Beetroot Kurma

Beetroot Kurma is a very flavorful dish and makes a good accompaniment to Indian flat bread like roti, parota etc. This dish is inspired from Vahrehvah. First time when I saw his video recipe, I was very eager to try. I was not very confident of the outcome but I trust all his recipes. They never disappoint me and same happened with this too. We polished off our plates and that tells how tasty it was! I have made this so many times after that.

Making this curry is little involved but its worth at the end. I have omitted few of the ingredients from the original recipe. Don't get intimidated by looking at the list of ingredients required. Try making it and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Beetroot, cubed - 1 cup
• Potato, big sized - 1
• Tomato, medium sized- 1
• Frozen Green Peas - 1/2 cup
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Oil - 2-3 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1-2
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Ginger- garlic paste- 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Yogurt (curd)- 1/4 cup
• Cilantro (Coriander leaves) - 4-5 sprigs
• Salt- To taste

For Masala:

• Dry Red chilli - 4-5
• Whole Garam Masala*
• Coriander seeds- 1 Tbsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds (Saunf)- 1/2 tsp
• Cashew pieces - 2 Tbsp
• Grated Coconut, Fresh/frozen - 1/4 cup

*I added cloves- 3, cardamom- 2, cinnamon- 1 inch piece, star anise- 2 petals

Procedure:

Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under 'For Masala', except grated coconut. Once you get a nice aroma turn off the heat. 

Allow it to cool. Then grind them along with coconut to get a smooth paste (add little water while grinding).

Wash the veggies (beetroot, potato, onion, tomato, cilantro) and chop them (The beetroot cubes should be smaller than potato as they take more time to cook).

Heat oil in a kadai. Add bay leaf. Then add chopped onions. Fry until translucent. 

Then add curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Fry until the rawness of ginger- garlic goes away. Then add beetroot cubes and potato cubes.Mix well.

Then add ground masala, curd, salt and enough water. Mix well. 

Finally add chopped tomato and green peas (at this point you can also add red chilli powder, if needed).

Mix it well and close the lid. Cook it for 30 minutes on a medium- low flame or until the beetroot is cooked. Stir the mixture in between and add water if it thickens. Once cooked turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped cilantro. 

Beetroot Kurma is ready!!

Serve it hot with roti or any Indian flat bread. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

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Capsicum Masala (Bell Pepper Curry)

Capsicum Masala is a simple yet flavorful side dish. I got this recipe from my SIL. I had this dish during my recent visit to their home. I really liked the idea of coconut paired with peanuts which gives a nice thickness to the gravy. I have been thinking of posting this since months and somehow it always remained in my 'to-do' list. So finally made up my mind and made it. This was my first try in making it and my husband loved it too. Trust me it goes very well with rotis or phulkas. If you are thinking of impressing your guests or loved ones then this is 'the dish'. Go for it!! :-)

Ingredients:

• Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper), big sized- 1
• Oil- 2 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds (methi)- 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves- Few
• Red Chilli powder- To taste
• Jaggery- 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Tamarind- A small piece
• Salt- To taste

For Dry Roasting:

• Peanuts (groundnuts)- 3 Tbsp
• Grated Coconut, fresh/frozen- 2 Tbsp
• Coriander seeds- 1 1/2 tsp
• Black Sesame seeds- 1 tsp

Procedure:

Dry roast all the ingredients one by one (until they turn light brown) as listed under "For Dry Roasting". Allow them to cool.

While it is cooling, wash the bell pepper and then cut them into thick strips (or any shape of your choice). Discard the seeds.

Now take all the dry roasted ingredients in a blender along with tamarind and grind it. Add little water so as to get a smooth paste.

Now take a pan and heat 1 Tbsp of oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Fry for few seconds and then add the bell pepper strips. Mix well. Fry it until it gets slighted roasted. Then transfer the whole thing to a plate. 

Now in the same pan add the remaining oil and add the ground paste, red chilli powder. Fry it until it becomes thick.

Now add good amount of water and mix well. To this add jaggery and salt.

Finally add the seasoned roasted bell pepper to this gravy.

Mix well and cover. Let it cook in the gravy on medium heat for 8- 10 minutes. Give a stir in between and check if water is required. The final consistency of the dish is medium thick (keep in mind that the gravy thickens as it cools down). 

Capsicum Masala is ready!!

Serve it hot along with chapathi or phulkas or naan. Above measurement serves 2-3 people.

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Bhindi- Pepper Fry ( Okra- Peppercorn Fry)

Bhindi- Pepper Fry is a simple side dish. I got this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's website. Sanjeev Kapoor needs no introduction. He is one of my favorite chef. The first time I made it, we were just amazed. Just felt that with just few ingredients, less time, one can surely turn it into a beautiful side dish!! This has become one of our favorites now :-)

I Just loved the combination of okra and pearl onions. The coconut oil and peppercorns just takes this dish to a different level. Trust me when eating this you will really think that the effort put in peeling the onions was worth :-)

Ingredients:

• Okra (Ladies Finger)- 30-35
• Pearl Onions (small onions)- 250g
• Peppercorn, freshly ground- To taste
• Green chilli, chopped- 1-2 (I skipped)
• Coconut Oil- 1-2 Tbsp
• Tamarind paste- 1/2 tsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Peel the pearl onions and cut them into half (soak it in water for an hour for easy peeling).

Wash the okras and pat them dry. Then chop off  both the ends of each okra and cut them into strips.

Now heat coconut oil in a pan and then add cut onions and fry it for a minute. 

Then add the sliced green chillies and okra. Mix well. Fry this mixture for five minutes. 

Finally add salt, crushed peppercorns and tamarind paste. 

Mix well. If the okras looks cooked, then turn off the heat. Bhindi- Pepper Fry is ready!!

Serve it hot with rotis or phulkas. Above measurement serves two people.

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Baby Brinjal (Eggplant) Dry Curry (Peanut Based)

Baby Brinjal Dry Curry is a Maharashtrian recipe. I got this recipe from my cousin sister. Both of us are don't like brinjals and hence we not get them. Couple of years back, we had this curry at my cousins place and totally loved them. I noted down the recipe and also made it for a potluck and it was a hit. So this way brinjals got an entry in my kitchen.

This Curry calls for Maharashtrian garam masala (goda masala) and trust me it sure makes a difference in this dish (My cousin sis has also given me a big batch of home made goda masala and I am loving it :-) ) Do give this a try and I am sure you will love it too!

Ingredients:

• Baby Brinjal (eggplant)- 10
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Tomato, big sized- 1
• Coriander leaves (cilantro)- 10- 12 sprigs
• Peanuts (groundnuts)- 1/3 cup
• Oil- 3-4 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds- 3/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Curry leaves- 1 sprig
• Ginger- Garlic Paste- 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
• Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder- To taste
• Goda Masala (or garam masala)- 1 Tbsp
• Jaggery- 1 tsp (optional)
• Grated coconut, fresh/ frozen- 2 Tbsp
• Salt- To taste

Procedure:

Take a kadai and start frying the peanuts on a medium flame. Once it turns slight brown, turn off the heat and allow it to cool. Now remove the peel and break open the peanuts using your hands and then grind it to get a coarse powder.

Then chop the onion, tomato and cilantro.

Now chop off the stalk of the washed brinjals.

Then Slit them all the way through as shown in the picture.

Now heat oil in a big pan and then add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add cumin seeds. Then add curry leaves, chopped onion. Fry it for a minute and then add the ginger- garlic paste. Fry it until it turns slight brown. 

Then add in the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, goda masala and coarsely ground peanuts. 

Mix well and then add chopped tomato, salt and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Then finally add the grated coconut, jaggery, chopped coriander leaves and baby brinjals.

Add enough water and then close it with a lid and continue heating until the brinjals are cooked (add water in little amounts as this is a dry curry and most of the water added has to cook down). Then turn off the heat.

Baby Brinjal Dry Curry is ready!!

Serve it hot with roti or chapathis or jeera rice. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

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Potato- Onion Curry (Coconut Based)

Potato- Onion Curry is a simple coconut based dish. I got this recipe from my mother. Potato is a universal vegetable. Addition of potatoes to any dish makes it very tasty. The potatoes taste amazingly good when they are deep fried or roasted. I was not a big fan of potato. But I have started to like it as I am married to a 'potato lover' family.

I grew eating this curry. My mother used to make this whenever she made chapathis. She has been making this for years but she doesn't remember the source of the recipe. Indeed this is a unique dish because the basic konkani masala is paired with garam masala (In konkani dishes we never use garam masala). I made this for the first time and the first bite into it took me down the memory lane. It had been years since I ate this. For the first time this curry tasted amazingly good. My husband liked this a lot. So at the end it was worth a try for me :-)

Ingredients:

• Potato, medium sized- 4
• Onion, medium sized- 1
• Grated Coconut, fresh/ frozen- 2/3 cup
• Roasted Dry Red chilli- 3-4
• Tamarind- A small piece (gooseberry sized)
• Garam masala- 1 tsp (adjust accordingly)
• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 3/4 tsp
• Curry leaves- Few

Procedure:

Wash and peel the potatoes. Then cut them into small cubes. You can add them in a bowl containing water (to avoid browning). Then chop the onions as well (not too fine though).

Then start heating water in a pot (enough to cook four potatoes). Add salt to it. Once its hot, add the potato cubes, chopped onion and close it with a lid. Allow it to cook for 10- 15 minutes. While the potato, onion is cooking, prepare the masala.

For the masala: Take grated coconut along with roasted red chillies and tamarind in a mixer jar.

Grind them to get a smooth paste. Add water as required while grinding to get a thick paste.

Add this masala to the cooked potato- Onion mixture (they should turn soft yet hold their shape. Don't overcook the potato cubes). Bring it to a boil. Add more salt, if required. Mix well. Then finally add the garam masala powder.

Once it comes to a boil, continue heating for 3-4 more minutes and turn off the heat. The final consistency of the dish should be thick (I kept it little bit on medium thick). Then finally add the seasoning.

For Seasoning: Heat oil. Then add mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and turn off the heat. Add this to the prepared curry and mix well. Potato- Onion Curry is ready!!

Serve it hot with Chapathi or phulkas. Above measurement serves 3-4 people.

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