Aaloo Baingan Korma

 

Eggplant is one of the few vegetables we get in the place we live. So I try to twist and play with the ingredients to make new recipes with the same. I have been following a blog of Sonal Gupta since long and as I spotted this recipe in her blog with baingan, I immediately loved it and decided to make it the same week and the end result was wonderful. Here's my version of the recipe with a few convenient modifications I prepared this:


Ingredients:

Potatoes (chopped): 3
Baingan/ Eggplant (chopped): 1
Peanuts: a few
Shredded coconut: 3 tsp.
Sesame seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chilli: 1
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Asafoetida: a pinch
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Kasoori methi: 2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.

1. Dry roast peanuts, coconut, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilli on medium flame. Cool and grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
2. Heat oil and crackle the mustard seeds. Add asafoetida and the onions. Fry until the onions are transparent.
3. Add potatoes and eggplant and sprinkle salt. Sprinkle little water and cover for about 4-5 minutes. Remove cover so they don't become soggy.
4. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Add the spice mix prepared in step 1, garam masala and kasoori methi. Mix everything well and add half a cup of water.
5. Cover and let cook on medium flame for about 10-15 minutes. Remove cover, stir well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot !!

Original recipe link from simplyvegetarian777: Baingan Aaloo Methi in coastal korma curry

5 Potato Stir-fry Recipes

Potato is a very versatile ingredient and can be cooked in as many ways possible. Even though this vegetable can be paired up with almost every other vegetable, I'm sharing five different methods to prepare just the potatoes without any other vegetable. These all are different from each other and each one tastes wonderful. All these recipes can be served as a side dish with chappati, poori or paratha and because all of these are dry vegetables, these can easily be packed in lunch box.

#1. HERBAL POTATO WEDGES:

This is a basic potato recipe in which the potato in cut into fine wedges and fried in herbs to give the whole vegetable a smothered in herbs feel.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (cut in wedges): 2 large
Cooking oil: 4 tsp.
Carom seeds: 1 tsp.
Garlic (chopped): 4 cloves
Salt to taste
Mint powder: 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves: few
Parsley leaves: a handful (chopped)

1. Heat oil and crackle the carom seeds and add the chopped garlic. Let fry until the garlic starts getting brown. 
2. Add the potato wedges and salt to taste. Mix and let cook for few minutes. 
3. Add the rest of the spices: red chilli powder, mint powder and coriander powder and mix everything well. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done. 
   
4. Add the finely chopped parsley leaves and coriander leaves and mix well again. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes and turn of the flame. 
5. Add a dash of lemon if required and serve. 

#2. AALOO PUDINA MASALA:

This is a recipe where chopped potatoes are fried with spices and freshly chopped mint leaves to give a fresh, minty flavor to the fried potatoes. 

Ingredients:

Potatoes (finely chopped): 2 big

Cooking oil: 

Ingredients:

Potatoes (cubed): 3
Ginger (grated): 1 inch
Garlic (chopped): 2 cloves
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.

1. Heat oil and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the ginger and garlic and fry for about a minute. 
2. Add the cubed potatoes and salt and mix well, let cook until the potatoes are completely done. Fry them in open flame pan, do not cover.  
3. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well. Cook for another minute and turn off the flame.
4. Add the garam masala and cover. Remove cover after 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional) and serve as a side dish with chappati or poori. 

Aaloo Matar Sabzi (Potato-peas)

Simple Aaloo matar subzi for the weekdays, light on platter and easy, quick to make with the minimal ingredients readily available in your kitchen.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (cubed): 4
Peas: 1 cup
Tomato (chopped): 1
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Ginger (chopped): 1 inch
Garlic (chopped): 3 cloves
Onion (sliced): 1
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, let them splutter.
2. Add the onions and saute them until they become transparent. Add the garlic and fry for about a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes, green chilli and ginger. Mix well. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric. Let this mix cook for about a minute.
4. Add the potatoes and mix well. Fry them with the masala for another minute. Add the peas and mix well. Add little water and close the pressure cooker. 
5. Cook until two whistles. Remove from heat, let the pressure escape, open and serve hot. Garnish with coriander leaves (optional).

