Bendi Masala

Bendi Masala

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger : 1/4 kg (Slit into 4 length wise and then cut into 1 inch pieces)

Onion: 1 no. (Sliced lengthwise)

Tomato : 1 no. (Sliced lengthwise)

Chilli powder : 1 tspn
Coriander powder : 1 tspn
Jeera Powder : 1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbl spn

Method:
1) In a pan, add oil, once hot, add cut ladies finger and cook till they turn slightly brown.
2) Now, add onions and saute till done,
3) To this add all the masala (Chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder and salt) and mix well.
4) To this add tomatoes and wait till all the masala and ladies finger blends well together.
5) Garnish with coriander leaves and Bendi masala is ready to be served with Chapati / Rice of your choice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Channa Masala | Chickpeas Masala | Chole

Chickpeas / Channa Masala

Ingredients:
Chickpeas - 1 cup (soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours)
Onion - 1 no. (Cut into fine pieces)
Green Chillies - 2 nos.
Tomato - 1 nos. (Cut into fine pieces)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tspn
Channa Masala - 2 tspn (You can use any brand you like)
Coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
Kasoori methi - 2 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Salt as per taste
Chilli powder 1/4 tspn (Optional)
Oil/Butter - 2 tspn
Jeera - 1/4 tspn

Method:
1) Pressure cook the soaked Channa for 15 mins or for 4-5 whistles along with salt and keep aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, once hot, add jeera and once they splutter, add onion and saute for a minute.
3) To this add salt, ginger garlic paste green chillies and saute for another 30 secs.
4) Now, add tomato and saute till they are soft and the onions, ginger garlic blends well together.
5) To this add, turmeric powder, coriander powder, chilli powder and Channa masala powder and mix well. (If the mixture is turning too dry, you can add 1 tspn of water to avoid burning)
6) Now, add the cooked Channa along with the water if which its cooked and mix well. and bring it to a boil.
7) To this add kasoori methi and cook it with closed lid for 3-4 mins.
8) Check for the salt and add if required.
9) Garnish with Freshly chopped coriander, raw onions or grated ginger (As per your taste). Or you can also top it with 1 tspn of butter, which will add on to the taste and also add extra calories to your diet :)
10) Channa masala is ready to be served with any rotis / batura or even with steamed riced.

Note:
1) While  I wanted to make channa masala, I realised that I was running out of tomatoes at home, and so, I subsituted it with Tomato Sauce and 1 tspn of aamchur and it was tasting excellent.
2) You can also skip Onions and ginger garlic to this recipe, and yet it will taste equally good.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Onion, Brinjal and Potato Curry

Onion, Brinjal and Potato Curry
This recipe is a yummy combination of all time favourites, Onion shallots, Brinjal and Potato and some mixed spices. It is traditionally known as Eerul Puli (in Iyer Tamil). A very tasty sambar/curry best eaten with Rice or Raagi Mudde.

Ingredients:
Onion shallots - 1/2 kg
Brinjal - 2 nos (the Purple round ones) Chopped into 1 inch size pieces
Potato - 2 nos ( medium size) chopped into large cubes
Toor dal - 2 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 tson
Salt to taste
Oil for seasoning.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
Water as required

For the masala:
Jeera - 1/2 tspn
Black Pepper- 1/4 tspn
Fenugreek seeds - 3 nos.
Cinamon Stick - (1 inch piece) 3 nos.
Cloves - 4 nos.
Marathi Moggu - 2 nos.
Channa Dal - 1 tbl spn
Urad Dal  - 3/4 tbl spn
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbl spn
Dry Chillies - 1 handful or as per taste.
Poppy Seeds - 1/2 cup
Raw Onion - 1 no. or Onions shallots - 5-6 nos.
Fresh Coconut - 1 handful and
Dry coconut - 1 handful (if you dont have dry coconut available add additional fresh coconut itself)

Method:

Grinding the masala
1) Dry roast Jeera, Black Pepper, Fenugreek seeds, Cinamon Stick, Cloves, Marathi Moggu, Channa Dal, Urad Dal, Coriander Seeds and keep aside.
2) Now add 1 tspn of oil and roast Dry Chillies and switch off the stove and add Poppy Seeds, Raw Onion or Onions shallots and Coconut into the hot pan and fry them for half a minute.
3) Now grind this roasted mixture into a smooth paste with enough water and keep aside.

