Bagara Baingan ( Hyderabadi Brinjal dish)

Ingredients :
Brinjals : 500 Gms.
Fresh Grated Coconut : 200 Gms.
Coriander Seeds : 60 Gms.
Dried Red Chillies : 10-12 nos.
Sliced Onions : 2 nos. large
Green Chillies : 3-4 nos.
Garlic Cloves : 8 nos.
Sesame Seeds : 4 Tbsp.
Turmeric Powder : 1 Tsp.
Tamarind Paste : 100 Gms.
Jaggery : 2 Tbsp.
Curry Leaves : 10-12 nos.
Black Mustard Seeds : 1 Tsp.
Chopped Coriander Leaves : 2-3 Tbsp.
Vegetable or Peanut Oil : As Required
Salt : To Taste
Method :
Cut the brinjals lengthwise almost into quarters; make sure you do not cut off the stem so as to keep the brinjal whole with a cross cut running the entire length.
In a Kadhai add enough oil to fry the brinjals till brown.
For the Bagara Masala Paste :
In 1 Tbsp. oil saute the sliced onions, coriander seeds, red chillies. Add these to the coconut and garlic. Dry roast the sesame seeds and add to the coconut mixture. Also add the turmeric powder and tamarind paste to the coconut. Make a paste of all these ingredients.
In a Tbsp. of oil add slit green chillies and add the paste and saute till the fat leaves the sides. Than add the brinjals, jaggery and salt to taste. Add water as required to get a sauce-like consistency. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. This masala tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, so make sure that you keep stirring the pot every few minutes. Then add the chopped coriander leaves and remove.
Tadka :
In a small pan add 1 Tsp. oil and when hot add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle add the curry leaves and pour this over the curry. Mix well.
This can be served with Rice or Parathas.
P. S. – Vegetable Variation – You can make a tadka of mustard seeds, green chillies and curry leaves. To this add mixed vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, green peas etc. Then add the bagara masala and salt to taste. Cover and cook till the vegetables are done. Then add chopped coriander on top.

Saunfiyani Aloo ( Potatoes flavoured with fennel seeds )

Ingredients :

Potatoes : 6 medium sized

Onion : 1 medium sized

Curd : 1/2 cup

Salt : to taste

Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tsp

Vegetable Oil : 2 tsp

Coriander leaves : 2 tsp

For Masala :

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds (Saunf / Badishep) : 1 Tbsp

Coriander Seeds : 1tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp

Method :

Peel and cut potatoes into quarters or into eight pieces. Then parboil them with a little salt. Cut the onion into large dices.

Dry roast the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds and then powder them. Mix the powder with the chilli and turmeric powders to get the masala powder.

Heat the oil and suate the onion till translucent. Then add the potatoes and the ginger garlic paste and a little water. Saute till the paste turns brown and then remove from fire.

Add the curd, the masala powder, water and salt to taste. Mix well. Return to heat and cook covered for 6-10 minutes till you have a gravy coating the potatoes.

Remove and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Teekha Tawa Batata (Spicy Griddle-sauteed Potatoes)

There are a few dishes that become closely associated with our childhood. They evoke memories that transport us to simpler times: times when things were simpler, relationships were easier and our loves and hates were frequent but fleeting.

I still remember Saturday afternoons, when I used to come home from school, glad to be greeted at the door by my mom. As she was a working mom, these occasions were special and therefore treasured. She knew I loved her special potato tawa bhaji and used to make it on those days so I could enjoy it. The thali with steaming white rice, yellow Dal and the slightly burnt crispy potato bhaji was a combination that never failed to lift my spirits. No matter how bad the day might have been, finding mom home, making the potato bhaji was enough to make my day.

Life is indeed a series of such small pleasures. A steaming home-cooked meal, a cup of hot coffee on a rain-soaked evening, the smell of earth after the first showers, finding a good book after rummaging through stacks of used books - there isn’t much to compare these pleasures.

I remember the first time I made this dish by myself - my mom was ill and she had asked me to cook lunch for both of us. I was scared but also eager. I had watched my mom cook a thousand times and helped her in the kitchen as I could. But this was different. I had to make everything from scratch and not make a mistake. I kept running out to where mom sleeping and asking her every little detail that hadn’t seemed so important till now - how much water should I add to the Dal & how much in the cooker, how long should I cook the potatoes, how much salt is just right and how much chilli powder is too much. The questions never stopped and finally the meal was ready. I eagerly awaited mom’s verdict. She took the first mouthful and made a face. I was heartbroken….thank god, it was because the food was too hot. I finally gathered enough courage to ask her how the dish fared. She replied, quite oblivious to my mental state,” Very good! Tastes just like mine.” My heart did a summersault and I was hooked on cooking.