Aaloo - Poori (Poori Bhaji)

Aaloo poori have since time immortal (lol) been an option for a wonderful, wonderful heavy breakfast on weekends in our house in India. This recipe I adopted from my mom, and I call it "poori waale aaloo".. because I strictly believe that what goes with this sabzi is only hot, fluffy pooris; nothing else, even though my husband is perfectly okay with having chappati as well with this, but I totally am not.

Here I'm sharing my fool-proof recipe for the aaloo sabzi. It can be savoured with Puffed Poori.
This also makes a wonderful pack and carry lunch for places where Indian food is hard to find or while travelling or on excursions, also making kids happy, and can even be eaten cold and tastes just as wonderful. Just remember to add the minimum water while packing it for carrying along.

Potatoes (chopped): medium 6 Tomato (chopped): big 1 Onion(chopped) 1 Cooking oil 5 Teaspoons Mustard seeds 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin seeds 1/2 Tablespoon Curry leaves 7 Turmeric powder 1/2 Tablespoon Red chilli powder 1/2 Tablespoon Coriander leaves (chopped) 4 Sprigs Green chilli (chopped) 1 Mango powder 1/4 Tablespoon Garam masala 1/4 Tablespoon



Heat oil in a shallow pan over medium flame. When hot, add mustard seeds. Let them splutter for 5 seconds. Then add cumin seeds, and let it also cook for 5-10 seconds. Add curry leaves and chopped green chilli. Let it cook for about 30 seconds. Add onions and sauté them till translucent. Don't let them brown. Add chopped potatoes and then add salt to taste and turmeric powder over them. Mix them thoroughly and let them cook for about a minute. Add a cup of water (medium), cover the pan and let the potatoes cook until they are soft. Open the pan when most of the water is absorbed. Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Add red chilli powder, mix and let it cook for another minute on low flame. The water will further be absorbed and it will start becoming a semi-liquid. Add mango powder and garam masala over it and mix it well. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and server hot with poori. You might also add lemon juice over the aaloo when cooked (before garnishing) to give it a tangy taste.

Punjabi Dum Aaloo

Baby potatoes 7 Onion (chopped) 1 Garlic (chopped) 3 Cloves Tomato (chopped) 1 Black cardamom 1 Cinnamon 1 Strip Ginger Slice 1 Green chilli 1 Cashew nuts 10 Curd 1/2 Cup Turmeric powder 1/2 Teaspoon Red chilli powder 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander powder 1/4 Teaspoon Garam masala 1/4 Teaspoon Mango powder 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander leaves 3 Sprigs Cooking oil 250 Millilitres Cumin seeds 1/2 Teaspoon

Boil the baby potatoes in a pressure cooker for one whistle, adding some salt and a little oil in the cooker. Peel the boil potatoes and keep them aside. Take oil in a pan and shallow fry the boiled potatoes till their color changes to golden brown and they are completely cooked. Remove them and place them on tissue papers so that all extra oil be absorbed. Keep them aside. Now add chopped onions and garlic to a mixer and add a bit of water and grind it well. Pour the mixture in a bowl and keep it aside. Now, add 3 tsps. of oil in the pan and let it heat on medium flame. When hot, add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add black cardamom and cinnamon and cook them for about a minute till they impart a wonderful aroma. Now add the onion-garlic paste and fry it well till the paste becomes brown and leaves oil at the sides. This frying is very important as this imparts taste to the vegetable. Now add chopped tomatoes to the pan and mix well. Grate the ginger finely and add it to the pan. Mix well. When the tomato is cooked and becomes very soft, add the dry spices except for salt: red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook for about 30 seconds. Grate the cashew nuts very finely and add them to the pan. Mix and let it cook for a minute. Then add curd and mix well. Let it cook for about 2 minutes till it is cooked and mixed completely. Now add the fried potatoes to the mix and mix everything well. Add some water if the gravy is too thick. Let it cook for about a minute. Bring it to boil if you have added water. Now add finely cut in rounds green chilli to the curry and mix well. Turn off the heat, sprinkle some garam masala and mango powder over the curry, let it sit for about 5 minutes and mix well. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti or rice. It can be used as a side dish with lunch or dinner because it is very light. But we use it as a complete food, and have it with roti and yoghurt raita.