Making the curry
1) Pressure cook Toor dal for 3 whistles, along with turmeric and 1 tspn of oil and keep aside.
2) Boil potatoes and Brinjal with little salt, and keep aside.
3) Take a pan, add 3 tspn of oil, once hot, add mustard seeds and when they splutter, Onion and fry till half cooked and add it along with potatoes and Brinjal and add little water and bring it to boil.
4) Now pour dal, salt and the ground masala into the mixture, and bring it to a boil
5) Season it with Mustard seeds.

Enjoy the recipe

Cheers!
Madhavi

Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed Eggplant/Yennagai

Brinjal, is mine and my dad's all time favourite. And this dish is my mom's signature dishes and she makes this dish so yummy, we can eat min 3 brinjals during one meal. :)

My BIL if invited home, used to demand to make this dish and only then he used to visit us.And now, its my In-laws fav as well and I made this on demand learning from my mom.

Its so tasty and easy recipe and goes excellent with hot rice and ghee. (Don't blame me, its definitely not a diet recipe)

Ingredients:

Small Brinjals - 6 nos.

Grated Fresh Coconut - 3 tspn

Garlic pods - 3 nos.

Vangibath powder - 7 tspn  (You can use any masala powder you have)

Oil - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

1) Slit brinjal into 4 quarters keeping the crown of the brinjal intact.

2) Take a non-stick pan and add enough oil (Around 4 tbl spn) and fry the slit brinjal till it gets crispy on the outside and soft in the inside.

For the stuffing:

3) Make a course paste of Vangibath powder, garlic pods, coconut and salt and keep aside

4) Once the roasted brinjal becomes warm, carefully stuff in the ground mixture into the slit of brinjal and close them tight enough such that they dont open up.

5) Now, take the non-stick pan and add 2 tspn of oil, and drop these stuffed brinjals carefully into the pan and cook them for about 4 mins turning them on all sides. Keep the excess stuffing handy, as you can use it to mix to rice, if you need the brinjal to be more spicy.

6) Now, stuffed brinjals are ready to be served with rice or chapati.

Cheers!

Madhavi

Aloo Matar

Aloo Matar

Ingredients:
Fresh green peas - 2 cups
Potato - 2 nos. (sliced into large pieces)

Whole garam masala
Onion - 1 no. sliced into large pieces
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspn
Green Chillies - 3 nos.
Cashews - 4-5 nos.
Turmeric powder - 1 tspn
Chilli powder - 1/2  tspn
Coriander powder - 1 tspn
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tspn
Tomato - 1 no. (Chopped)
Oil/butter - 3 tspn

Method:
1) In a non-stick pan add oil, and once hot, add cashews garam masala, onion, and saute for 2 mins, and add ginger garlic paste, and saute till raw smell disappears.
2) Now add chillies, tomatoes and saute for another 2 mins.
3) Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, jeera powder and saute for another 2 mins.
4) Once this mixture comes to room temperature, blend this mixture to a fine paste and keep aside.
5) In a non-stick pan, add butter and add the fresh peas and potato and saute till they are soft.
6) Now, add the blend mixture and mix the peas and potato well to blend well with the mixture.
7) Add kasoori methi and mix well.
8) Garnish the mixture with fresh coriander and serve hot with rice/chapati , etc

Cheers!
Madhavi

Dal Fry

Dal Fry

How many  days do we have no vegetables in the house? Or how many times do we feel lazy to cut vegetables for cooking. This is the best recipe  which we can think of during those days.. :) Very healthy, tasty and easy. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
Masoor Dal - 1 cup
Tomato - 1 small (Finely chopped)
Onion - 1 no. (Finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspn
Fresh coriander - 1 tspn (Finely chopped)
Kasoori methi - 2 tspn
Butter/oil - 2 tspn
Jeera - 1 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspn
Chilli powder - 1/4 tspn
Water - enough to cook dal.
Salt to  taste

