Yearly Archives: 2021

Sheviyo Idiyappam String Hoppers


Sheviyo or Shevigo also known as Idiyappam or string hopper is made with ground rice steamed and then pressed into a hand held sev mould or a typical stand alone shevigo equipment.  In Kerala, Tamil Nadu etc Idiyappam is made of rice flour mixed with hot water 2:1 proportion with salt and little oil and kneaded to a soft dough.  The dough balls are then put in the sev mould and pressed onto idli trays and steamed.

I have illustrated the Mangalorean and Goan style of making the Sheviyo i.e. soaking rice, grind to a paste then steaming the batter as a rice cake which is then cut into pieces and pressed as string hoppers with a sev mould.

It can be eaten as a sweet dish for breakfast or a teatime snack garnish with chunn i.e. a jaggery coconut filling or with sweet ros i.e. coconut milk and jaggery mixture.

As a savoury dish serve them with any coconut milk (Roce) curry like chicken or mutton or vegetable stew.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups boiled rice or 1 cup basmati and one cup boiled mixed
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste

Coconut Jaggery (Chunn) filling

  • 1 cup fresh grated coconut
  • ½ cup jaggery grated
  • ¼ tsp. cardamom powder

Coconut Jaggery Milk

  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • ½ cup jaggery or to taste
  • ¼ tsp. cardamom powder

Wash and soak the rice for atleast 6 hours.  Gridn to a smooth paste, add salt, mix and transfer to a cake tin to steam.  Set the steamer and when the water boils place the dish with the rice batter on the steamer and steam for 20 to 25 minutes on medium high.  To check if done, pierce a knife and should come out clean.  Cut the rice cake into large pieces and press the pieces through a sevio or sev (ghatia/chakli) mould using the plate with large holes (if you prefer thinner strands, use the plate with smaller holes) and press like noodles into small circular heaps. 

To make the chunn – heat a pan and add the grated jaggery, add a little water to speed up melting and cook till fully dissolved.  Add the coconut and cook for a minute, then add the cardamom powder and keep aside till required.

To make the sweet milk – Heat the coconut milk till it reaches boiling point and then add the jaggery and simmer till dissolved.  Add cardamom powder, mix and take off heat.

Serve with coconut jaggery filling or sweet coconut milk for breakfast or as teatime snack and with chicken or mutton curry or vegetable stew for lunch or dinner.

Kashmiri Rogan Josh


Rogan josh or roghan josh or roghan ghosht, is an aromatic curried meat dish of Kashmiri origin. It is made with red meat, traditionally lamb or goat. It is coloured and flavoured primarily by alkanet flower or root and Kashmiri chilies. It is one of the signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine.

Rogan josh is a staple of Kashmiri cuisine and is one of the main dishes of the Kashmiri multicourse meal (the wazwan). The dish was originally brought to Kashmir by the Mughals, whose cuisine was, in turn, influenced by Persian cuisine. The unrelenting summer heat of the Indian plains took the Mughals frequently to Kashmir, which has a cooler climate because of its elevation and latitude.

While the traditional preparation uses whole dried chilies that are de-seeded, soaked in water, and ground to a paste, non-traditional shortcuts use either Kashmiri chili powder – source: Wikipedia

I was inspired to try this dish after watching Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film Shikara (a 2020 film) where the protagonist is shown cooking and then announcing to her husband the Rogan Josh is ready! The film is based on the love story of a Kashmiri Pandit couple at the peak of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1990s and the subsequent exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley

A fairly simple recipe, without onions, garlic and a minimum of spices!

Ingredients

  • 1 kg. Mutton
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • ½ bunch coriander leaves
  • 2” pc ginger, chopped
  • 2 tsp. chilli powder or to taste
  • Pinch of asafoetida
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1” pc. Cinnamon
  • 2 cardamoms
  • 2 cloves
  • 4 peppercorns
  • Pinch of nutmeg powder
  • ½ tsp. mace
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. saffron
  • 2 tsp. hot milk
  • 4 tsp. ghee

Clean and cut mutton into large to medium pieces.  Beat yogurt and mix with coriander leaves, ginger, chilli powder and asafoetida.  Marinate the mutton with the yogurt mixture for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, grind all the ingredients from cumin to mace to a smooth paste by adding a little water.  Heat crush and soak saffron in milk.  Heat ghee and add the mutton with the marinade.  Cook on moderate heat till all the water dries up. Will take 15 to 20 minutes. Cook further stirring constantly till ghee separates.  Add the paste, saffron and salt just enough water to cook the meat.  Cook for 30 minutes or till done.