Aaloo Methi (and how to grow methi)

My dad is an awesome cook and I have always loved simple vegetables cooked by him. He used to prepare this very quick and simple aaloo methi subzi back home and it was never enough for me and I used to simply relish it. But after I moved out of India, I had a hard time finding methi (fenugreek) leaves and so I used to feel something is missing. But then I decided to grow my own methi and use those leaves to satisfy my craving by preparing this vegetable.

First I would share how I grew methi leaves:

1. Take a few fenugreek seeds used in Indian households as a spice and wash and soak overnight (at least 10 hours). This is fenugreek seeds. 
   
2. Drain the water (you can drink this water, it's very good for digestive issues; or simply throw away) and keep the methi seeds for sprouting. 
3. I used my sprouts maker for the same: just filling the water in the lower portion and spread the soaked seeds on the tray and cover. You will see the seeds have started to sprout after about 18-20 hours. This also depends upon the temperature. The seeds will sprout faster in warm weather and slower in cold weather. You can also sprout the seeds in the traditional way of hanging the seeds in muslin cloth.
4. Take a good quality potting soil and fill the pot in which you are planting the seeds, about more than half with soil. 
5. Sprinkle the seeds evenly in the soil and then just sprinkle a little soil. This does not need to be covered completely. Sprinkle some water and leave for about 12 hours. 
6. After 12 hours, water the seeds (not too much, just so as the whole soil is wet). Keep in sunshine and sprinkle water everyday. Do not let the soil become very dry. 
7. In 3-4 days you will see little leaves coming out from the soil. Keep watering and the leaves will grow completely in about 4-5 weeks. My leaves took exactly 34 days. 
8. Using a sharp scissors, cut the leaves along with tender stems and leave the roots portion in the soil as it will grow back and will yield more leaves. Wash thoroughly and now the methi is ready to be cooked.

Recipe for aaloo methi:

Ingredients:

Methi (fenugreek leaves): finely chopped

Potatoes (finely cubed): 3

Cooking oil: 3 tsp.

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.

Milk/cream: 4 tbsp.

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds when hot. Add very finely cubed potatoes to the pan after the cumin seeds splutter. Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well and let it cook until the potatoes are 3/4th cooked.
2. Add chopped fenugreek leaves and mix well. Add red chilli powder and mix well, cook until the fenugreek leaves are cooked and they wilt.
3. Add the milk/cream to the pan. Mix very well. Let it cook for about 10 minutes on a low flame. The milk/cream will be absorbed by the vegetable. Keep stirring so that it does not stick on the pan.
4. The end result must be in almost a dry form, not watery. Serve hot with rotis/parathas and raita. It can be used as a side dish with another main course vegetables.

Aaloo Tamatar Sabzi

Ingredients:

Potatoes (cubed): 4
Tomatoes (chopped roughly): 2
Green chilli: 1
Ginger (grated): 1 inch
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida: a heaped pinch
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.

1. Heat oil in a wok and add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add asafoetida and after a minute add cubed potatoes and add salt and turmeric. Mix well and let it cook for 2 minutes. 
   
2. Add 2 cups of water to the potatoes. 
   
3. cover and let the potatoes cook till they are soft. Remove cover and add cumin powder and coriander powder. Mix well.
4. Cut the green chilli in small rounds and add to the pan. Add grated ginger and mix well. Add cut tomatoes in medium sized chunks (do not chop finely). 
   
5. Add red chilli powder and mix well. Simmer and let cook for about 10 minutes when the curry is beginning to thicken and the tomatoes begin to soften. 
6. Add garam masala and stir well, garnish with coriander leaves (optional) and serve hot with roti/paratha or simple rice. 
   

Malai Kofta (in Appe pan)

Malai Kofta is a classic North Indian dish originated from the Mughlai cuisine. Basically the dish consists of fried dumplings, the "koftas"; which are served dipped in a wonderful aromatic tomato curry with wonderful Indian spices, and topped with fresh cream, i.e. "malai".

This makes a wonderful main course meal as the fried dumplings in the curry make a heavy meal. It goes well with roti/paratha/naan and even rice. In the recipe, I have used fresh home made cheese + boiled potatoes for the dumplings. I have made the koftas in appe pan which is a healthier option as it requires just a bit of oil and tastes absolutely perfect. I have tried this by frying many times but have updated the post with the appe pan method.

