Tava Fried Baingan Stir-Fry with Kalonji and Ajwain

Recently I got locally produced tender long chinese eggplants in Indian Grocery store. They looked adorable with their vibrant white,green and purple color. When I cooked them first time, its original color vibrancy was lost, so second time I decided to cook them differently. I griddle fried and cooked them open which helped to maintain its skin color and texture. Seasoning of kalonji, ajwain and aamchur enhanced the taste.

Ingredients :-

• 10-12 tender chinese eggplants cut into half an inch long disc shape. (about 3 cups)
• 1 Extra large Onion - cut half lengthwise and half in small pieces.
• 10-15 curry leaves.
• 4-5 finely chopped green chilies.
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
• 1/2 T.spoon - Kalonji seeds
• 1/2 T.spoon - Ajwain seeds
• 1 T.spoon - Aamchur powder.
• 3-4 Tb.spoon cooking oil.

Griddle fried Baingan

Method of cooking :-

1. Take thick gauge open saute pan/skillet. Heat 2-3 Tb.spoon oil. Add baingan pieces and roast them on medium flames by occasionally stirring and turning (around 3-4 minutes for each batch). Keep roasted baingan aside. Pat them with paper towel. Sprinkle some salt and toss (Refer above picture).
2. Wipe the pan with paper towel. Heat 1/2 Tb.spoon oil (just hot not smoking hot). Add 6-7 curry leaves. When they start sizzling, add 1/2 T.spoon Kalonji seeds and Ajwain seeds. Stir for 20 seconds.
3. Add cut onions and fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add fried eggplants along with chopped green chilies and stir well on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add Aamchur powder and adjust salt level. Add remaining curry leaves and saute on high heat for 2 minutes. Shut off the heat.
   
6. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with roti and rice.
   

Notes :-

• You may give your choice of cut to eggplants long, cube or disc shape.
• Kalonji and Ajwain can be replaced with mustard/cumin.
• 1 Tb.spoon Toasted sesame seeds can be used for final garnish.
  
• Bhindi (Okra), tindora, Parval can be stir-fried in similar manner.

Red Radish and Tofu Stir-Fry with Green Peas

This is one of the quick, colorful and wholesome stir-fry for routine cooking. It is packed with natural flavors and taste of Radish, tomato, green peas. Garam Masala, Ginger and green chili brings good zest and scrambled Tofu texture adds richness.

Ingredients :-

• 10-12 Red Radish - chop out both ends and cut into thin disc shape. (2 cups)
• 200 gm Firm Tofu. (remove excess liquid from tofu by gently squeezing tofu cube)
• 1 Extra large tomato - diced.
• 1 Tb.spoon oil.
• 1 small size onion - finely chopped.
• 1 inch piece of ginger - finely minced.
• 3-4 Green chilies - cut in small pieces.
• 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro.
• 1 T.spoon Garam masala.
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas.

Method Of Cooking:-

1. Take heavy bottom open pan. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil. Add finely chopped onions. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add minced ginger and pieces of green chili - Stir fry for one minute.
3. Add sliced Red radish and mix well with onions. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes on high heat. As you saute try separating all stuck radish pieces. Sprinkle little water if it starts sticking to bottom.
4. Reduce flames to medium -Take cube of Tofu in hand and directly crumble it into the pan. Stir and Mix well with onions and radish.
5. Add some salt and 1 T.spoon garam masala. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add diced tomatoes and Green peas - Mix everything well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Make sure all water is properly evaporated.
7. Add little chopped cilantro and mix well. Shut off gas after a minute.
8. Before serving garnish with remaining cilantro.
9. Enjoy with rice and roti or enjoy like salad in bowl.

Note :-

1. If you are not using frozen green peas then pre-boil and add along with tomatoes.
2. Avoid overcooking to maintain red color of radish.

Radish and Black eyed peas with Milpero & Guajillo Chili sauce

I don't regularly cook radish but this recipe is an attempt to bring more interesting taste to radish subzi. Recently I found two mexican ingredients which can get well complemented in Indian cooking. First one is Milpero Tomatillo which is miniature version of Tomatillo. They have good sour taste. Second is Guajillo dry chili, these are very mild and have great bright red color. Milpero and Guajillo chilies along with black eyed peas made this Radish subzi tasty.

Ingredients:-

• 2 cup Radish - cubed in 1/2 inch size. (preboil in microwave for 7-8 minutes)
• 1 Can of Black eyed Peas - thoroughly rinsed under water.
• 4-5 Milpero - cut in small pieces.
• 1 Tb.spoon oil.
• 1 Medium size onion - finely chopped.
• 3-4 guajillo dry chilies (3-4 inch long) Soak in hot water for half an hour.
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
• 1 T.spoon Garam Masala.
• 1.T.spoon red chili powder.
• 1 small boiled potato or 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes.
• 1 Cup fresh finely chopped cilantro.

