Gobhi-matar subji (cauliflower and peas curry)

Oh how I used to dislike the gobhi-matar subji ..... until about 2-3 months ago...!! It was my first get-together with my new gal-pals in the US... a girl made this gobhi-matar curry and I loved it..... !! It looked exactly the way, I made it.....but it tasted so better than mine and I wondered how did she make it! She kindly shared the recipe and I m so glad to be sharing it with you.... I got a friend and a new "regular" in my lunch recipe list. Thanks, Ana!!

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower -- about 300-350 grams (I used about half of a medium sized cauliflower)
• tomatoes -- 2 
  
• green peas -- 1/2 cup
• red onion -- about half
• garlic -- 3 cloves
• ginger  -- 1 inch piece
• green chilies -- 2
• mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
• asafoetida -- 1/4 tsp
• curry leaves -- 4-5
• turmeric powder  -- 1/2 tsp
• coriander powder -- 1 tsp
• salt -- about 1 tsp 
• canola or vegetable oil -- 1 tbsp
• coriander leaves -- a handful bunch
• water -- 1 to 1 1/2 cup
• and the last secret ingredient -- Rasam Powder -- about 1 and 1/2 tsp

Recipe:

• Cut the cauliflower to half. Remove the green stalks and break to florets. Clean and wash well in running water. Keep it aside.
• Grate the ginger and garlic and make paste. Slit the green chilies and remove the seeds if needed. Chop the coriander leaves. 
• Chop the onions and tomatoes and grind to a fine paste/puree with a blender. Keep it aside.

• Heat a tbsp or two of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add asafoetida and slit green chilies.

• Add the onion paste. Keep the heat medium and keep stirring till the liquid is evaporated and the paste is darkened and shiny(about 5-7 minutes)

• Add the tomato puree and keep stirring for about 10 minutes.

• Add the ginger-garlic paste and the curry leaves, while continuously stirring.

• Once the "masala" starts coming together (looks like it's getting dry), add the powdered spices -- turmeric powder, coriander powder, rasam powder and salt.

• Stir for 1-2 minutes on medium heat after adding the dry spice powders.

• Add the cauliflower florets and the green peas and saute them in the "tomato onion masala" for 2-3 minutes.

• I cooked this curry in a pressure pan. So at this point, I added about 1 cup of water to the curry, covered the pressure pan with lid and let it cook for 1-2 whistles.

• You can cover the lid, if cooking in a regular skillet or pot after adding water and let it cook for another 7-8 minutes till the cauliflower is done.

• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot as a side to chapatis or rice.

Quantity:

• 4-5 servings with accompaniments like rice/chapati, etc

Notes:

• I used only 1/2 of the cauliflower and got a gravy (liquid based) curry.
• If u want the subji to be dry, you can use about 400 gms of cauliflower and cook the subji with less water.

• You can add garam masala or goda masala or any of your favorite homemade mixed spice powder.... that will make it different flavored. I particularly loved the flavor and combination of peas and cauliflower with the rasam masala :) 

Punjabi Tinda Stir-fry

American supermarkets have different vegetables than what I have been using in Asia(like asparagus, brussel sprouts, kale, different salad leaves). Also, Indian grocery stores here do not have as many fresh vegetables as the stores/market in Singapore. (atleast, my store doesn't stock them). However, the indian grocery store near my place stocks up on variety of Indian vegetables in the frozen section. Some of which, I haven't seen in years. Such a vegetable is "punjabi tinda" ...!!  I have never seen this vegetable before, even back in India.

The tinda and plural called tinday (in Urdu ٹنڈه or ٹنڈے), also called Indian round gourd or apple gourd or Indian Baby Pumpkin, is a squash-like cucurbit grown for its immature fruit, a vegetable especially popular in South Asia. It is the only member of the genus Praecitrullus. "tinda" is also called "tindsi" in rajasthan. In Marathi, it is called Dhemase ढेमसे. In Sindhi language, it is called Meha ميها.

The plant is, as with all cucurbits, a prolific vine, and is grown as an annual. The fruit is approximately spherical, and 5–8 cm in diameter. The seeds may also be roasted and eaten. Tinda is a famous nickname among Punjabi families in India. This unique squash-like gourd is native to India, very popular in Indian and Pakistani cooking with curry and many gourmet dishes. Green colored, apple sized fruits are flattish round in shape and 50-60 grams in weight. Plants are vigorous, productive and begin to bear fruits in 70 days after planting. Information source " wikipedia" 

I actually confused it with "tendli" or "tindora" ... which is a different vegetable and i have another "recipe" for it on my blog. The recipe for this vegetable, I made up while cooking and adding the ingredients which i thought would go well and were available in my fridge/pantry. I came to know through my friends that it's not very popular vegetable... people either like it or don't !!!  :) So, if u do not like tinda, do try out this recipe with regular favorites like potato or green peas or beans. 

Ingredients:

• about 340 grams(12 oz. ) bag of frozen "tinda" (fresh would be nice)
• 1/2 red onion
  
• 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut(or frozen)
• 2/3 pieces of garlic
• 1 red dried chili
• 1-2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp each of coriander and cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp of garam masala
• lemon juice ... a few drops
• coriander leaves to garnish

Recipe:

• Keep the frozen tinda bag out on the kitchen counter for about 15/20 mins, so that the vegetable gets thawed. Also keep the frozen coconut to thaw.
• If using fresh vegetable, wash the vegetable well and chop in 4 pieces.
• Chop the red onion to long slices.
• Combine the freshly grated coconut, garlic and red chili in a blender or food processor and process it for half a minute. It will come together as a coarse paste. I used a chutney made from these ingredients and a few more. 
• Heat a skillet with a tsp or two of oil.
• Add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the chopped onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes till the onions are translucent and slightly browned. 

