Gutti vankaya koora (brinjals in onion gravy)

Ingredients:

Brinjals - 1/2 ks (small round ones)
Onions - 3 large ones
Ground nuts - 1/4 cup
Red chillies - 10
Bengal gram - 1/8 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida - 1/8 spoon
Oil - 1/4 cup (yes ! it is oily)
Salt - As per taste
Turmeric - a big pinch
Curry leaves - 10 nos.


Method :

Chop onions into big chunks. Slit brinjals into 4 (do not separate them and let the brinjal stay connected at one end). soak them in salt water to stop them from turning black. Add some oil to a wok and fry the ground nut, 1/4 of a spoon of cumming and bengal gram. Once they are slightly brown, add the red chillies followed by the onions. Fry all the ingredients till the onions are slightly brown in color. Add turmeric and salt. Grind to a paste after all ingredients cool down.

Stuff the brinjals with this paste and keep aside. Heat a pressure pan and add the remaining oil to it. Add d, cummin, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once the mustard starts to splutter, add the stuffed brinjals. Fry the brinjals slightly at low heat. One they start getting blisters all over, add the ground paste remaining and adjust salt. Pressure cook for two whistles. Serve hot with some hot rice, plain tuvar dal and ghee...... YUMMY ! Serves as a great dish along with curd rice too.

Note : The number of whistles depends on the quality of the brinjals.

Methi Rice

Most of my dishes are quick and not elaborate. I want to keep it that way. It helps people who are in a hurry to prepare lunch and carry it with them. Also, helps lazy people who want to finish off cooking quickly.

Ingredients :

Long grained rice - 2 cups
Methi leaves - 1 1/2 cups (washed and finely chopped)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Onion - thin slices - 1/2 cup
cinnamon - 1 inch
cloves - 4 nos.
cardamom - 4 nos.
Bay leaf - 1
cashews - 10 (Roasted)
Salt - to taste
Water - 4 cups

Method :

Heat the cooker and add some oil/Ghee to it once hot. Add cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and fry till they splutter. Now add the onions and fry till they slightly change their color. Add the methi leaves and fry till the raw smell disappears. To this add the water and a spoonful of salt. Taste the water to ensure that it is slightly saltier than what you want your dish to be like. Add rice and coconut and cook for 2 whistles. Mix the fried cashews just before serving the dish. This can be served with raita/veg kurma of your choice.

Cabbage Kichdi

This name of the dish might sound weird, but trust me it tastes yummy. It is quiet simple and if you are looking for a pot meal, then this is your Saviour. This gets done in a jiffy and is very mildly spiced. This is a nutritious yet tasty and healthy dish


Ingredients :

Cabbage - 1 cup finely chopped
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Rice - 3/4 cup
Red chillies - 8 nos. (split to half)
curry leaves - 10 nos.
cumin - 1/2 spoon
mustard - 1/2 spoon
oil - 1 spoon
salt - to taste
water - 3 1/2 cups

Method :

Soak the moong dal in water for 15 mins. You could get your cabbage chopped meanwhile. Add oil to the pressure cooker. Once it is hot, add cumin,mustard and curry leaves. Fry them till mustard sputters. Add red chillies. Now add the cabbage and fry a little till the raw smell disappears. Do not let them change color though. Now add the soaked moong dal and washed rice. Add water and salt. Let it cook for 4 whistles. Serve hot with pickle/raita.

Tip : Add more water if you want it to be more mushy. You could add grated ginger if you like.