Dahi Bhendi (Yoghurt Okra)

This tangy dish tastes great with hot Chapatis.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ghee
500 gms okra, cut the tops
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tomato, chopped into small cubes
pinch of asafoedita
1/2 tsp whole cumin
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies, slit
1 tbsp curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3-4 tbsp yogurt, lightly beaten
1 tsp gram flour, sifted
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a deep saucepan, add mustard seeds, cumin and asafoedita, once it starts to splutter add curry leaves and chillies, fry for few minutes.

2. Add the onions and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the spices and stir well.

3. Add the okra and stir till well coated with the spice mix. Cook for few minutes before adding tomatoes.

4. Mix together the yogurt and gram flour, beat lightly and then add to the okra. Stir quickly. Add little water if gravy is required. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until okra is tender. Serve hot.

Pumpkin Bhaji

Ingredients:

1/2 pumpkin, deseeded, peeled and cut into small chunks
1-2 dried red chillies, halved
2 onions, chopped 
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 inch ginger, grated
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1 tsp garam masala
1-2 tbps grated dessicated coconut
1 tbsp tomato puree
Salt & pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan, add red chillies, chopped garlic and ginger. Sauté for few minutes, care not to burn.

2. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add the turmeric and garam masala, mix well.

3. Add the pumpkin, stir till coated with the masala. Season well. Add the tomato puree.

4. Sprinkle the dessicated coconut and stir. Add little water and cook until the pumpkin has just little bite left,don't over cook. Check seasoning before serving.

Egg Curry

A spicy and tangy egg curry made with basic ingredients. The curry sauce recipe can be used as a base for any vegetable/meat curry.

Ingredients:

6-8 eggs, boiled and halved
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp whole cumin
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 inch ginger, chopped finely
1 dried red chilli
2 green chillies, slit
2 onions, chopped finely
2 vine tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp garam masala
2-4 Kokum seeds ( you can use tamarind pulp instead)
1 tsp vinegar
Freshly chopped coriander
Salt for seasoning

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep saucepan, add whole cumin, bay leaf and red chilli. Once it starts to splutter add the chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies. Stir so it does not burn.

2. Add the chopped onions, sauté until lightly golden. Mix in the tomatoes and stir. Cook until the oil separates and the mixture is softened.

3. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, pepper  powder and kokum seeds. Stir well.

4. Mix in the tomato purée and vinegar. Season accordingly.

5. Once the gravy boils, turn heat to medium. Add the eggs, take care not to break the eggs or seperate the yolks. 

6. Sprinkle garam masala and coriander powder. Turn off heat. Check for seasoning, serve hot.

Stuffed Aubergine (EggPlant) curry

This recipe can be made and served dry or with little gravy.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg small Aubergines

For the stuffing:

6-8 prawns, deveined and chopped into small pieces
1 onion, chopped finely
1/2 vine tomato, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/4 inch ginger, chopped finely
1 green chilli, chopped finely
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp recheado masala (Click link for recipe)

1 tsp vinegar

Freshly chopped coriander

Salt & pepper for seasoning

For the gravy

2 onions, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

1/2 vine tomato, chopped finely

1 green chilli, slit

1 tsp recheado masala

Salt & pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Wash the aubergines, and make slits in them for stuffing.

2. In a pan, heat oil, add the chopped green chilli, garlic and ginger, toss for few seconds and then add onions. Once onions are lightly browned add the chopped tomato. Stir well until tomato is softened.

3. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander powder. Mix and then add the prawns, stir till well coated.

4. Add the recheado masala and vinegar, stir. Season accordingly. Cook till prawns are done. Take off the heat and sprinkle chopped coriander and cool.

5. Once the stuffing is cooled stuff it into the aubergines. Leftover stuffing will be used for the gravy.

6. In the same pan, heat little oil and lightly fry the aubergines.

7. In a saucepan, heat oil, fry the onions, garlic , chilli and tomato until softened. Add the recheado masala and season. If there is any stuffing left add that too. Add little water for a light gravy.

8. Once the gravy starts to boil, add the aubergines. Cover and cook for few minutes until gravy thickens. Once aubergines are cooked serve. Check for seasoning.

Crab Piri-Piri

An exciting crab dish ready in few minutes.

Ingredients:

4-5 blue crabs, cleaned, halved, add salt and keep aside
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 inch ginger, chopped finely
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 dried kashmiri chillies
2 small red onions, chopped finely
2 vine tomatoes, chopped finely
1/2 tsp whole cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp piri- piri sauce ( can be omitted if you do not have it or use Goan Recheado masala for Goan flavour) 
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2-3 dried kokum seeds
1 tsp paprika powder
freshly chopped coriander
Salt & Pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. In a deep thick bottomed pan, heat oil, add the cumin seeds, once they start to splutter, add the chopped ginger, garlic,green chillies  and dried red chillies.

2. Add the onions, once they start to soften add the tomatoes. Cook until the oil separates and turns nearly into a paste. Add in the coriander, turmeric powder and kokum seeds. Cook for few minutes.

3. Stir in the piri-piri sauce and tomato ketchup. Add the crabs and stir till well coated.

4. Add little water if required. Sprinkle the paprika powder and check for seasoning. Cover and cook on low heat until crabs are done.

5. Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander and serve hot.