Now the recipe

Ingredients :

Potatoes : 8 medium sized

Groundnut Oil : 3 Tbsp.

Mustard Seeds : 2 Tsp.

Asafoetida (Hing) : a pinch

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 Tsp.

Red Chilli Powder : 2 Tsp.

Salt : To taste

Sugar : a pinch

Method :

Boil the potatoes till done and peel them. Cut the potatoes into 1/2″ (inch) dices. Rub the pieces with salt and sugar.

On an iron griddle, heat oil. Then add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder. When the seeds crackle, add the chilli powder. Now add the potatoes to this mixture and toss them with a spatula. Make sure the potatoes are evenly coated with the masala. Now spread the potatoes in a layer on the griddle and let the potatoes cook on medium flame till crispy on one side. Now turnover the potatoes and let them become crispy on the other side. If the potatoes burn a little, don’t worry. It gives a nice, smoky flavour to the dish.

Jirya Miryachi Kadhi (Coconut sauce flavoured with cumin and black pepper)

One of the first aamchigeli recipes i.e. one from my native place Udupi, that I loved has to be Jirya Miryachi Kadhi. The combination of the cumin and black peppercorns with the added fragrance of garlic was to die for. Especially during the rains, when one wants something really hot, spicy and fragrant, this is the dish in which I find succor. The rain splattering incessantly on the terrace roof, the sudden thunderclap and the cold and muggy weather of Mumbai starts to bring me down. I need comfort, warmth and that’s when I make this dish. The kadhi poured on steaming hot basmati rice is a combination that hits a spot. The ultimate comfort food! So today in my ongoing South Indian recipe series, I present -

Jirya Miryachi Kadhi

Ingredients :

Fresh Grated Coconut : 3/4 th

Dried Red Chillies : 6-8 no.

Cumin Seeds : 1 Tsp.

Black Peppercorns : 8 no.

Skinned Garlic Cloves : From one whole garlic pod + 1 extra garlic pod

Kokum (Dried Mangosteen Peals) : 4 - 6 no.

Coconut oil : As required

Mustard Seeds : 1 Tsp.

Salt : To taste

Method :

Saute the chillies, cumin, peppercorns and skinned garlic cloves in 2 tsp. of coconut oil and then make a paste with the grated coconut.

To this paste, add about 3 1/2 cups of water and salt to taste ( 1 Tsp.) and add the kokum. Bring to a boil and remove.

Tempering (Tadka) : Take 2-3 Tsp. of coconut oil in a tadka pan and to this add the mustard seeds and let them crackle. Now add the crushed garlic cloves from the other pod ( no need to skin these cloves). When the garlic cloves are brown, add this tadka to the kadhi. Mix well and serve hot with white rice.

P. S. : Do not boil the kadhi for too long as it tends to change the taste of the kadhi and also thins it.

Sindhi Kadhi

I saw this recipe on a TV show and loved it. So I made a few changes to the recipe according to my taste and here is the "improved" version.

Ingredients :

Oil : 4 Tbsp.

Gram Flour (बेसन) : 1/2 cup

Fenugreek Seeds : 1/2 tsp.

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp.

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp.

White Gourd (लौकी) : 250 gms.

Cauliflower Florettes : 250 gms.

Carrots : 200 gms.

Cluster (गवार) Beans : 150 gms.

Drumsticks : 8 nos.

Potatoes : 3 small

Brinjals : 200 gms.

Okra ( Ladies Fingers) : 200 gms.

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp.

Red Chilli Powder : 2 Tbsp.

Tomato Puree : 3 Tbsp.

Tamarind Pulp : 1 Tbsp.

Jaggery : 1 Tbsp.

Curry Leaves : 8 nos.

Chopped Coriander Leaves : 2 Tbsp.


Method :

Cut the gourd, carrots, potatoes, brinjals into cubes. The cubes should be of the same size( 1 1/2" pieces). Snip off the ends of beans and cut into 2" pieces. Cut off the ends of the okra and give it a lengthwise slit. Then fry the okra till brown. Cut drumsticks into 2" pieces.
In a pot, heat 3 tbsp. of oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds and saute till the mustard seeds crackle. Then add the gram flour and saute till it is nicely browned. Then add about 3 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Now add the gourd cubes, florettes, carrot cubes, beans, drumsticks and potato cubes. Add salt to taste and cover and cook till almost done( about 75%).
Now add the brinjals and cover and cook again for 5 minutes.
Now add the fried okra, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomato puree, tamarind pulp, jaggery and curry leaves . Add salt to taste and let this cook for a few minutes. garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with white rice or a bread of your choice.

