RIDGE GOURD DHAL (PEERKANGAI DHAL)

Ridge gourd which is called Vietnamese Luffe, is also known as Peerkangai in Tamil & thuria in Hindi.   It is available all over India.  It is high in dietary fibre.  It also has iron, zinc, vitamin C & magnesium.  It has thich ridged outer skin & soft spongy inside with seeds in the center. 

There are a lot of recipes made out of ridgegourd.  This is a very simple & tasty recipe i learnt from my mother.  It goes well with rotis & rice.

Preparation Time: 15 mts      Cooking Time:  20 mts      Serves:   3-4

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd                         -   1/2 kg

Moong Dal                          -    1 cup

Jeera                                   -    1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder                 -    1/2 tsp

Refined oil                           -    1 tsp
Salt                                     -     to taste

Green chili                           -    2 no

Lemon   (medium size)         -    2 nos.

Chopped coriander leaves    -     2 tbsp

Method:

In a kadai, dry fry the moongdal till it gives out a nice aroma.  Wash it & keep it soaked in a little water for 15 mts.  Cut the ridgegourd in to 1 inch cubes.  Slit the green chillies. In a pressure pan add all these ingredients except the oil & jeera & pressure cook for 10 mts or 2 whistles.  When the pressure is released, mix it all well with a ladle.  Squeeze the juice of the 2 lemons.  Heat the oil & fry the jeera in it. Season the dhal with the jeera.  Garnish with the coriander leaves. Delicious ridgegourd dhal is ready.  

Variations:

We can make this dhal without the ridgegourd also.  We can also use chow chow (chayote) instead of ridgegourd.  Chow chow will take a slightly longer time to cook.

Tips:

1) Choose the ridgegourd very carefully.  It should be fresh with dark outer skin.  

2) It should be soft when you press it.

3) Use of lemon & green chilies can be according to one's taste.

           

DRUMSTICK BHARTHA

Drumstick is a very common vegetable available in Indian markets.  India is the largest cultivator of drumstick.  It is also found all over Asia and used a lot in their cuisine.  All parts of the drumstick tree have medicinal value and is used in our cooking.  The leaves of the drumstick tree is a good source of vitamins & also beta-carotene.  The leaves also cure mouth sores.  The pods of the tree which are commonly used in South India to make sambar is full of dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus & vitamin-c.

Drumstick is used mostly in sambar & other gravy items.  I came across this recipe by chef Harpal Singh & tried it out.  Its very simple to make but extremely tasty.  Takes very little time to make.




Preperation Time: 15 mts         Cooking Time: 20 mts         Serves: 3-4


Ingredients:

Drumstick                                      -         1/2 kg ( 6-7 nos. approximately)
Big onion    (medium size)           -          1 no
Tomato       ( big size  )                 -          1 no
Garlic                                              -          2 pods
Ginger                                             -          1 inch piece
Lemon (medium size )                  -          1 no.
Coriander leaves                           -          2 tsps finely chopped
Chili powder                                  -          3/4 tsp
Dhania powder                              -           3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder                           -           1/4 tsp
Salt                                                 -            to taste
Refined oil                                     -            2 tbsp


Method:

Cut the drumsticks in to 3 inch pieces.  Boil them with a little salt  till they are soft.  Open the pieces & scoop out the flesh with a spoon.  You can keep the seeds also.  Cut the onions & tomato in to small pieces. Grate the garlic & ginger & keep it aside.  Squeeze the juice out of the lemon & keep it aside.

Heat the oil in a vessel & add the cut onions.  Saute them well till they become soft & transparent.  Add the grated ginger & garlic & fry for a few more minutes.  Then add the chopped tomato & fry well.  Mash them all well with the back of the spoon.  Add the chili, dhania & turmeric powders & fry well.  Add the salt & saute well.  Now add the scooped out drumstick flesh & mix it all well.  Add the lemon juice & chopped coriander leaves & saute well.  Drumstick bhartha is ready.  Transfer it into a dish & garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  This goes well with rotis, parathas etc.

Variations:

We can make eggplant bhartha using  the same recipe.  All we have to do it substitute drumstick with egg plant.

Tips:

1) Boil the drumstick pieces directly in a vessel.  This will help us take it out in the right time.  Using a pressure cooker to boil it may break the drumstick pieces & make it very difficult to scoop out the flesh.

2) We can add some boiled peas to add colour to the curry.

3) Make sure to buy tender drumsticks which are very thick & fleshy.

QUICK VEGETABLE KURMA

Kurma is a delicious side dish which can be served along with  pulao, rotis, naans etc.  This dish is basically from the northern part of India & has taken different forms in different parts of the country.