Method:
1) Boil masoor dal till done and keep aside. (This dal cooks really fast, so there is no need to pressure cook)
2) In a pan, add oil/butter and once hot, add jeera,  and onion and saute for a minute.
3) Now add ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute and add tomato.
4) Once tomato is cooked well, add turmeric powder and chilli powder and kasoori methi, and saute for another minute
5) Now add salt and add the cooked dal and mix well.
6) Keep the pan closed and let the dal boil for about 2 minutes.
7) Now add garam masala, and coriander leaves and mix well.
8) Garnish with some  butter and serve   hot with rice / chapati

Cheers!
Madhavi

Broccoli Aloo Gobi

Broccoli Aloo Gobi

Ingredients:
Potato - 1 (Diced into medium cubes)
Cauliflower - 1 cup (Florets separated)
Broccoli - 1/2 cup (Florets separated)
Fresh Green Peas  - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1 small or 1/2 of large one (Finely chopped)
Onion - 1 small or 1/2 of large one (Finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 3 nos (Finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tspn
Jeera Powder - a pinch
Coriander Powder - 1/4 tspn
Aamchur / Dry mango powder - 1/2 tspn
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tspn
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Kasoori methi - 1/4 cup
Butter/oi - 2 tspn

Method:
1) Boil potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli with a little salt and set aside.
2) In a non stick pan, add oil/butter and add onion, tomatoes, green chillies and saute till all the three get cooked really well. Now add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell disappears.
3) Now, in a small bowl, take jeera powder, coriander powder and chilli powder, turmeric powder and aamchur powder and mix well and pour this mixture into the pan.
4) Mix the masala well with the tomato and onion mixture and allow them to mix well.
5) Now add some salt, and kasoori methi leaves crushing them between your palms and mix well.
6) Now add fresh green peas, and also add the boiled potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli and carefully mix them well.
7) Now garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapatis / rotis..

Cheers!
Madhavi

Dal Makhni

Dal Makhni

This is also one of the easiest and very exclusive recipes I have ever tried.  In this recipes basically you do every step at very large intervals.. :) Ah confused ??  Here you go with the recipe and enjoy cooking.

Whole urad dal

Ingredients:
Whole urad dal - 2 cups (Ensure the black skin is there)
Rajma  - 1/2 cup
Tomato Puree - 1 cup
Tomato Paste - 2 tspn
Ginger paste - 2 tspn
Garlic paste - 2 tspn
Coriander powder - 2 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1 tspn
Jeera Powder - 1 tspn
Chilli powder - 1 tspn
Heavy Cream - 1 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Kasoori methi - one hand ful
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak Whole urad dal and rajma over night or for atleast 8 hours.
2) Now, in a heavy bottom vessel add enough water to the soaked urad dal and rajma and bring it to a boil on high flame.
3) Take off the broth that floats up and add salt and simmer the dal till it cooks (It would take around 3-4 hours)
4) Make sure you are giving it a quick stir once in half an hour, so the dal does not stick to the bottom.
5) Once the dal is getting the required consistency, add ginger garlic paste, and stir it well and let it simmer again.
6) After 5 min add Jeera powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and give it a good mix.
7) After few min, add tomato puree and tomato paste and give it a good mix.
8) Now add, kasoori methi by crushing them between your palms.
9) Add Fresh cream  and butter.
10) Garnish with some butter and fresh cream.
11) Serve hot with chapati/roti/rice

Cheers!
Madhavi

Mixed Veg Kadai

Mixed Vegetable Kadai

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables
Potato - 1 no. (Cut into 1 inch pieces)
Carrot - 1 no.(Cut into 1 inch pieces)
French Beans - 5 nos (Cut into 1 inch pieces)
Green peas - 1/2 cup (I used frozen peas)
Cauliflower - 1/2 cup (Small florets separated)
Brocoli - 1/2 cup (Small florets separated)
Tomato - 1/2 no (copped into large cubes)
Onion - 1 no. (Chopped length wise)
Ginger paste - 1 tspn
Garlic paste - 1 tspn
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (Finely chopped)
Pudina - 1/4 cup leaves
Tomato paste - 1 tspn
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn
Coriander powder - 1/2 tspn
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tspn
Jeera Powder - one dash
Salt to taste
Butter - 2 tspn
Oil - 4 tspn
Heavy cream - 1/2 cup
Bay leaf - 1 no.
Cardamom - 1 no.
Cinnamon - 1 no.