Zucchini Fry


The zucchini, courgette or baby marrow  is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are still soft and edible.

Ordinary zucchini fruit are any shade of green, though the golden zucchini is a deep yellow or orange.  At maturity, they can grow to nearly 1 metre (3 feet) in length, but they are normally harvested at about 15–25 cm (6–10 in).

In botany, the zucchini’s fruit is a pepo, a berry (the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower) with a hardened epicarp. In cookery, it is a vegetable, usually cooked and eaten as a savory dish or accompaniment.

Source – wikipedia

Ingredients

(I am using 12 zucchinis approx. in the video recipe, so the ingredients used are proportionately more)

  • 4 to 6 Zucchini
  • ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 to 2 tbsp. Vinegar or Lemon juice, or to taste
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. chilli powder or to taste
  • ½ tp. Cumin powder
  • ½ tsp. coriander powder
  • 3 to 4 tbsp. rice flour
  • 2 tbsp. corn flour
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for frying

Method

  • Wash and drain the zucchinis.  Trim the head and tail and cut vertically into ¼” thin slices.  If the zucchinis are tender and unblemished the skin can be retained.  Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Then drain the water which is released from the zucchinis. Mix the ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder, rice flour, corn flour, vinegar and salt (if required because the zucchinis are already salted) and make a thick paste using as much water as required.  Mix the slices with the batter.  A;ternatively you can dip each slice in the batter to coat before frying, in which case more batter will be required.  Heat oil for deep frying, when hot reduce flame and fry in small batches till crisp and golden.  Drain on kitchen towel.  Serve immediately when still crisp as a side with a main meal or with tomato ketchup as a snack or appetizer.

P.S.: The same batter can be used to fry arbi, egg plant, raw banana, bread fruit, potatoes, yam, mushrooms, etc.

Bhaja Maslar Tarkari


Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 medium brinjals
  • 3 to 4 medium green chillies (slit)
  • 2 to 3 dry red chilies
  • ½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tbsp. ghee
  • 1 cup sour curd
  • 1 tsp. corn flour
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ tsp. salt to taste
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds

Cut the brinjals into four lengthwise, removing the head and soak in salted water till required.  Heat a vessel and add the ghee, when hot add the red chillies and fenugreek seeds and fry for ½ minute.  Add the brinjals and fry till they change colour and turn brown.  Add salt, sugar and green chillies.  Mix the curd with the corn flour (this helps stabilise the curd and prevents it splitting while cooking).  Add the curd to the brinjals and stir then add the water.  Cover and cook till the brinjals are tender and the gravy is thick.  Roast & powder the mustard and cumin seeds.  I usually roast, powder and store the spices separately so have not shown it in the video.  Add the roasted powder to the cooked brinjals.  Stir well and serve hot with pooris or any Indian bread.

Amla Rice


Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked rice, cooled or leftover rice
  • 8 to 10 amlas
  • 1 small raw mango (optional)
  • 6 green chillies, slit
  • 1 tbsp. chana dal (split chick peas)
  • 1 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
  • 10 to 12 cashewnuts or groundnuts
  • 1 tsp. mustard seeds
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • ½ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp. ghee
  • 1 tsp. Salt or to taste

Slit the green chillies and grate the amlas.  Discard the seed.  Heat a pan and add ghee, when hot, add the mustard seeds.  When they crackle, add the channa dal, urad dal, cashewnuts and fry till light golden.  Add the green chillies and curry leaves and saute for a minute.  Add the grated amla and (raw mango if using) and fry for a minute.  Add turmeric powder and salt and stir and mix well.  Cook the mixture on low heat for 5 minutes, mix and check seasoning.  Add the cooked rice, mix well and heat through.    