• Add the coconut-garlic-chili paste and saute further on moderate heat for 2-3 minutes.

• Finally, add the tinda and mix well.
• Add about 1/4 cup of water. Cover the skillet with a lid and let it cook for 5/7 minutes till the vegetable is tender. 

• Add salt and garam masala.

• Turn off the heat and add few drops of lemon juice.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Quantity:

• 2-3 servings with other accompaniments like roti/rice/salad/dal, etc

Notes:

• Can be made with other vegetables like green peas/ green beans/ potatoes, etc.
• I have used a coconut chutney (dosa chutney) instead of fresh coconut/garlic.

Gajar koshimbir (Carrot salad)

Koshimbir is a salad, served as a side in a full Maharashtrian meal.( Maharashtra-- a state in India). It is generally made with different crunchy vegetables like cucumber, carrots, tomato, onion, etc which are grated or chopped to tiny pieces and mixed with simple seasonings like salt, sugar and lime juice. Peanut powder or yogurt are also part of this salad. It tastes yummy just by itself, but I usually make it as a part of the meal with chapatis, dal, dry vegetable curry, etc.

For this recipe, I found the unusual purple carrot. (It looks a bit dark pink in pictures here) Any other variety of carrot like the regular orange one or the deep red one can also be used. I thought that purple is some new variety of carrot, but I googled for this information about them and was really surprised to know that they were grown as early as 2000 BC. The orange carrot that we know and use are of much newly modified variety. More information about PURPLE CARROTS HERE.

Ingredients:

• 1 large purple carrot (or orange or the red one)
  
• 1/2 -1 tomato
• 1 green chili
• a bunch of coriander 
• 1-2(or more) tbsp of roasted peanuts crushed to powder
• salt and sugar to taste (about 1 tsp each)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• A seasoning made with 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds,1/4 tsp asafoetida and some curry leaves added to a heated  tsp of oil/ghee) --- optional

Recipe:

• Wash, peel and grate the carrot after chopping off the top part.

• Chop tomato and green chili.
• Add it to the grated carrot. 

• Add crushed peanut powder and mix it well with a spoon.

• Add salt, sugar and lemon juice.
• Mix it well.

• Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves.

• Serve it as an accompaniment to an Indian meal or as a meal by itself.

Quantity:

• 4-5 servings as a side to a meal with other accompaniments.
• 2 servings as just a meal by itself.

gajar koshimbir with black urad dal, chapati and onion

Notes:

• You can use other colored carrots.
• Increase chilies, peanut powder and seasoning according to taste.
• Chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or so before serving.
• You can add a "tadka" made with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves heated in some ghee or oil and pour it over the salad at the time of serving. I served it as is...without this optional seasoning.

Baingan Bharta (Fire roasted mashed eggplant)

My boys do not like eggplant, but I love it. Usually I cook recipes which take me 30-40 minutes from start to finish, lesser the better.... but, this is my favorite and I was craving for it and I thought I will take the effort to cook it for my blog. Also, it is a very messy affair to roast it on open fire and clean it. That's why I usually avoid to make it. This is my mom and my sister's recipe. They cooked it for me, when I went back to India last month. It is beautifully creamy and that fire roasted flavor is wonderful.

 I ate the leftovers as a spread on a toast, topped with Haldiram's Alu-Bhujia.... :)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized eggplant( Here is a link to different kind of eggplants. I used the one which looks like the American eggplant in the list)
  
• 1 small red onion
• 2 small tomatoes
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger
• 1 green chili
• 1-2 tsp sesame oil(or any other oil like canola/olive)
• 1 tsp each of coriander and cumin powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Maharastrian Goda masala(or garam masala)
• 1/2 cup of coconut milk(1 used 2 tbsp of coconut cream)
• salt to taste
• a bunch of coriander leaves to garnish

Recipe:

• Brush the eggplant with oil and put it on direct fire of the gas stove. 

• Keep on turning the eggplant till it is evenly roasted.
• Once all the sides are blistered and the insides start getting mushy, the eggplant will give a nice aroma. 

• Carefully, with the help of tongs, transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Keep it to cool.
• Then remove the skin.
• I was in a hurry to cook it, so I put it under running water in a colander and removed the skin.

• Mash the eggplant with a fork or even your hand. Keep it aside.

• Chop the onion, tomato and chili. Grate ginger.Wash and chop the coriander.

• Now, heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, ginger and chili.Saute for about 40 secs.

• Add onion. Saute for a minute or two.

• Add tomato and cook till the tomatoes are mushy.

• Add the mashed eggplant and continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes till everything is mixed well.

• You can mash everything together with a potato masher. I used my cooking spoon.

• Add the goda masala(or the garam masala) and season with salt.

• Turn off the heat and add about 1/2 a cup of coconut milk and whisk it into the eggplant. 

• Garnish with coriander leaves.

• Serve hot with chapatis, etc
• You can use it as a dip for tortilla or pita chips too.

Quantity:

• 4-5 servings with other accompaniments

Notes:

• Roasting the eggplant on fire of the gas stove is really a messy affair. You can bake the eggplant in an oven. Oil the eggplant. Put it in a deep baking dish covered with foil for about 40 minutes or so in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.
• You can add more coconut milk or cream to get richer flavor.
• Add more chilies or chili powder to make it spicier.