Method:
1) In a non-stick pan. add butter, and add bay leaf and cardamom and cinnamon and add the mixed vegetables into it (Excluding tomato), and add little salt.
2) Stir fry them for about 3 mins till the vegetables are 3/4 cooked and keep it aside
3) In the same pan, add some more butter and oil, and add onions and salt and saute till onions are done.
4) Now add ginger garlic paste, and saute for a minute.
5) Next add tomato paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, pudina, and saute for another minute.
6) To this mixture add the mixed vegetables and also add tomatoes and saute till all the vegetables are well coated with the masala.
7) Now add heavy cream slowly and mix them well.
8) Finally add garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
9) Serve hot with chapati / flavoured rice / steamed rice ..

Cheers!
Madhavi

Mixed Veg Korma

Mixed Vegetable Korma

Ingredients:

Cinnamon  - 2-3 nos (1 inch pieces)
Cloves - 4-6 nos.
Star Anise flower - 2
Bay leaf - 1 no.
Cardamom - 2 nos.
Oil - 3 - 5 tbl spn
Green chillies  - 4 - 5 nos
Cashew nuts - 10-12 pieces 
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Coriander leaves  1/4 cup (Finely chopped)
Gasgase - 2 tsp (Optional)
Ginger paste - 2  tsp
Garlic paste - 4 tsp
Onion  - 2 medium (cut lengthwise)
Tomatoes - 2  (Finely chopped)
Fennel powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1 tspn
Coriander Powder - 1 tspn
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (Alternatively you can use heavy cream or full cream milk)

Vegetables
Cauliflower - 1 cup
Grean Peas - 1/2 cup
French beans - 3/4 cup (cut it in 1 inch pieces)
Carrot - 3/4 cup (diced)
Potato - 3/4 cup (diced)
Cauliflower - 1/4 cup (separated small florets)

Method:
1) In a pan, head some oil add the whole garam masala and once they are done, add cashews and saute till they get golden brown.
2) Add chopped onions, little salt and saute till done.
3) Now add ginger and garlic paste and saute for a minute.
4) Next add chopped tomatoes and saute till the oil separates.
5) Now add Turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and fennel powder and saute till the raw flavour disappears.
6) Leave the mixture to come to room temperature or just nice to blend it into a smooth paste.
7) Parallely, cook all the vegetables together (Excluding cauliflower) for few minutes with enough water and little salt. (You can cook in micro wave if you have) and keep aside.
8) Now, take the same pan, add 1 tspn of oil and add the ground paste and saute for few seconds.
9) Now add coconut milk and mix it well into the mixture till the sides starts to stick.
10) At this point add the cooked vegetables and cauliflower and give it a good mix to coat each vegetable with the masala. Add some water to bring it to desired consistency.
11) Now let mixture cook with closed lid for about 3 mins and check for the seasoning.
12) Garnish with some fried cashews and chopped coriander leaves.
13) Now Vegetable Korma is ready to be served with Ghee rice / Poori / Chapati or even Steamed rice.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Cucumber Yellu Gojju

Cucumber and Sesame curry

Ingredients:
Cucumber - 1 (Chopped into 1 inch thin pieces)
Sesame seeds - 4 tsp
Tamarind Juice - 1/2 cup
Grated Jaggery  - 1/4 cup
Rasam/Curry Powder - 2 tspn
Oil - 2 tspn
Mustard seeds - 1 tspn
Jeera - 1/2 tspn
Curry Leaves - 2 strands
Green chillies - 2 (Slit lengthwise)
Hing - 1/4 tspn

Method:
1) In a pan, dry roast the sesame seeds till they turn golden brown colour and once they cool to room temperature, blend them into a fine powder and keep aside.
2) In a pan, add oil, once it is hot, add mustard seeds, jeera.  Once they splutter add curry leaves and Green chillies and hing.
3)Now add chopped cucumber and saute till cucumber is 3/4 cooked.
4) Then, pour the tamarind juice, add salt, Rasam / curry powder, sesame powder and jaggery and simmer it till all the ingredients mix well.
5) Check the seasoning, if required add some more jaggery or tamarind to adjust.
6) Its now ready to serve with rice/chapathi / ragi mudde, etc.

