Spicy Green Jackfruit Curry

          This spicy Green Jackfruit Curry is a great side dish with either rice or chapattis. I have added some store bought Maggi bhuna masala, that I purchased during my recent visit to India. Along with it went some tomato ketchup and a fair amount of red chili powder as I wanted it really spicy. 

          To cut down the spicyness and make it more chatpata and tangy, just add a dash of lime. It really tastes yummy and delicious. I prepared it dry but if some gravy is needed, add required amount of water. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 small Kathal (Green Jackfruit), cut into big chunks
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 3 onions, chopped
• maggi bhuna masala pack
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp. tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the jackfruit pieces in enough water for 3 whistles. Drain and cut them into small cubes.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Saute for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Then add the tomatoes and cook till it is slightly mashed. 

          Add the bhuna masala, tomato ketchup, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Fry till oil separates.

          Now add the boiled jackfruit cubes, green peas and salt. Mix everything well and saute on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          (Do not add any water). Add the coriander leaves and combine well. Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

   Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms 

& cloves. Saute for a few seconds.

Add onion & fry till light brown.

Add tomatoes & fry till it is mashed.

Add bhuna masala, followed......

....by turmeric powder, red chili powder & tomato ketchup.

Add boiled jackfruit, green peas & salt. Combine well.

Saute on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Do not add any water.

                                Add coriander leaves & mix well. 

Serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.

Begun Diye Rui Macher Jhol (Fish Curry with Eggplants - Bengali Style)

         This is a traditional and an everyday Bengali fish curry prepared along with eggplants. It are best relished with hot steamed rice and a dash of fresh lime. It is a common dish found on a Bengali platter. You can also make this simple fish curry along with potatoes, parwal (pointed gourd) or green papaya too. Here in this recipe I have used Rohu variety, which is a river water fish and is very commonly used.

• 4-5 pieces of Rui (Rohu Fish)
• 2 long eggplants, sliced into 4
• 3-4 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 5-10 minutes. Heat oil in  a pan and shallow fry the fish till golden in colour. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with panch phoron, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and green chilies. Saute for a few seconds. Add the eggplants and fry till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder and coriander-cumin powder mixed with a little water. Saute till the oil separates.

          Add 2 cups water and salt. Bring it to a boil. Now add the fried fish. Cover and simmer on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes.

         When done, add the garam masala powder and ghee. Give it a stir and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve on a bed of steamed hot rice, accompanied with some lime wedges.

Sooji & Custard Halwa (Semolina & Custard Pudding)

          Sooji halwa is an easy and a quick dessert which can be prepared in no time. It is a very common sweet dish that is prepared in any festival and it can also be enjoyed as it is or with poori. The latter tastes simply delicious. The same is also known as Rava Kesari down South. 

          Today I added some custard powder to the sooji and finished it off with some rose water to enhance the flavour. Garnish this halwa with some chopped nuts and have them preferably at room temperature or warm. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 litre milk
• 1/2 cup sooji (semolina)
• 6 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 heaped tbsp. custard powder (any flavour)
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1-2 tbsp. pistachios & cashews, chopped
• 1 tbsp. rose water (opt)

          In a bowl, mix together custard powder and 1/2 cup milk to a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

          Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole cardamoms followed by the sooji. Lightly roast on a low flame till you get a nice aroma.

          Add the sugar and the chopped nuts (leave aside few for garnishing). Mix well and add the remaining milk.

          Stir continuously on a medium to low flame till it gets slightly thick. Now add the custard mix and keep stirring. It will thicken immediately. 

          Switch off the flame and add the rose water. Garnish with the remaining nuts and serve as it is or with pooris.

                    Heat ghee & add cardamoms, then sooji. Roast till you get a nice aroma.

                                Add powdered sugar and....

                                ..... chopped nuts (keep aside few for garnishing).

                              Add milk & simmer on a low flame till it turns slightly thick.

                                Add custard mix & combine well.

                                It will thicken. Switch off the flame & add rose water.

                               Serve, garnished with remaining chopped nuts.

Achari Baingan Ki Kadhi (Fried Eggplant in Pickle Flavoured Yoghurt Sauce)

          Kadhi is a very common dish in the menu platter of any North Indian homes. It is a sort of a comfort food and is best relished with steamed rice or any flavored rice. Some people enjoy them with chapattis or any Indian bread too. 
         
          They are sometimes served plain or with pakoras (fried fritters) / veggies added to it. Today I decided to add in some fried eggplants in an achari (Pickles) based yoghurt sauce. The end result was simply yummy and I enjoyed it with steamed rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 long eggplant, cut into roundels
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp. besan (gram flour)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp. bottled mango pickle (or any other pickle)
• 1 tbsp. oil for tempering
• required quantity of oil to shallow fry
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• coriander leaves to garnish (opt)

          Marinate the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder and leave aside for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, besan, water, salt and pickle masala. Keep aside.

