Zucchini chutney

Zucchini is a versatile veggie that can be easily used in Indian cooking. I make sambar, kootu and curry with zucchini. This time I wanted to try making chutney and the result was amazing. You can eat this chutney with dosa, adai or idli or with a bowl of hot rice and ghee. Yum! This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z of vegetables.

Ingredients2 medium zucchini
4 or 5 red chillies (adjust according to taste)
1 small green chilli (for flavor)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp of urad dal (split black lentils)
2 cloves of garlic (sliced thin) (optional)
1/2 tsp jeera
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

For seasoning
Oil
1/2 tsp of mustard
A few curry leaves
1 red chilli - broken

Method
1. Wash the zucchini, peel the skin and cut into cubes.
2. In a pan roast the red chillies and urad dal without oil. Set aside.
3. Next add oil in the same pan and fry the zucchini till tender.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
5. Then add the tamarind paste and asafoetida and mix well.
6. Transfer the roasted red chillies, urad dal, raw jeera and zucchini veggie mix to a blender.
7. Add very little water and blend to a paste and add salt to taste.
8. Season with mustard, curry leaves and red chillies.

Snake gourd curry with green onions and channa dal

I am back with an entry for Nupur's A-Z of vegetables event - for 'S'. This is a delicious curry made with fresh snake gourd. I used green onions to give it a rich color and a light hint of onion in the background. The addition of channa dal makes it a nutritious side dish. This curry goes well with roti or plain rice.

Snake gourd curry

Ingredients
1 cup of chopped snake gourd pieces (I used a medium sized snake gourd)
1 bunch of spring onions - finely chopped
1/2 cup of channa dal - soaked in water for 2 hours
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of jeera
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tsp of dhania powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
3 or 4 pods of garlic - crushed
Salt to taste
A few curry leaves
Cilantro for garnish

Method
1. Pour oil in a pan and add the mustard. Once it splutters add the jeera, curry leaves and garlic.
2. Next add the green onions and saute until tender.
3. Drain the channa dal from the water and add to the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Next add the snake gourd pieces, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder and salt and mix well.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook till the snake gourd pieces become tender.
6. Remove the lid and cook till the water evaporates.
7. Garnish with cilantro.

Palak Paneer

This is a recipe I tried out from Seema's blog - Recipe Junction. I must say that this is the most delicious palak paneer I ever had. I may never go back to my earlier method of making a spinach puree for palak paneer. This is my contribution to Nupur's 'P' of Indian vegetables. Thanks Seema for this wonderful and delicious recipe.

Ingredients

1 box of frozen chopped spinach
1 big onion - chopped
1 big tomato - chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 or 4 green chillies
1 cup paneer - cubed and sautéed until brown
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup half and half

Method

1. Thaw the spinach in the microwave. Pour oil in a pan and sauté until soft. If you are using frozen spinach it's important you use the chopped variety.
2. Fry the onions and tomatoes till tender.
3. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, paprika, green chillies and ginger garlic paste and sauté until well blended.
4. Cool and make a paste of this sautéed mixture.
5. Add oil in a pan and cook this paste till the raw smell disappears.
6. Transfer the reserved spinach, add salt and half and half and let it boil.
7. You can add water if you feel the gravy is thick.
8. Add the paneer pieces and mix well.
9. Serve with roti or pulao.

'M' is for Mixed Vegetable Chalna

This is an entry for the A-Z of vegetables hosted by Nupur. I adapted this recipe from Mallika Badrinath's Vegetarian Gravies. It tastes almost like vegetable kurma. Here is the recipe.

Mixed Vegetable Chalna
IngredientsMixed veggies - 1 cup
(Use any combination you like. I used carrots, peas, potatoes and beans)
2 or 3 tomatoes chopped finely
2 onions chopped finely
1 piece cinnamon
2 cloves
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

For the paste2 tbps grated coconut
2 onions
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
8 or 10 cashew nuts
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 or 5 green chillies (adjust according to taste)

Method
1. Pour oil in a pan and lightly sauté the vegetables. You can steam them too but I prefer to sauté them as they do no absorb water and make the gravy watery. Set aside.
2. In the same pan add oil and cinnamon and cloves and sauté.
3. Next add the onions and sauté until transparent.
4. Add the ground masala and fry till the raw smell is gone.
5. Add tomatoes and fry till cooked.
6. Transfer the reserved veggies, add salt and water as much as needed for the gravy.
7. Let it boil and thicken.
8. Serve with rotis or rice.

