Mango Ginger pickle

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and chopped mango ginger (mangai inji)
2 green chilies or to taste
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preparation:  Wash peel and chop the mango ginger into small pieces.  Add chopped green chilies, lemon juice and salt mix thoroughly.  Serve with yogurt rice (curd rice).  Serves 6.

Mango ginger resemble turmeric roots.  Unlike turmeric roots they are white in color and have a exotic, tangy and slightly sweet taste.
They are available in spring and summer.  These are served as pickle to accompany yogurt rice.

Eggplant Chutney, Kathirikai thogayal

Ingredients:
1 large globe eggplant 500 gm or 18 oz
1/2 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoon urad dal
3 to 4 red chilies or to taste
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
a few cilantro leaves

Preparation: Roast the eggplant on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or so until the eggplant is roasted all over.

To a pan on medium heat add the mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilies and fry until the mustard seeds pop.  The urad dal will also turn golden brown at the same time.  Turn the heat off and add a pinch of asafoetida, the asafoetida will also fry in the heat of the pan.
When this is cool grind it to a smooth paste with tamarind concentrate, cilantro leaves, salt and with very little water or as needed.  After grinding it is ready to serve.  Serves 4.

Toor Dal

Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal

3 cups water

2 tablespoon ghee or clarified butter or substitute with oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 chopped green chilies or to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon salt

a few chopped cilantro leaves(hara dhania)

Preparation: Wash and cook the dal in a pressure cooker with 2 1/2 cups of water and keep aside for seasoning.

For seasoning:  To a pan on medium heat with the ghee or clarified butter add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.

When the mustard seeds pop add the chopped green chillies and grated ginger saute for a few seconds, add turmeric powder turn the heat off and add the seasoning to the cooked dal.  Add salt and water as needed to the cooked dal and bring it to a boil.  Turn the heat off add the chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

Serves 4.

Methi Bhaji

Ingredients:
2 bunch Methi leaves (275 gms or 9.65 oz)  or 9 cups of leaves after the stalks removed
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 green chilies or to taste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation: Wash the methi leaves by dumping it in water and shaking it to remove any dirt.  Remove the leaves from the stem.
Discard the stem and chop the leaves.

Heat oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  When mustard seeds pop add the chopped onions and saute it until it brown.  Add green chilies and turmeric powder, asafoetida and methi leaves.  Cook until the methi leaves have turned soft.  Takes about 5 minutes Add salt, sugar mix add lemon juice.  Turn the heat off and serve.
Serves 2