Baked Potato with Sour Cream and Corn Salad


Ingredients

  • 6 large potatoes
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. Olive oil (or any oil)
  • ¼ tsp. Pepper powder
  • ½ tsp. Salt

Toppings

  • Sour cream
  • Green onions
  • Corn salad

Heat the oven to 220 deg C. Clean and scrub the potatoes well keeping them whole.  Prick lightly with a fork to avoid the potatoes bursting.  Mix the olive oil, pepper and salt and brush the potatoes with the oil.  For softer skins, wrap the potato in silver foil, for crunchier potatoes leave open.  Bake for 50 minutes to 1 ½ hours depending on the size and oven temperature.  To speed up baking  pierce a metal skewer  through the potatoes so that heat is conducted to the centres.  To test if potato is done pierce with a skewer which should go through easily.

Prepare the filling while the potatoes are baking so it is ready to be stuffed into the potatoes when baked.  Cut a slit or a cross on the top of the potatoes and squeeze the sides so the top is pushed open.  Use oven mitts as the potato will be hot. Fluff the flesh of the potato with a fork.  Top with your desired filling.  Spoon sour cream mixed with a little olive oil and garnish with green onions and serve with a generous helping of corn salad or fill with sour cream and/or corn salad.  Makes a delicious meal or starter or a side.

Grilled Chicken Salad


Cold grilled meats are the basis for this salad, be it tandoori chicken, Kastoori kabab, chicken tikka, etc.  The salad is so delicious, I could eat it everyday!  Stuff it into pita bread or chapati or roti, for a tasty and sumptuous sandwich.  Leftover grilled chicken works well for this salad.  I simply love this salad and so will you!! Oh so colorful too……

Ingredients

  • 500 gms. approx. Grilled chicken
  • 1 Large tomato
  • 1 Large onion
  • 2 green chillies
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves

Dressing

  • 3 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. chaat masala
  • ¼ tsp. green cardamom powder
  • 6 tbsp. olive oil or any preferred oil
  • Salt if required

Garnish

  • 2 Tomatoes
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 tbsp. ginger
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Cool the roasted chicken or use leftover chicken.  Debone (if on the bone) and cut into ¾” chunks.  Refrigerate.  Peel and cut onions in larges dices.  Wash and cut tomatoes into quarters, deseed and cut into ½ “ pieces. Clean and wash chillies and coriander and chop finely.

To make the dressing:  In a bowl, mix lemon juice, chaat masala, cardamom powder and oil and adjust seasoning.

Garnish: Slice or cut lemon into wedges, tomatoes into slices or quarters.  Scrape and cut ginger into juliennes and soak  in the lemon juice.

To serve the salad – Mix the onion and tomatoes in the chicekn, add the chopped coriander leaves and chillies, pour over the dressing and toss well. Garnish with lemon, tomatoes and ginger juliennes and serve chilled.

Mandas Traditional Mangalore Cucumber Cake


The traditional Mangalorean cucumber cake, both steamed and baked versions.  A favorite cake of the south especially mangaloreans relished by young and old. Also called Tavsali or Tausali from the Konkani name for the local cucumber ‘Tousche’. Other names are Thekkare Adde, Thekkare Ghatti.  Using only raw (white) rice make the cucumber cake quite dense and firm but this texture is preferred by many.  I prefer mixing both raw and boiled rice so that the texture is a bit softer. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups boiled rice (1 cup basmati + 1 cup boiled)
  • 1 coconut
  • 2 cups jaggery
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 6 cardamoms, powdered
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ cup cashewnuts/almonds (optional)

 Method

  1. Wash and soak the rice for 3 to 4 hours.
  2. Grind to a paste alongwith the coconut, grated cucumber, jaggery and salt.
  3. Add the cardamom powder and let it stand for about an hour.
  4. Add the chopped nuts, if desired.
  5. Bake or steam till done.
  6. To test if the mandas is ready, insert a toothpick or a knife in the center and it should come out clean.
  7.  It really depends on the size of container, thicker the mandas more the time.  Having said that, you can initially steam it for 30 minutes straight, after which you may test with toothpick or a knife and if it comes out clean it’s done.  If not steam further and check at 10 to 15 minute intervals.  The centre should be set and not jiggle.  It firms up further upon cooling. 
  8. Baking takes a fairly longer time about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Baking also renders the mandas a bit hard, hence I prefer steaming.

