Cluster Beans with Cauliflower, Potato and Peas

A very tasty North Indian vegetable dish for Chapathis.

Cluster beans with Cauliflower, Potato and Green Peas
Recipe source: my Mother in Law

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups cluster beans
1 cup cauliflower florets
½ cup green peas
1 small potato cut into cubes
1 tomato chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
Salt
2 -3 tbsp oil

To grind:
¼ cup grated coconut (prefer fresh)
4 cloves garlic
2-3 green chilies
¼ tsp ajwain

Method:
Make a paste of “to grind” ingredients. Coarse paste will do.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds.
When it splutters, add curry leaves and then the paste and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add turmeric powder and coriander powder and saute again for 1 minute.
Add tomato and mix well.
Add 1 cup water along with beans and potato. Add salt. (All vegetables can be added together but addition of cauliflower later ensure it retains its shape)
When it’s half cooked, add cauliflower and green peas. Mix well and cook covered till done.
Check salt and take off fire. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Quick Potato Curry

Till last month, I cooked everything by estimation……little of this, little of that….and lots of love of course!!

Now I measure anything and everything…..I am sure my Polish friend would benefit from this!

There are umpteen varieties of potato curry for puri. The below is the very basic, but tasty. You can add other ingredients like green peas, carrot, pepper powder etc if time permits.

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes boiled
1 medium onion sliced
1 green chili sliced or slit
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp ginger finely chopped
Few sprigs curry leaves
1 small tomato chopped
3 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 pinch fenugreek powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp oil

Method:
Heat oil and add mustard seeds
When they splutter, add onion, ginger, garlic, green chili, curry leaves. Stir till onion becomes translucent.
Add turmeric powder and fenugreek powder. Stir and add mashed potato, tomato and ½ cup water. Heat through and add coriander leaves. Adjust salt and take off fire. Serve with hot puffed puris.

Notes:
You can adjust water to get gravy.
Cut peeled potatoes into chunks, add 3tbsp of water and microwave for 5 minutes in a closed bowl. Your potatoes are boiled! Drain excess water.

Aloo baingan

A simple curry loved by all who ate.

Ingredients:
4 long purple brinjals or 6 small round ones
1 onion sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 large tomato sliced
1 potato cut into long thick strips
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Few curry leaves
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
4 tbsp oil
Method:
Slit brinjals by keeping the top intact and keep in water.
Heat oil and add onion. Saute till it becomes lightly brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and saute.
Add spice powders and mix well.
Add brinjals pieces, potato and tomato.
Add ½ cup water and add salt.
Cover with a lid and cook till done. Stir carefully so that the brinjals retain the shape.
The water would have evaporated completely and the curry will get a dark brown colour. Adjust salt and take off fire. Sprinkle coriander leaves ad mix.
This is best served with chapathis.

Baby potatoes dry fry

A good accompaniment to Chapathi

Ingredients:
• 20 baby potatoes or 2 large potatoes cut into big chunks
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 3 medium onions thinly sliced
• Handful of curry leaves
• ½ tsp mustard seeds –
• 4 tbsp oil

Method:
Scrub the potatoes clean. If using big potatoes, remove skin and cut into big pieces.
Add potatoes, 1 cup water and all dry powders and cook till soft and the water is completely evaporated. Test a potato with toothpick to see if it’s cooked enough. If not, add little more boiling water.

In another pan (preferably nonstick) add oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add onions and curry leaves and fry till onions become slightly brown. Now add the cooked potatoes and fry till all are mixed well. Adjust salt. This is a very dry curry but goes well with chapathis.