Vegetable Korma

Ingredients For Grinding:
1" piece of ginger
2 green chili's or to taste
3 cloves garlic
10 cashew nuts
2 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2" cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
a few cilantro leaves
1/2 cup water

Grind the above ingredients with a little water and keep aside after grinding.

Other Ingredients for Korma:
3 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups cauliflower
3/4 cup carrots
1/2 cup peas
1 cup chopped onions
4 tablespoon oil
2 whole cloves
1 1" cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 cups of coconut milk 
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
water as needed
   
Wash and cut potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and onions and keep it aside.

To a pan on medium heat add oil, clove, cinnamon and bay leaves and wait for the spices to sizzle.  When the spices start sizzling add the chopped onions and and saute for a few minutes until the onion is translucent after which add turmeric powder, the ground ingredients saute for two minutes.  

After two minutes and when the ground spices give an aroma, add the vegetables mix cover and cook for 5 minutes.  After which stir the contents add coconut milk and cook until the vegetables are done.  Takes about 12 to 15 minutes.  While cooking keep stirring now and then so that the vegetables don't stick to the bottom burn. 

When vegetables are cooked add salt mix and cook for a minute, turn the heat off add lemon juice and remove and serve.

Serves 6

Serve with lacha paratha, chapati, puri or rice

A mixed vegetable specialty dish.  This dish is aromatic, flavorful and tasty.  Popularly served in South Indian restaurants with chapati or paratha.

Methi Pakoda

Ingredients:
4 cups methi leaves 

a few chopped cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon ajwain

2 cups of besan or chick peas flour

Preparation: Wash the methi leaves, separate it from the stalk, discard the stalk and use the leaves.  Chop the washed leaves.  To the chopped leaves add chopped onions and salt and mix.  Cover and let it wilt for about half hour for the moisture contained in it to come out.  After it has wilted add cilantro leaves, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder and mix, add ajwain and peanuts and mix.

Add the chick peas flour gradually according to necessity.  If you add too much you can add a little water to make the batter softer.
The batter has to be thick to hold.  Heat some oil  on medium heat for deep frying.  Test the heat by dropping a bit of the batter.    

If it floats up right away the oil is at the right temperature.  Start dropping a little bit of the batter into the oil and fry until it is golden brown all around.  Remove from oil and serve.

Serves 4

This is a wonderful and flavorful tasty snack to serve when you have company.

Cabbage curry with Toor Dal

Ingredients:
1 small cabbage
1/2 cup toor dal
2 cups water or enough to cook the dal
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 or 4 green chilies to taste
a few cilantro leaves
a few curry leaves
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation: Wash and cook the toor dal in water on medium heat.  While the dal is cooking prepare the cabbage.

Remove and discard couple of the outer peel of the cabbage, and cut the cabbage into small bits.  Discard the stem.  If you like you can shred the cabbage in a food processor.  When done keep it aside for cooking.

To cook the cabbage, to a pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoon on oil, add the mustard seeds and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.
When the mustard seeds pop add the green chili, ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, cilantro leaves one after the other and saute for 10 seconds after each addition.  Next add the chopped cabbage, turmeric powder, peanuts, mix and cook covered for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked.  The cabbage should still retain some of its crunchiness.  After the cabbage is cooked add the cooked dal, salt and mix.  Add the lemon juice mix and serve.

Serves 4

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.