Stuffed Giant Mushrooms


Stuffed Giant Mushrooms (A variation in the filling from the stuffed mushrooms baked)

Ingredients

  • 800 gms. Large White Giant Mushrooms (about 15 nos)
  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 green chillies
  • Garlic, chopped
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1tsp. Herbs,
  • 1 tbsp. coriander leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Bread crumbs to sprinkle

Method

  1. Clean the mushrooms, remove stems and keep aside. 
  2. Peel the mushrooms and discard the skin. 
  3. Chop the mushroom stems, chop onions and chop and deseed tomatoes. 
  4. Chop green chillies and coriander leaves and mix together and season with salt and pepper. 
  5. Stuff the mushrooms with the filling, top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs. 
  6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
  7. Serve hot.

Naan without yeast


Ingredients

  • 4 cups Maida (all purpose flour)
  • ¼ tsp. soda bicarb
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ½ tsp. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. yogurt
  • 3 tbsp. milk
  • 5 tsp. oil
  • Garlic butter to garnish
  • 1 tsp. kalonji, optional
  • 2 tsp. melon seeds, optional

Method

  1. Sieve the flour with salt, soda bi-carb and baking powder and mix.
  2. Take a bowl and break the egg into it, add eh sugar, yogurt and milk and whisk. Keep aside.
  3. Make a bay in the flour, pour water about ¾ cup and mix gradually.  hen it comes together as a dough, knead to 5 to 8 minutes. 
  4. Add the egg mixture gradually little at a time and knead till well incorporated. (Do not add all the egg mixture at one time, will make the dough too wet to handle. 
  5. When fully mixed, knead to make a soft but smooth dough. It should not stick to the fingers. 
  6. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside 10 minutes. 
  7. Then add the oil, knead and punch the dough and again cover the moist cloth and keep aside 2 hours to allow the dough to rise.
  8. Divide into 6 to 8 equal portions, make balls and place on a lightly floured surface.
  9. Sprinkle kalonji and melon seeds or any other garnish you will be using,
  10. flatten the balls slightly and keep aside 5 minutes.  Flatten each portion between the palms to make a round disc and then stretch in one side in an elongated oval. 
  11. Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.  Place the naans on a greased baking tray and bake for 10 minutes.
  12. In a tandoor, place the naan on a gaddi (cushioned pad) and stick inside a moderately hot tandoor and bake for 3 minutes.
  13. I have baked them on the stove top on a tawa, till light brown on both sides and then finished cooking the naan directly on the flame. 
  14. Apply garlic butter on the naan as soon as it is removed from heat and serve immediately with Raan, Butter chicken or any Indian veg or non veg gravy.

Raan (Lamb Leg) in peppery gravy


Recipe : Ahd-E-Changezi from ‘Prashad’

Ingredients

  • 1 Leg of Spring Lamb (approx. 1 Kg.)
  • 3 Spring Onions

Marination

  • 3 tbsp. Ginger paste
  • 3 tbsp. Garlic paste
  • 1 tsp. red chillie powder
  • Salt
  • ½ cup vinegar

Gravy

  • 100 ml Tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp. black peppercorns
  • A pinch nutmeg powder
  • Salt
  • 2 tbsp. Butter
  • 4 tbsp. Cream
  • 3 tbsp. Rum (certainly, if available otherwise optional)
  1. Clean Leg of Lamb and prick with a fork.
  2. Mix red chili powder and salt with the ginger garlic paste and rub this mixture evenly on the raan, arrange in a baking tray and douse with vinegar.
  3. Keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Broil the peppercorns on a tawa and pound with a pestle.
  5. Clean wash and cut the spring onions into thin roundels. Finely chop the greens.
  6. Preheat the oven to 300 deg F.  Add enough water to immerse three-fourths of the lamb leg, cover the baking tray with silver foil and put the raan on dum in the pre-heated oven for an hour and 15 minutes. (Check at regular intervals to ensure the meat is not over-cooked.  The right time to remove is when the meat leaves the bone at both ends).
  7. Tear off the foil, cool, remove raan, strain and reserve the jus.
  8. To make the gravy, transfer the jus to a  vessel, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, add tomato puree and reduce the gravy to a sauce consistency.
  9. Add pepper, nutmeg and salt, simmer for 2 minutes, add butter and stir constantly until the butter is incorporated.
  10. Remove, add cream and 2 tbsp. of rum, stir. Adjust seasoning.
  11. Make deep incision on the raan right down to the bone and carefully remove (if desired) the bone.  If removing the bone, make ¼ inch thick slices, arrange in a shallow casserole, sprinkle the remaining rum and return the raan to the pre-heated oven for 3-4 minutes.
  12. To serve, remove the casserole from the oven, pour on the gravy, sprinkle a little pepper, garnish with sping onions and serve with Naan.

Artichoke Salad


Full of flavour, a great salad for artichoke lovers, like moi! The addition of herbs and abundance of vegetables makes it a hearty sumptuous salad and could easily double-up as a meal paired with crusty bread and some warm soup! Adding roasted peppers and sun dried tomatoes, rather than fresh would certainly take it a notch up. Must try it myself….. Fell free to add your choice of vegetables like asparagus, cucumbers, shredded carrots, olives, sliced fennel, etc.

Artichoke Salad

Marinated Artichoke Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 Can artichokes (400 gms), preferably marinated
  • 1 can chick-peas (400 gms)
  • 1 capsicum (or roasted peppers)
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup lettuce
  • 1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup
  • Salt to taste (if required)

To marinate the artichokes (if using regular canned artichokes)

  • 2 flakes garlic, thinly sliced
  • ½ to 1 tsp. red dried chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp. dried or 1 tbsp. fresh herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary)
  • 1 tsp. whole peppercorns
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ½ cup olive oil

Method

  1. Dain and rinse the artichoke hearts
  2. cut each into four and transfer to a jar or dish with a lid. 
  3. Put the sliced garlic over the artichokes,
  4. followed by the chilli flakes,
  5. herbs, whole peppercorns, salt, lemon juice and olive oil. 
  6. Cover and shake gently to mix. 
  7. Artichokes can be eaten or used in the salad right away or leave to marinate couple of hours.  I left it in the refrigerator overnight.
  8. To make the salad – (if using ready marinated artichokes, start from this step)
  9. Take a serving dish and add the chick-peas, drained and rinsed.
  10. Then add the tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, marinated artichokes, honey or maple syrup, salt if required and onion.
  11. Mix well and check seasoning and add some marinade from the artichokes if required. 
  12. Toss well and chill before serving. 
  13. Makes an excellent starter or appetizer or accompaniment with any main meal.

Egg Frittata with potatoes and sausages


Egg Frittata with potato and sausages

A spin-off on the famous Parsi “Papeta par Eedu”, with the additon of sausages, this is a really simple and quick breakfast bake, albeit in a frying pan! For more Egg-based options check out ‘Eggciting breakfasts’!

Ingredients

5 eggs

2 medium onions, chopped

1 Potato, thinly sliced

1 Tomato, chopped

2 green chillies, chopped

¼ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

4 Beef or Chicken Sausages (Frankfurters), thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

1 tbs. ghee

Slice the sausages thinly and fry 2 minutes till the edges turn crisp.

Fry the chopped onions & green chilli adding 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the tomatoes and fry for a minute and top with the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle over with salt and pepper. Cover and cook ten minutes.

Spread the fried sausages over the potatoes and break the eggs one by one over the sausages. Cover and cook till done. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

On a frying pan or skillet, heat ghee and fry the sliced sausages for two minutes or till crisp at the edges. Remove and set aside. 

To the same pan add chopped onion and green chillie and saute till onion is light brown, add a spoon of ghee if required. Add turmeric and mix.

Add tomatoes and sauté for a minute, add ½ tsp salt and mix. 