Sorpotel

This is another pork delicacy from Goa. This recipe uses both pork and pork liver. The main difference between this and the vindaloo recipe is that this one uses butter as a cooking fat instead of oil. There are two recipes that I have come across and I will provide both. The first one used East Indian bottle masala , whose recipe I will put up soon.
An Eat Indian wedding is incomplete without Sorpotel or Vindaloo on the menu.
The picture of Sarpotel is courtesy abcdz2000. You can check out his pictures on Flickr by clicking on this link here - abcdz2000


First Recipe :

Ingredients :

Pork : 1 Kg.

Pork Liver : 250 gm.

Dried Pork Blood : 1 Tbsp.

Garlic Pods : 2 no.

Ginger : 2" piece

Green chillies : 2-3 no.

Bottle Masala : 2 Tbsp.

Salt : to taste

Vinegar : 1-2 Tbsp.

Butter : 250 gm.

Oil : To fry the pork and liver

Method :

Cut the liver and pork into 1" pieces. Apply salt and fry in oil till brown. Then cool and cut into fine pieces. Chop ginger, garlic and green chillies.

In a handi/degchi, add butter and fry the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Then add the bottle masala and fry well. Now add the meat and vinegar and adjust the seasoning. Then cook on slow fire ( simmer) till done.

Second Recipe :

Ingredients :

Pork : 1 Kg.

Pork Liver : 250 gm.

Turmeric Powder (Haldi) : 1/2 Tsp.

Salt : To taste

Oil : to fry the pork and pork liver.

Butter : 250 gm.

Sliced Onions : 2 large no.

Chopped Tomatoes : 1 large no.

Dried Pork blood : 1 Tbsp.

Vinegar : 2 Tbsp.

For Masala Paste :

Dried Red Chillies : 6-8 no.

Black Peppercorns : 1 Tsp.

Cumin Seeds : 1 Tsp.

Cloves : 2-3 no.

Green Cardamom : 2 no.

Garlic Cloves : 5-6 no.

Ginger : 2" piece.

Method :

Cut the Pork and Pork Liver into fine cubes and fry in oil till brown. You have to fry them separately. Make a fine paste of the masala paste ingredients using water.
In a hand/degchi, add butter and saute slices onions till golden brown. Then add the tomatoes and saute and then add the masala paste. Fry the masala paste till the fat leaves the masala. Then add the pork, water and salt to taste and cover and simmer till pork is almost cooked. Then add the fried liver and the dried blood and cook for further 10 minutes.

Pork Vindaloo - A Goan pork recipe

This recipe was given to me by my dear friend Richlyn so other gourmets like me can enjoy this delectable recipe. This is an authentic hot and sour dish from the scenic region of Goa on the Western coast of India. The cuisine of this region, due to the occupation of the Portuguese, was in part influenced by them. This is one of the many recipes that have become a steady staple of this beautiful land. I hope to introduce you to some of the many famous recipes from this land of beaches.

Pork Vindaloo
Originally uploaded by Andrew Dyer

Ingredients :

Pork (with a 1/2" layer of fat) : 2 kg
Kashmiri red chillies (seeds removed) : 25-30 nos.
Garlic Cloves : 25 nos.
Cumin seeds : 3Tbs
Turmeric powder : 1 1/2 Tsp
Fresh ginger (optional) : 2" piece
Cinnamon -: 2" piece
Black Peppercorns -: 10 nos.
White vinegar : as required
Salt -: as required

Method :

Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes,apply salt and keep aside overnight. Next morning wash and dry the pork cubes with a towel. Grind the above given ingredients with vinegar to a fine paste. Apply the masala paste to pork and let it marinate in an earthen dish or bowl for over 8 hrs or overnight. Next day put the pork in a thick bottomed vessel and 1/2 bottle of vinegar and cook on slow fire till tender.

P.S. : A Vindaloo tastes better if it is allowed to 'pickle' for a day after being prepared.

I would like to thank Andrew Dyer and Rafi's Spice Box for the use of this picture. You can find more beautiful pictures by visiting his profile on Flickr.

Chicken Sukka(sukha)( Chicken Sauteed In A Spicy Masala )

Ingredients :

Chicken – 1 Kg

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2-4 Tbs

Malvani Masala – 4-6 Tbs

Oil - 3 Tb

Green Masala – 4 Tb

Salt – as required

For Green Masala:

Coriander Leaves - 1 bunch

Mint Leaves - 1/2 bunch

Green Chillies - 6 no.

Method :

For the green masala, make a smooth paste of all the ingredients.

Clean the chicken but leave the skin on. Then cut the chicken into 10-12 pieces. Make slashes/cuts on the chicken pieces. To the chicken pieces, add the green masala, ginger garlic paste, salt to taste and 2 Tb of malvani masala. Keep aside for about an hour.