 Ingredients:

For the koftas:

Potatoes (boiled): 5
Home made cheese (paneer): 2 cups
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Mango powder: 1 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp. (Punjabi garam masala recipe)
Kasoori methi: 1/2 tsp.
Oil to grease appe pan

For the curry: 

Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 2
Ginger (chopped): 1 inch
Garlic (chopped): 4 cloves
Tomatoes (chopped): 3
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1 tsp.
Bay leaf: 1
Black cardamom: 1
Cloves: 2
Yogurt: 1 cup
Garam masala: 1 tsp. (Punjabi garam masala recipe)

For garnish: 

Fresh cream: 2-3 tsp.
Coriander leaves

1. Firstly we prepare koftas. Add the boiled potatoes and the paneer together in a bowl. Add the spices: salt, red chilli powder, mango powder, garam masala and kasoori methi. 
   
2. Mix everything well to make a uniform dough. 
   
3. Grease your palms and pinch a small portion from the dough. Roll it smoothly between your palms so there are no cracks in the ball. 
   
4. Prepare balls from all the dough and keep aside. 
    
   
5. Heat the appe pan on medium-low flame and add a drop of oil in each cavity. Place all the balls in the cavities of appe pan. 
   
6. Let cook for about 10-12 minutes. Do not cover. 
   
7. Flip the koftas carefully to the other side and similarly let cook for another 10-12 minutes. 
   
8. Remove from the flame and keep aside. I use a tablespoon to scoop out the balls carefully from the pan so they don't break. They usually tend to break or disfigure if try to remove with help of wooden spatula provided with the appe pan. 
   
9. These balls can also be deep fried if you don't have an appe pan. 
10. Now we prepare the curry. Heat oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Add the bay leaf and cloves. 
11. Add the chopped onions and fry until they turn transparent. 
12. Add the chopped ginger and garlic and fry for about 2 minutes. 
13. Add the tomatoes and green chilli. Sprinkle salt and cover. Let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. 
14. Remove cover and add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix well and turn off the flame after a minute. 
15. Let this masala cool completely and then grind to a fine paste in the mixer. 
    
16. Now heat the same pan again. You won't need to add more oil if using a non stick pan otherwise add a little oil. Add the black cardamom and the ground masala paste. 
    
17. Mix well and sprinkle a little water. Mix again. Again sprinkle little water and mix. Let cook for about 30 seconds. Repeat this 5-6 times, this will make the curry creamy without making it watery. Do not add water at once. Now the curry consistency will be perfect. 
    
18. Add the yogurt and mix well. Let come to a boil and then add the garam masala. Mix well and turn off the flame when it reaches desired consistency. Generally the curry is creamy thick and not watery so the adding little water in stages will help to make it creamy. 
    
19. Add the koftas to the curry and garnish with fresh cream and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve immediately. 
    
20. Don't add the koftas to the curry if not serving right away as it will make the koftas soggy and they will break. If serving later, warm the curry and koftas separately and serve hot. You can even prepare and refrigerate the koftas a day before to add to the curry. 

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Mix vegetable fry

What to do when you run out of ideas what to cook on a weekday and not in a mood to stress your brains? Yes, the famous mix vegetable.. That's what we do as well.. This recipe is basically my husband's. He passed it onto me sometime ago. Simple stir fried vegetables which is easy to make and light on the tummy.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (sliced in rounds): 4
Onion (sliced in rounds): 1 big
Baby onions (peeled): 4
Peas: 1 cup
Carrots (diced): 2 
Ginger (chopped): 1 inch
Garlic (chopped): 4 cloves
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Cooking oil: 3 tbsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Dried red chilli: 1
Garam masala: 1 tsp.

1. Heat oil and crackle cumin seeds. Add dried red chilli, ginger, garlic, green chilli and sauté for a minute.
2. Add the onion rings and peeled baby onions. Add potatoes, carrots and peas. Sprinkle salt and let fry on medium-low flame for about 10 minutes. 
   
   
3. Add the garam masala, mix well and cook for another 5-7 minutes till all the vegetables are fried well. Turn off the flame and serve.