Reposting the recipe to send to http://ambrotos.blogspot.com/2011/12/veggiefruit-of-month-cucumber.html Veggie/Fruit of the Month-Cucumber



Cheers!
Madhavi

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala

This is one of the easiest and exclusive recipes I have ever tried. Its so tasty and one feels its the most difficult recipe.

Try it out and relish the result.

Ingredients:
Paneer 250 grams
Chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Kasoori methi powder 1/4 tsp
Tomato Ketchup 1 tsp
Tomato paste 1 tspn
Butter - 1 tspn
Fried Dry Onion 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Tomato paste 1 tsp
Milk 2 cups

Method:
1) In a bowl, add all the dry powders ( Chilli powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and kasoori methi) and add tomato ketchup and tomato paste and mix well with milk and keep aside.
2) If the paneer you are using is not fresh, just shallow fry them in 1 tspn of butter and keep aside.
3) In a pan add butter and once it melts, add ginger garlic paste and add fried onion by crushing them between your palms. 
4) Now add the mixture of all spices that is kept aside and mix well.
5) Cover the pan and cook for around 5 min.
6) Once the butter starts oozing out, add salt, paneer and remaining milk to adjust the thickness.
7) Garnish with heavy cream, and paneer butter masala is ready to serve with rice or chapati or naan.

Cheers!
Madhavi.

Kadhi (Gujrati Style)

Kadhi

I had some sour yogurt at home and had no vegetables. So thought of trying this Khadi, which one of my North Indian friend introduced me to. Its very simple and tasty dish. Can be served with chapati or rice.

Ingredients:
Yogurt – 1 cup, beaten
Water – 3 cups
Chickpea Flour (Besan) – 4 Tbsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/8 tsp
Ginger – 1/2 tsp grated
Green chilies – 1 to 2 (to taste), finely chopped
For Tempering:
Oil – 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Kasoori Methi - Handful
Asafoetida (Hing) – 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves – 4 - 5 leaves
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 - 2 tbl spn

Method:

1) Take a vessel and mix together Yogurt, Water and besan flour well until there are no lumps.
2) Add Salt, Turmeric Powder, Ginger and Green Chilies.
3) Bring mixture to a boil on medium flame, stirring continuously. Now add kasoori Methi and boil on low flame.
4 )In a separate small pan, heat Oil and Ghee.
5) Add Cumin Seeds, Mustard Seeds once they splutter, add Asafoetida, Curry Leaves and Cilantro.
6) Immediately, add the seasoning to the boiled yogurt mixture and allow it to boil once more.

Cheers!
Madhavi

Purple Brinjal Curry

ಬದಿನೆಕಾಯಿ ಪಲ್ಯ

Ingredients:
Long Brinjal - 2 no. (Chopped lenthwise into 1 inch pieces)
Onions - 1 no. (Finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbl spn
Curry leaves - 5 - 6 nos.
Green Chillies - 5 - 6 nos.
Turmeric - 1/2 tblspn
Oil - 3 tbl spn
Mustard - 1 tbl spn
Jeera - 1 tbl spn
Salt to taste

Method:
1) In a pan, heat oil, once hot add mustard seeds,jeera and once they splutter, add green chillies, curry leaves and onions and add salt immediately.
2) Then add turmeric powder and saute for 2 min and then add chopped brinjal and fry till the brinjal is cooked well. 
3) Garnish with Chopped coriander and its ready to serve with rice, chapati, etc

Cheers!
Madhavi

Potato Palya

ಆಲೂಗಡ್ಡೆ ಪಲ್ಯ
Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 nos. (Boiled and mashed)
Onions - 2 nos. (Finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbl spn
Curry leaves - 5 - 6 nos.
Green Chillies - 5 - 6 nos.
Turmeric - 1/2 tblspn
Oil - 3 tbl spn
Mustard - 1 tbl spn
Jeera - 1 tbl spn
Salt to taste

Method:
1) In a pan, heat oil, once hot add mustard seeds,jeera and once they splutter, add green chillies, curry leaves and onions and add salt immediately.
2) Then add turmeric powder and saute for 2 min and then add mashed potatoes and mix well.
3) Garnish with Chopped coriander and its ready to serve with Masala dosa, rice, chapati, etc