In a kadai / wok add the oil, and when it’s hot, add the chicken pieces and sauté till they start to brown. Then add about 2 Tb of Malvani masala and a little water (1/4 cup) and cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid and sauté till the chicken is completely dry.

P.S. You can also put all ingredients together and marinate the chicken in it. In that case, use less amount of Malvani masala.Then barbeque it.

Photo courtesy MLON

Veg Kheema ( Spicy Cauliflower Mince )

Ingredients :

Cauliflower : 1/2 kg; Red Onions : 2-3 large;

Tomatoes : 3 large; Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 Tb;

Green Chillies : 2 no; Coriander Powder : 2 tsp;

Cumin Powder : 1 tsp; Red Chilli Powder : 1 Tb;

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp; Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 tsp;

Kasuri Methi Powder : 1/4 tsp; Chopped Coriander : 1Tb.

Oil : 2-3 Tb; Salt and Sugar to taste.

Method :

Chop the onions, green chillies and tomatoes as finely as possible. Grate the cauliflower using the large-sized holes of a grater.
In a heavy-bottomed pan add oil. Add the chopped onions and green chillies. Saute till the onions are translucent. Then add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 30 seconds. Then add all the powdered masalas except garam masala and saute ( sprinkle some water on the masalas to keep them from burning). Then add the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are completely mashed. Now add the grated cauliflower and saute for a couple of minutes. Now add salt and sugar to taste and cover and cook on low flame. When it is cooked and the chopped coriander, Kasuri Methi powder and the garam masala powder and mix well. Serve hot with a roti or rice of your choice.

Vegetable Samosa

Ingredients :

For The Dough :

Refined Flour : 300 gm; Fat to rub : 60 gm / 4 Tb;

Ajwain ( Bishop's Weed) : 1 tsp; Salt to taste

For The Filling :

Potatoes : 750 gm; Green Peas : 250 gm;

Cumin Seeds : 2 tsp; Ginger : 2" / 2 Tb; Onion : 1 large;

Fresh Green Chillies : 5-10 no; Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 tsp;

Chaat Masala : 1/2 tsp; Salt to taste; Chopped Coriander leaves : 1 Tb.

Oil for deep frying

Method :

The Dough : Sieve the flour and salt , add ajwain, make a well in the centre and pour the fat in it. Rub the fat into the flour. When it is well mixed, add water as required to make a semi-hard dough. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 6 portions and cover again for 15 more minutes.
The Filling : Boil the potatoes till done and peel and cut into small dices. Boil the fresh peas. Scrape and finely chop ginger. Finely chop the green chillies and the onion.
To the potatoes, add the peas, chopped coriander and chaat masala and garam masala powder. Roast the cumin seeds and roughly crush them and add to the potato mixture.
In a pan, take 1 Tb ghee / oil and add the chopped onion, ginger and chilli. Saute well and add to the potatoes. Add salt to taste. Mix well and divide into 12 portions. Keep aside.

The Stuffing : Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, flatten with a rolling pin and roll into an oval disc(6"-8"). Cut this disc in half to get 12 equal half ovals. Take one, Line the edges using water and seal to make a cone as shown in diagram. Stuff the filling in the cone and seal the top edge of the cone using water. Keep on a floured tray.
Heat oil in a kadhai / wok and deep fry the samosas over medium heat till golden brown.



P.S. If you find it hard to make a well shaped cone, you can also shape the dough like Calzone i.e. in a half-moon shape. Just roll the dough to form a round disc. Stuff the centre with the filling and fold the disc in half, sealing the edges with water. Crimp the edges with a fork to give it a nice design. Then deep fry as above.
For the health conscious : You can also make the dough using wholewheat flour. Make the dough as you would for purees.

Potatoes In Chilli Coconut Gravy

I was at a loss about what to do and the lunch hour was coming closer. I wanted to make a very light, easy to cook potato dish and wanted something that takes little time to cook. And suddenly I remembered a dish that my aunt used to make; a native dish with chillies and fresh coconut. That was it! So I made it today and it was an instant hit.
Ingredients :

Potatoes : 250 gm; Fresh Grated Coconut : 150-200 gm;

Green Chillies : 5-6 no; Garlic Cloves : 4-5 no; Ginger : 1 inch;

Turmeric Powder (haldi) : 1/2 Tsp; Onion : 1 no; Oil as required;

Salt to taste; Juice of half a lime; Chopped Coriander : 1Tb.

Method :

Boil potatoes till done and cut into cubes. Finely chop the onion. Make a paste of coconut, chilli, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
In hot oil, saute the onion till translucent. Now add the potatoes, the paste, salt and lime juice and let it cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander.
P.S. Those who are interested can use Kokum(Cocum) instead of the lime juice.