Preparation Time: 15 mts   Cooking Time: 30 mts  Serves: 4 




Ingredients:



Onions           -  2 nos
Tomato          -  2 nos
Garlic             -  2 pods (scrapped)
Ginger            -  1/4 inch piece (scrapped)
Beans             -  150 gms
Carrots           -  150 gms
Potato            -  2 nos
Green peas     -  1/2 cup
Cauliflower     -   1 cup of small florets
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp chopped finely
Chili powder   -  1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Dhania powder   -  2 tsp
Jeera powder     -  1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk                  -     1/2 cup
Corn flour         -  2 tsp
Refined oil         -   2 tbsp
Cinnamon          -  1/4 inch piece
cardamom         -  1 no
cloves               - 2 nos
Salt                   -   to taste








Method:


Mix the milk & corn flour & keep it aside. Chop the onions finely.  Cut the tomatoes in to small pieces.  Cube all the other vegetables into same size.  Heat oil in a pan & fry the cinnamon, cardamom & cloves.  Then add the chopped onions & fry till the onion turns brown.   Add the scrapped ginger & garlic & fry till you get a nice aroma.  Then add the tomatoes & fry till oil comes out.  Slowly add all the powders & fry for some more time.  To this mixture add the cubed vegetables & mix it all together.  Saute it all for sometime till the raw smell of carrots & beans goes off.  Then add salt & enough water to immerse all the vegetables & cook  till they are soft.   Add the milk mixture & bring it to a boil.  Add chopped coriander leaves & garnish it.  
Quick veg. kurma is ready.




Variations:


We can make this kurma using just one or two vegetables also.  We can even add soy chunks to it to make it healthy.




Tips:


1)  Making the kurma in a pressure cooker will help save time. If using the pressure cooker, allow it to whistle just once.
2) We can add coconut milk instead of plain milk to enhance the taste.
3) Chili powder can be added according to one's taste.

ON A COMEBACK

Finally, I've decided to come out of my hiatus & start putting posts in my blog.  I know that its a long gap & all of you would have got fed up waiting.  I hope i can make up for that by posting interesting recipes for you all.  Keep reading & encouraging me.  We have been travelling a lot domestically & visiting some interesting places in India.  One of the best places i visited is Amritsar - especially the Golden Temple.  Beautiful & serene.  Maintained spic & span by the temple authorities.  The public also chip in by doing voluntary service.  I also visited some century old temples of south India & was saddened by the way they are maintained.  Most of the temples have huge properties attached to them & get good revenue.  Still authorities are so callous & have an indifferent attitude towards the upkeep of the temples.   I hope they will change their attitude & try to improve the condition of our temples at least after seeing places like this.  


We also visited kullu & manali for a few days.  It was an enjoyable trip & we even got to do white water rafting.  My husband has put a post on this trip in his blog  www.the-kasl.blogspot.in.  Those interested can visit this site & read about this trip.


Will catch up with you all soon.

VISIT TO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT

Last week our son took us to an Ethiopian restaurant for lunch. I was very hesitant because i was sure that i will not get any vegetarian food there. My son & daughter-in law were very confident that it will be there. Surprise of surprises!!! There was not only vegetarian food available, they even had a big vegetarian combo meal. The staple food of Ethiopia is Injera and Wat. Injera is a flat bread made of fermented grain which is indegenous of Ehiopia. It looks like a mixture of our Indian dosa & appam. Wat is their stew like side dish. A wat can be made of anything varying from vegetables, pulses & meat. I was really impressed by the selection they had in the vegetarian section. Most of the side dishes tasted very Indian. They had a wat made of pulses which tasted like our dal makhni. Then they had dishes made of dried peas, spinach, beans etc. Ethiopians believe in community eating. The plate is layered with a huge injera bread. All side dishes are served on top of it. Extra injera is served in a basket. Everybody sit in a circle & dip their hands in to the plate & eat. It was a wonderful experience & we all enjoyed it very much.

LONG HYBERNATION

It has been a long time since i made a posting in my blog. That's because i've been spending time in the USA for the last 5 months. Both my children are here. My daughter-in-law gave birth to a beautiful girl baby in December. She's my first grand child & i'm enjoying every moment of my stay with her. She's a cute little bundle of joy & keeps us entertained all the time. Right now i'm all attached to her & have no time for anything else. I'm planning to restart my blogging after coming back to India in May.

BREAD UPMA

Bread is used in many ways in different countries. We can toast it, make a sandwich or even have it fresh with butter & jam. Here i have used bread in a typical Indian style dish.

Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 10 mts Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Bread - 1 small loaf ( app. 350 gms )

Big onions - 2 nos

Tomato - 1 no

Green chilies - 3 nos

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Broken urud dal - 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

Cut the bread in to small cubes. Sprinkle some water, mix it & keep it covered for sometime. Chop the onions, tomato & green chilies in to small pieces. Heat oil in a pan & fry the mustard seeds. Add the urud dal & fry for sometime. Add the chopped green chilies & onions. Fry till the onions become pale in colour. Then add the tomato pieces & fry for some time. Add the turmeric powder & enough salt. Then add the soaked bread pieces & mix it all well & fry for sometime. Bread upma is ready.

Variations:

We can skip the tomato in the upma. Instead we can add finely chopped vegetables like beans , carrots, peas & potatoes to the upma.

Tips:

1. Always use non-sweetened bread for the upma. For those who like it a little sweet, you can use sweet bread & make it.
2. While sprinkling the bread with water, make sure that all pieces of bread are completely soaked but don't over soak it.
3. Add the salt to the vegetables & mix it well before adding the bread so that the salt spreads evenly.

Taste it & enjoy.