Spread the potato slices evenly over the onion tomato mixture.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let cook 10 minutes on low flame, till potatoes are almost cooked.

Spread the sausage slices over the potatoes and then break the eggs one at a time over the sausages.  Cover and cook ten minutes or until the top is opaque and the eggs are cooked.  

If you like the eggs runny, remove as soon as the whites are set. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Gulab Jamuns


Gulab Jamun

Quick & easy Gulab Jamuns!

For those watching their sugar consumption, just squeeze out the syrup and enjoy, no guilt feeling there……;)

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups milk powder
  • ½ cup maida (all purpose flour)
  • ½ tsp. soda bicarb
  • ¼ tsp. cardamom powder (optional)
  • 3 tbsp. melted ghee or butter
  • ¼ cup water, or as required
  • Ghee/Oil for frying

Optional for stuffing the gulab Jamuns

  • Few shelled pistas
  • Lump sugar (Khadisakkar/misri)

Syrup

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 cups water
  • 6 whole cardamoms, press to open them a little
  • Pinch of Saffron (Kesar)

Method

  1. Dilute the sugar with the water and boil alongwith cardamoms to a watery syrup. I prefer a light syrup.
  2. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes, add the saffron if using.
  3. While the syrup is boiling, mix the milk powder and maida alongwith the soda bicarb and cardamom powder (if using).
  4. Add the melted ghee and mix well.
  5. Knead adding little water at a time into a soft dough.
  6. Roll into 25 to 30 small round balls (they swell on frying and further swell when immersed in the syrup).
  7. You can stuff the gulab jamun with pista or misri with a bit of saffron if desired.
  8. Heat ghee/oil in a kadai for deep frying.
  9. Reduce the flame and fry the balls in batches of 10 or so, on low flame to a golden brown.
  10. If the fire is high the inside of the gulab jamun may remain uncooked.
  11. Remove, add to the syrup and set aside for the syrup to be absorbed. Serve preferably warm.

Mushrooms and Peas Curry


A rich South Indian preparation of Peas and mushrooms.  It’s a breeze if you are going to use frozen peas and canned mushrooms, like I have done. Those who don’t like mushrooms can substitute with eggplant, zucchini, tofu, sweet potatoes. And those who don’t prefer peas, you may substitute with corn.

Mushrooms and Peas Curry

Bataani Kaal Kari

Ingredients

  • 250 gms. mushrooms
  • 250 gms. Green peas
  • ½ tsp. mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds (optional)
  • 1 tsp. urad dal (black gram dal)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1 tsp. ginger paste
  • 1 tsp. garlic paste
  • ½ tsp. chilli powder
  • 1 tsp. coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. salt or to taste
  • 1 tbsp. coconut cream powder
  • 1 tbsp. cashewnuts
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. oil

Method

  1. If using fresh peas, peel, wash and boil.  Set aside. 
  2. If using fresh mushrooms, rinse under running water and cut into fours or slices or halves if they are small. 
  3. Saute in a tsp of oil on medium for 3 to 4 minutes and set aside.    
  4. I have used canned mushrooms (drained) and frozen peas, so will be cooking both directly.
  5. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when they cackle, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds and the urad dal and saute till the dal changes color. 
  6. Add the chopped onion and cook till translucent and light brown. 
  7. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till liquid evaporates. 
  8. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt. 
  9. Add a little water so the spices do not burn and saute for a minute.
  10. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till fat separates. 
  11. If using canned mushrooms and frozen peas add and mix and add 1 cup hot water for gravy and cook, stirring in between till fat at surfaces. 
  12. Meanwhile dilute the coconut cream in 2 tbsp. water and add to the mushroom peas curry, stir. 
  13. Blend the cashewnuts with a little water to a paste or powder fine and dilute with some water to a paste. 
  14. Add the paste to the curry and simmer 5 minutes. 
  15. If using fresh peas (boiled) and mushrooms (sauteed), add them at this step.  
  16. Add fresh coriander reserving some for garnish. 
  17. Adjust seasoning. 
  18. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander.
  19. Serve hot with steamed rice or any bread.
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