Bright red color of Guajillo chili paste

Preparations before cooking:-

1. Preboil cubed radish in microwave for 6-7 minutes. Use lightly salted water. Drain water and keep aside.
2. Soak chilies in hot water for half an hour and make fine paste in blender with 2 fresh garlic cloves. Use half cup water.
3. If instant mashed potato flakes are not available then cut one small potato in cubes and boil in microwave for 3-4 minutes in lightly salted water.
   

Method of Cooking:-

1. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil in heavy bottom pan. Add finely chopped onions and stir-fry till onions turn soft, 3-4 minutes.
2. Add cut Milpero and stir-fry with onions for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ground paste of chilies, mix and stir, for one minute.
4. Add little salt, red chili powder and Garam Masala. Mix all well and saute for one minute.
5. Add boiled Radish. Mix with gravy and let it cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring at regular interval.
   
6. Add fully rinsed and drained black eyed peas - Stir well for a minute.
   
7. Add 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes. (Alternatively You may use one small cubed and boiled potato) Now add one cup water and adjust gravy and level of salt. Sprinkle little chopped cilantro. Cover with lid and let it cook for 7-8 minutes on medium heat.Keep stirring at regular intervals. Check if radish are tender.
   
8. Finally garnish with remaining cilantro and enjoy with rice and roti.
   

Potato Shrimp Masala with Malvan Style Flavor

This Potato Shrimp Masala I cooked during my recent stay in Mumbai. My kitchen was not well equipped, few times I managed to cook with available ingredients. I had one cup cleaned small shrimps and two potatoes, few spices which I had brought to enrich my spice rack in USA. I decided to add few unique spices - Tirphal, Dagad phool and Nagkesar and addition of some finely ground coconut paste influenced this curry with Malvan/Goan style flavor and aroma.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup small size shrimps cleaned and deveined - Marinate with salt and turmeric.
• 2 medium size potatoes diced in 1/2- inch cubes.(3 cups full).
• 1 Tb.spoon oil.
• 1 medium size onion - finely chopped.
• 1 cup fresh grated coconut - Grind to fine paste by adding 1 cup water.
• 1 T.spoon red chili powder.
• 1 inch piece ginger - finely minced.
• 3-4 cloves of garlic - finely minced.
• 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro.

Special Spice Blend:-

• 1 Tb.spoon Cumin seeds
• 4-5 pieces of Dagad phool
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon
  
• 3 whole Tirphal - (pound them well before grinding)
  
• 4 whole Nagkesar
• 1 Bay leaf 2 inch long

Slightly toast all the above spices and make fine powder.


Method Of Cooking:-

1. Take medium size heavy bottom pan and heat 1 Tb.spoon oil. Maintain medium heat. Add finely chopped onions. Saute them till they turn soft.
2. Add finely minced ginger and garlic - Mix and saute with onions for about 1 minute.
3. Mix finely ground powder of spice blend and stir-fry for one minute.
4. Add 6-7 shrimps and saute for a minute.
5. Add all cubed potatoes, little salt, 1 T.spoon red chili powder. Mix all well and stir-fry for two minutes on high heat. Add 1 Cup water and reduce flames to medium and let it cook for 6-7 minutes with closed lid. Stir at regular intervals.
6. Add half ground paste of coconut and marinated shrimps. Mix all together. Add little chopped cilantro and let it cook on medium flame with closed lid for 7-8 minutes. Adjust final salt level. Stir at regular intervals.
   
7. Add remaining ground coconut paste and adjust thickness of gravy as per your taste. Check if potatoes are rightly cooked. Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes without lid.
8. Add remaining chopped cilantro and serve with rice and roti.
   

Note :-

• In absence of those unique spices you may use 1 Tb.spoon ready made Garam Masala, it will still bring flavorful taste to this curry.
• Remove seed from Tirphal spice and pound it very hard before grinding into powder. You may avoid grinding but in that case use 6-7 whole Tirphal.
• If you have bigger size shrimp then use 15-20. I used very small shrimps which were 30-40 in count.

Long Beans and Green beans Stir-fry

This is one of the simplest combination beans stir-fry for everyday cooking. Very few ingredients and fresh beans brings true bean flavors and makes this stir-fry very tasty and nutritious.

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 Cup cut Long beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)
  
• 2 Cup cut green beans - duly cut into 1 Cm long pieces (slightly cut off both the ends)
• 1 small size onion duly chopped.
  
• 3 green chilies chopped.
• 10-15 curry leaves.
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
• 1 Tb.spoon oil.

Method Of cooking:

1. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil in medium size pan.
2. Add 7-8 curry leaves as they sizzle wait for 15 seconds and add chopped onions. Stir-fry for 5-6 minutes on medium flames.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups cut long green beans and little salt. Stir and mix with onions and curry leaves. Increase flames to high and stirrfry for 3-4 minutes by constantly stirring.
4. Add 1/2 cup water. Reduce flames to medium and let it cook with closed lid for 3-4 minutes.
5. Now add two cups cut green beans, chopped green chilies, remaining curry leaves and add little more salt. Stir all well and let it cook for 6-7 minutes on medium flames.
6. Make sure that all water gets evaporated. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with rice and roti.