          Heat oil for shallow frying and and fry them till golden brown on both sides. Drain and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow it to splutter. Then add the asafoetida followed by the onions. Sauté till light brown.

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the remaining powdered spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Fry till oil separates. Add the yoghurt mix and bring it to boil.

          Simmer on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till it turns slightly thick to the desired consistency. Stir at intervals.

          While serving, arrange the fried eggplants on a serving dish and pour the kadhi over it. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with plain rice, jeera rice, pulao, chapatti or any Indian bread.

                                  Shallow fry the eggplants & keep aside.

                                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds & cumin seeds.

                               Add asafoetida followed by the onions. Sauté till light brown.

                          Add ginger-garlic paste & all dry spices mixed with some water. 
                          Sauté till oil separates. 

                        Add yoghurt mix & bring to a boil. Then simmer on a med. flame 
                        till slightly thick or till desired consistency.

                   While serving, arrange the eggplants on a dish & pour the kadhi over it. 
                   Enjoy with any form of rice or Indian bread.

Zunka (Gram Flour Curry - Maharashtrian Style)

          Zunka is a simple gram flour curry that is a common staple diet in rural Maharashtra.  It is also popular in Karnataka. There are many versions to this recipe, where it is made dry or in a semi-liquid form called Pithale. 

          Traditionally it is had with Bhakri (jowar / white millet / sorghum flour chapati). But it can be relished with plain chapatti or any Indian bread too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.  

• 1/2 cup besan (Gram flour)
• 4-5 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped (save few for garnishing)
• 2-3 onions, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder (dry roasted & ground)
• 1 tsp. coriander powder (dry roasted & ground)
• 1 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 cup spring onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. lime juice

          Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with the mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter. Then add the cumin seeds and asafoetida, followed by ginger-garlic paste and coriander leaves.

          Fry on a medium flame till light brown. Now add the onions and salt. Continue to sauté till light brown.

          Then add all the dry spices (except salt). Fry till oil separates. Add the spring onions and give it a stir. Sauté for a minute.

           Now add the besan and mix everything well.   Keep sprinkling water and cooking, covered on a low flame for 3-5 minutes till it is nice and crumbly.

          When done, add the lime juice and serve, garnished with coriander leaves. Enjoy with bhakri (jowar / finger millet chapatti) or any Indian bread.


        

                               Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Allow it to crackle.

Add cumin seeds & asafoetida, followed by ginger-garlic paste...

.....and coriander leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add onions & salt. Fry till light brown.

Add all the other dry spices & mix well.

                                Add spring onion & give it a stir. Stir fry for a minute.

                                Add besan (gram flour) & mix everything well.

                                Keep sprinkling water & cooking on a low flame.

                               Cover & cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring at intervals till done.

                          Add lime juice & mix well. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves.

                             Garnish with coriander leaves & serve with chapatis or bhakri.

Baingan Palak Bharta (Smoky Eggplant - Spinach Curry - South Indian Fusion Style)

       
          Baingan Bharta is very popular and an integral part of a Punjabi platter. It is a very easy side dish where the eggplant is grilled on an open flame till it is charred, peeled, mashed and then stir fried. It is best enjoyed with chapattis or tandoori roti. 

          But today I prepared the same old Baingan Bharta with a twist in a South Indian Style. I also added some chopped spinach (for a healthy touch), sambar powder and curry leaves, besides other dry spices. The end result was simply yummy with a different flavour. You may also add some chopped tomatoes if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.


          

• 1 large Eggplant 
• 1-2 bunches spinach, chopped along with the stems
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped finely
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped finely
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder 
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• sliced onion, coriander leaves, fresh lime & fresh chilies 

           Slit the eggplant into half but let it remain intact. Apply few drops of oil all over it as this helps to peel the skin off easily.

          Roast on an open flame till the skin is charred. Cool and peel the skin off. Mash well and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with the mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Then add the onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chilies. Sauté till light brown. Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. 

          Now add the chopped spinach and stir fry on a medium flame till the moisture has evaporated.

          Add the mashed eggplant and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes. When done, switch off the flame and garnish with sliced onion, fresh lime, fresh chilies & coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with any Indian flat bread.

                      Roast eggplant on an open flame till the skin is charred. Cool & peel
                      the skin off. 

                       Mash well & keep aside.

                      Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter. Then add 
                      cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown.

                       Add all the dry spices and give it a stir. 

                      Add chopped spinach & stir fry on a medium flame till the moisture
                      has evaporated.

                      Add mashed eggplant & salt. Mix well & sauté for 2-3 minutes.

                   Garnish with sliced onion, fresh lime, fresh chilies & coriander leaves & enjoy 
                   with any Indian flat bread.