Cheers!
Madhavi

Beetroot Saagu

ಬೀಟ್ರೂಟ್ ಸಾಗು

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 1/4 kg (Finely chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbl spn
Oil - 2/3 tbl spn
Curry leaves - 5 -6 nos.
Salt to taste

To Grind
Fried Channa dal - 2 tbl spn
Poppy seeds - 1 tbl spn
Green Chillies - 4-5 nos.
Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch stick
Fresh Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Fresh coconut - 1/2  cup

Method:
1) Grind all the ingredients listed in "To Grind" to a smooth paste, and keep aside.
2) Take a heavy bottom vessel, and add oil, once hot add mustard and curry leaves.
3) To this add chopped beetroot fry for 2 mins, then add water and little salt and cook for 3 mins.
4) Now add the ground mixture to this  and add some more water if required to bring to desired consistency.
5) Cook till beetroot and the masala is cooked well.
6) Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with pooris or chapatis.

Cheers!
Karu...

Ridge guard dal / Beerakayi Pappu

ಹೀರೆಕಾಯಿ ತೊವ್ವೆ

This is a wonderful and easy recipe. Most suitable for any occasions. This can be eaten with rice or chapati.

Ingredients:

Ridge guard - 250 gms Chopped in cubes
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Green Chillies - 3- 4 nos
Fresh Coriander Leaves finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 2 - 3 pods (Optional)
Jeera - 1/2 tbl spn
Coconut - 1-2 tbl spn (Optional)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbl spn
Curry Leaves  - 4 - 5 leaves
Dry Red Chillies - 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbl spn
Oil / Ghee - 2-3 tbl spn
Toor Dal -1cup
Lemon Juice (Optional)

Method:
1) Cook Toor Dal in cooker together with chopped ridgeguard and keep aside.
2) In a hand blender (if you are making small quantity) or a grinder add ginger, garlic, 1/4 tbl spn jeera, coconut, green chillies, turmeric and coriander leaves and grind it to a course paste and keep aside.
3) In a pan add oil/ghee once the oil is hot add mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies broken into two halves and add the ground paste and saute it for 2 - 3 min till they are cooked well.
4) Then add the Dal and ridge guard into the above seasoning and mix well.
5) Add required amount of salt and garnish with little coriander.
6) You can add some lemon juice if desired while serving.

Cheers!
Karu...

Baingan Ka bartha

बैंगन का बर्थ 

Brinjal is one of my favourite vegetable. I am sure it is the same for most of us. Do you like the roasted smell from the brinjal in the curry.. then here is a recipe for you to enjoy.

Ingredients needed:
Big purple Brinjal - 1-2 nos. (about 400 grms) (Check the picture for the variety I used)
Tomatoes - 1 large
Onions - 2 finely chopped
Ginger paste - 1 tbl spn
Garlic Paste - 1 tbl spn
Green Chillies - 2- 3 nos Finely Chopped
Jeera/Cumin Powder - 1/2 tbl spn
Coriander Powder - 1 tbl spn
Turmeric - 1 tbl spn
Chilly Powder - 1/2 tbl spn
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tbl spn
Oil - 2-3 tbl spn
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Spread oil on the brinjal with your hands or brush and place it on the stove on direct fire and roast it on all sides by turning it once in a while. (If you have a grill you can use that as well)
The oil coated helps in cooking the brinjal crispy on the outside and easy to peel off once roasted.
2) Once the whole brinjal is roasted peel of the outer skin. Just roughly beat the brinjal and keep aside. (Don't worry if it is charred. The inside soft part is what we will use)
3) Take a kadai or non stick pan and add 2 tbl spn of oil and once hot add cumin seeds, onions and little salt and fry till onions are transparent.
4) Then add ginger and garlic paste, Green chilles and saute till the raw smell disappears and good aroma spreads.
5) Then add chopped tomatoes and add all the powders  (Jeera Powder, Coriander powder, Chilly Powder and Turmeric) one by one and saute them well till all are finely cooked.
6) To this add the roasted and peeled brinjal which you kept aside to this mixture and saute.
7) Close a  lid and cook for about 3 mins till done.
8) Check the seasoning and add some salt if required.
9) Garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatis / pulkas / paratas.

See you soon with the next recipe.

Cheers!
Karu..