwale Baingan immediately, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves, along with chapattis or Roties and enjoy.

Dahiwale Baingan

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Note:

It is important to marinate the eggplants for at least one hour before you pan fry. It not only helps in draining the bitter juice from eggplants, it also helps in frying them quickly and evenly.
Next time I might bake the marinated eggplants than pan frying. To do this, simply line the baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper and spray little oil on top of it. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer and bake them till they are nicely browned.
Use pan fried Okra/Bhindi/Ladie’s Fingers in place of eggplants and follow the recipe for Dahiwale Bhindi.

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