Brinjal-bites/ Grilled Eggplant

Brinjal-bites/ Pan-fried or grilled eggplant

(Brinjal slices dusted with a medley of spices & pan-fried, grilled or roasted)
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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
5 Min 3-4 10-15 Min

Ingredients:

1 large long brinjal/ eggplant
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1/4 tsp cumin pwd
1/4 tsp pepper pwd
1/4 tsp red-chili pwd
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil

Cooking Instructions:

Cut the eggplant into 1/2cm-thin slices & dust them with all the powders, salt & 2 tbsp olive oil - toss to cover evenly. Shallow-fry or grill on both sides for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Serve hot as a snack or a side to your Indian meal.

Alternative - You can make a batter of gram-flour, yoghurt, salt to taste & some red-chili, turmeric, cumin & pepper powders. Coat the slices in the batter & deep-fry till golden brown.
Another way to make brinjal-bites is to coat the slices with a batter of corn-flour & milk and then dust them with breadcrumbs or semolina and shallow fry on each side.

Bhendi Masala/ Stuffed Okras

Bhendi Masala

(Okra semi-stuffed & cooked in a medley of ground spices)
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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
20 Min 3-4 20 min

Ingredients:

1/2 kg medium size okras (not big)
2 handfuls peanuts (w/o the skin)
1 cup dessicated coconut
2 green chillies
1/2 tbsp pepper corns
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
2 chopped large onion
1/4 -1/2 cup curry leaves
cooking oil
2 ripe medium tomatoes -chopped
1/4 tsp cumin pwd
1 tbsp corriander pwd
1 tsp sugar

Cooking Instructions:

Run a knife into each okra from the pointed tip almost to the stemmed end & dust them with salt & turmeric and set aside. Lightly roast peanuts, coconut & 1/2 the finely chopped onion and put these along with the chillies, cumin pwd, pepper corns, turmeric pwd, sugar, coriander pwd & 1/2 tsp salt into the grinder. Coarsely grind (not a very smooth paste), pulsating only, till almost evenly coarse. Taste & add more salt if required. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a non-stick kadai/ sauce pan, fry tomatoes till soft & then add this masala/mixture & fry well for 5-6 minutes. Remove half of this mixture & stuff the okras with it. In the pan with the remaining masala, add 1/2 cup (or 1-2 cups if you want more gravy) water, stir well & immerse the okras in it & simmer covered for 5 minutes or till okras are cooked. Serve with piping hot rotis/ naan.

Methi Malai Matar

Methi Malai Matar

(A creamy sweet-spicy North Indian gravy of fenugreek leaves & green peas)
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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
5 Min 2 10 Min


Ingredients :

1 cup fresh cream
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp butter
2 cups methi (fenugreek) leaves
salt to taste
1/4 tsp pepper pwd
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp cardamon pwd
1/4 tsp cinnamon pwd
a pinch of asafoetida
1 chopped green chili
1 tsp sugar
1 chopped onion
3 garlic cloves - chopped
1/2 cup coriander leaves - chopped


Cooking Instructions:

Heat ghee & fry onions well. Then add the garlic, chillies & powder spices and fry well. Grind methi with 1/2 cup water to a coarse paste. Add the methi & peas to the kadai/sauce pan, followed by the salt & sugar. Cover & simmer till peas are cooked. Beat the cream & add to the mixture, 2 tbsp at a time, stirring well. Add butter and 1 cup water (or as per your required gravy thickness) - stir gently & simmer open for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with coriander & serve with hot rice or rotis.

Andhra Aloo

Andhra Aloo

(A spicy potato dish from the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with strong tones of pepper, garlic & coconut.)


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PrepTime : Serves : Cook Time
2 Min 4 15Min


Ingredients :

2 large potatoes
2 medium chopped onions
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
half a garlic - about 8-10 cloves - chopped.
salt to taste
2 chopped green chillies/ whole dried red chilies
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp dessicated coconut
turmeric pwd
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1 tbsp cooking oil/ clarified butter/ghee


Cooking Instructions:

Peel the potatoes - cut each into half (length-wise) & cut each half again, length-wise and then slice width-wise into about 5mm thick slices - wash & place in water to which 1 pinch of salt & turmeric have been added.

In a non-stick vessel, heat oil/ghee & fry onions till pink. Then add the garlic, chillies, cumin & curry leaves - fry well. Then add the mustard, salt, sugar, 1/4 tsp turmeric, pepper and fry well. Drain potatoes well & add to the vessel on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup water & the coconut & toss gently till potatoes are well -coated with the spices. Then simmer covered until potatoes are cooked. Garnish with coconut & coriander & serve with daal & rotis.