'H' is for Hara Alu

I was searching for a last minute recipe for Nupur's A-Z of vegetables. I came across this recipe at Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khazana. I am glad I tried out this recipe as it came out really good. I did make a few variations to the original recipe though. I roasted the potatoes in the oven instead of cooking them with the cilantro-green chilli gravy. Also the original recipe did not include onions and I added onions to enhance the flavor. The result was a cilantro spiced potato curry that was delicious. Here is the recipe.

Hara Alu

Ingredients
4 medium sized potatoes
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 green chillies
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt as needed
Oil as needed
1/2 tsp jeera
A few curry leaves

Method
1. Peel the skin of the potatoes and slice them into rounds. Mix in 2 tbsps of oil and spread out on an oven safe tray. Ensure that all the potatoes are coated in the oil.
2. Bake at 425 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes until slightly brown.

3. Grind the cilantro and green chillies into a coarse paste.
4. Pour oil in a pan and season with jeera and curry leaves.
5. Sauté the sliced onions and ginger garlic paste.
6. Add the cilantro-green chilli paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes.


7. Add cumin powder and coriander paste and mix well.
8. Transfer the oven roasted potatoes, add salt and mix well till the potatoes are evenly coated with the cilantro-green chilli-onion mixture.
9. Serve hot with rice or rotis.


Kitchen notes:
1. You can also add pudina/mint leaves along with cilantro.
2. Instead of slicing the potato into rounds, you could also cube them.

'G' is for Gobi Masala

I adapted this recipe from the Indian Vegetarian Cookbook by Tarla Dalal. This recipe is very easy to make and tastes awesome. The major change I made to the recipe was to oven roast the cauliflower instead of deep frying as mentioned in the original recipe. I also added kasoori methi to give it a hint of the methi flavor. This is my entry for Nupur's A-Z of vegetables. Here is the recipe.

Gobi Masala

Ingredients
1 big cauliflower (use as much as you need as it will shrink once you roast in the oven)
1 cup crushed tomato
1 potato (boiled and cut into cubes)
1/2 cup green peas
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
2-3 onions finely chopped
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp kasoori methi
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish
Oil as needed

Method
1. Break the cauliflower into big florets and spread on an oven safe tray. Coat with olive oil and bake for 425 degrees for about 60 minutes. Turn the cauliflower every 20 minutes as this ensures that it is evenly baked.

Oven roasted cauliflower

2. Sauté the onions in a pan.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and the red chilli powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and kasoori methi and mix well.
4. Add the green peas and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
5. Next add the crushed tomatoes and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add water to make the gravy thinner.
6. Add the cubed potatoes and oven roasted cauliflower and let it come up to a boil. Season with salt.
7. Add the half and half and mix well.
8. Garnish with cilantro.

Gobi Masala

Recipe adapted from Tarla Dalal’s – The vegetarian cookbook

'F' is for French Beans Stew

This is a recipe from my childhood days back in India. I remember my mom used to make this stew very often and we would eat it with rice and papad. This used to be a Sunday special recipe at my home. I got the recipe from my mom and decided to send in this entry for Nupur's A-Z of vegetables. Once I made the stew I realized that I could eat it as it is, just like a veggie soup. Here is the recipe.

French Beans Stew
Ingredients
1 cup green beans (slit in the center and cut into 2 inch pieces)
1 medium potato (peel skin and cut into thin slices)
3 or 4 green chillies (slit)

A small piece of ginger - crushed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 or 3 tbsp light coconut milk
1 tsp of corn flour/corn starch
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Method
1. Pour the water and milk in a pan and add the beans, potatoes, green chillies and ginger and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the veggies are cooked.

French beans and potatoes simmering in milk and water

2. Lower the flame and add the coconut milk and salt.
3. Dissolve the corn starch in water and add to the stew. This will make it slightly thick.
4. Garnish with cilantro.
5. Serve hot.

French beans stew

Dahi Batete Nu Shak

This is a mildly spiced, tangy potato curry that is marinated in yogurt and spices. This is my entry for Nupur's - 'A-Z of Indian vegetables' cooking event. This contribution is for the letter 'D'.

Ingredients
1 lb Potatoes
1 cup yogurt
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
A pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

Method
1. Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and cut into cubes. You can use baby potatoes for this recipe. I used the regular ones.
2. Mix the curd, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
3. Add the potatoes to this yogurt mixture and set aside for at least 1/2 hour or more.
4. Pour oil in a pan and transfer the potato-yogurt mixture, add salt and sauté on a medium low heat until the potatoes absorb the yogurt and become brown on all sides.

Dahi Batete Nu Shak

Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe