Aloo baingan (potato and eggplant)

Original Recipe: Manjula’s Kitchen

Manjula’s Kitchen is the very first site that I came across with onion, garlic free recipes. She even provides step by step video… I’ve tried many of her delicious recipes and here is one of my personal favourite (of course, with a few personalising).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium purple eggplant, un-peeled, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2″ cubes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 chopped green chili (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric paste
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• Salt -to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
2. Frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one piece of potato in the oil. The potato should sizzle right away. If vegetables are fried in low heat they will be very oily.
3. Fry the potatoes till they are cooked through, turn the potatoes few times while frying. Take out potatoes with a slotted spoon (this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan) and place on a paper towel.
4. Test the oil again with a piece of eggplant. Fry the eggplant pieces same way.
5. Heat the 1-tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
6. After they splutter, add the chopped green chillies, stir, then add the turmeric paste and stir-fry for a minute until you see the oil start to separate from the paste.
7. Add chilli and coriander powder to the paste with a little water and keep stirring on low flame.
8. Add chopped tomatoes stir-fry for a minute.
9. Add fried potatoes and eggplant mix it gently, let it simmer for three to four minute on medium low heat.
10. The gravy should be not very dry if needed add three to four spoons of water.
11. Turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro mix it well.

Spicy Spinach Stir-fried with Tofu Skin

INGREDIENTS

• Dried tofu skin, soaked in water and drained - 2 sheets
• Fresh ginger, sliced - 3
• Red finger-length chili, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced  - 1
• Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Water - 2 tbsp
• Vegetarian seasoning powder - 1 tsp
• Spinach, rinsed well, thick stems removed, leaves cut into segments - 225g
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Sesame seed oil - 2 tsp

METHOD

1. Slice the soaked tofu skins into strips. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat until very hot, stir-fry the ginger and chilies. Add the tofu skin and carrot. Stir-fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the salt, sugar and 2 tbsp of water. Cover with lid, reduce the heat to low and cook 5 mins.
4. Add seasoning powder, stir to mix, and put in the spinach, black pepper, and sesame oil an stir-fry for another 3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the stalks are cooked through.

Steamed Tofu with Soy

INGREDIENTS

• Sesame oil - 1 tsp
• Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce - 2 tbsp
• Firm tofu - 500g, drained
• Fresh ginger, julienned - 1 1/2 tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

METHOD

1. Combine the oil, soy sauce and dark soy sauce in a bowl. Cut the tofu in half width ways, then into triangles. Place on a plate and pour on the sauce. Marinate for 30 minutes, turning the tofu once.
2. Sprinkle the ginger over the tofu. Place the plate on a wire rack over a wok or saucepan of simmering water. Cover and steam for 3-4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the fresh coriander leaves, then cover and steam for 3 minutes.

Tofu Sambal

INGREDIENTS

• Firm Tofu, fried - 2
• Chili paste - 2 tbsp (adjust according to your taste)
• Turmeric paste - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 2
• Black peppercorn - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel powder - 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 1 tbsp

METHOD

1. Heat about 4 tbsp oil in a wok and add cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorn and fennel seeds.
2. When it began to splutter, add chili paste and let it simmer till oil separates from the chili paste.
3. Then, add turmeric paste and let it simmer for a while.
4. Add the fried tofu, fennel powder and salt. Keep stirring till tofu is well coated in the chili paste.
5. Remove and garnish with coriander leaves.

If the sambal is very oily (you can see the oil separately in the dish), scoop out the access oil before serving. 

Plantain Chips aka valakai poriyal

Plantain chips are my all time favourite. Even while I'm snapping this picture I couldn't help munching on it. Apart from being so crunchy and yummy, its highly nutritious too. Plantain is a good source of potassium and vitamin A & C. Its high in dietary fiber and also energy booster as its high in carbohydrates.

You can have it as a side-dish or just as snacks. Great for picnics too.

Whats more special is that its soooooooo easy to make:

• Slice the plantain (the more thinner, more crunchier)
• Rub in enough salt and chili powder to cover all the plantain
• Deep fry it and enjoy

Just remember to store it in AIR TIGHT container for long last crunchiness.

Beans+Tofu Stir-Fry

Read my previous post? Actually, I did not stop there. Once the beans was cooked, I off the stove to take a few shots. Then on it again, mashed a tofu into the beans, add turmeric & cumin powder and this is what I have:

INGREDIENTS

• Beans, halved and cut into 1 inch - 200gm
• Ginger, chopped - 1 tbsp
• Red chili, chopped - 1
• Firm tofu - 1
• Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

METHOD

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry ginger and chili
2. Then add beans, stir, sprinkle some water and cover.
3. Once the beans is cooked, mash the tofu and add into the beans.
4. Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt and keep stirring on high flame till the tofu is cooked.
5. The dish should be dry and not watery. 

Beans Stir-Fry

INGREDIENTS

• Beans, halved and cut into 1 inch - 200gm
• Ginger, chopped - 1 tbsp
• Red chili, chopped - 1
• Vegetable seasoning powder or vegetarian oyster sauce - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste

METHOD

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and fry ginger and chili
2. Then add beans, stir, sprinkle some water and cover.
3. When half cooked, season with vegetable seasoning powder and salt.
4. Cover and let it cook.

Butternut squash

This is a butternut squash recipe but I don't know what to call it because mom never gave it a name. All I know is, this is how squash is cooked at home. Only this way. Squash was never used in any other dish. Not that I'm complaining. This is the way I like it! Yes, I love it. I pair it with sambar, sothi or rasam.

A word of caution: this dish taste sweet. What else can you expect? Squash is sweet. Anyway, those with no sweet tooth, add up on the chili powder.

INGREDIENTS

• Butternut squash, peeled & cubed - 2 cup
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Dry red chili - 2
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
• Brown sugar - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a wok and add cumin and mustard seeds.
2. When they splutter, add asafoetida, curry leaves and dry chilies.
3. Then add the cubed squash, give a good stir, sprinkle some water and cover.
4. When its half cooked, add chili powder, brown sugar and salt and stir.
5. Sprinkle more water, cover n let it cook till its mushy.

Mint Sauce Salad

A crunchy salad in no time

This is a very easy salad. You can make it anytime and it goes well with any dish or on its own. It is best served chilled. 

The type of veges used in this recipe is only as a guideline. Choose veges that you like to have in a salad. Just chop it up and sprinkle with a few drop of mint sauce. Toss and refrigerate.

Mint sauce is available in most supermarkets. Alternatively, you can make your own mint sauce. See recipe below.

SALAD INGREDIENTS

• Lettuce, chopped - 1 cup
• Carrot, grated - 1/2 cup
• Cucumber, chopped - 1 cup
• Tomato, chopped - 1 cup
• Red Capsicum - 1/4 cup

METHOD

• Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle a few drop of mint sauce.
• Toss and refrigerate.
• Serve chilled

MINT SAUCE RECIPE

Ingredients

• Fresh mint leaves, chopped - 2 tbsp
• Vinegar - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

Method

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients. Let it sit for a few minutes before sprinkling on the salad.

Potato Masala Varuval

Original recipe by Chef PS Kadam

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes - 500g

Mustard seeds - 1 pinch

White lentils (urad dhal) - 1 pinch

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Curry leaves - 2 stalk

Dry chillies, quartered - 2

Ginger, chopped - 15g

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Cumin powder - 1 pinch

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves, chopped - 5g

Garam masala - 1 pinch

METHOD

1. Wash potatoes, peel and cut into cubes. Boil three quarter done and drain water. Deep-fry potatoes, drain well and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in pan. Saute mustard seeds, white lentils, asafoetida and curry leaves till they crackle.
3. Add dry chilies and ginger, and saute till half done.
4. Put in fried potatoes and toss for about 5 seconds then remove from flame.
5. Add chili powder, black pepper powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt, half of the coriander leaves and garam masala.
6. Keep on flame and toss for 1 minute. Remove from flame and check the taste.

If the potatoes are fried crisp, the taste will be even better. Control the flame to prevent the masala from getting burnt. This dish should be dry, hot and crunchy.