Stuffed Brinjal Roast

Other names - Stuffed Eggplant Roast / Stuffed Aubergine Roast

Prep Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: approx 45 min
Serves: 3

Ingredients

1. Brinjals (Violet & White striped) - 12 small sized
2. Tamarind extract (neither thick nor too thin) - 1/2 cup (adjust to taste)
3. Water - 3/4 cup
4. Vegetable oil - 3 tbsp
5. Salt - to taste
6. Ghee - 3 tsp

To grind to a smooth paste

1. Onions (peeled, washed, sliced & sauteed) - 2 medium sized
2. Thick jaggery extract (adjust to taste) - 3/4 tbsp
3. Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
4. Garlic pods - 10
5. Ginger (crushed)- 1" piece
6. Cinnamon - 1" stick
7. Dhania powder - 1 tsp
8. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Sambhar powder - 1 tsp
10. Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Kashmiri red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
12. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
13. Salt - to taste

For seasoning

1. Fenugreek seeds (pounded) -12 no's
2. Curry leaves - few

Method
To quarter the brinjals

1. Gently discard the stems of each brinjal; wash & pat dry.
2. Using a sharp knife, quarter each brinjal from the bottom towards half way of the upper part.
3. Repeat same method to quarter all the brinjals; set aside.

To prepare the stuffing

1. Heat ghee in a wok / pan, add garlic pods, crushed ginger, cinnamon stick; saute for a min or two.
2. Add the sliced onions and saute for about 3 to 4 min on high flame until golden brown; set aside to cool.
3. Once cool, grind to a coarse paste along with all the other ingredients mentioned above.
4. Stuff each & every quartered brinjal with about a teaspoon of the coarse paste gently and patiently; set them aside.
5. Stuff all the quartered brinjals in similar manner.
6. Keep aside the left over coarse paste for further use.

To prepare stuffed brinjals

1. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, add curry leaves; saute for few sec.
2. Add pounded methi seeds; saute just for 5 to 6 sec until the aroma emanates the kitchen.
3. Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil along with the left over coarse paste and cook on high flame for 2 min.
4. Cover with lid and let them cook on low flame for about 15 min.
5. Stir fry contents at regular intervals to ensure even cooking as well as to avoid them sticking on to the pan.
6. Add the tamarind extract and three fourth cup of water.
7. Bring to boil; reduce flame to low; cover with lid and cook for about 15 min until fairly dry.
8. Open lid; cook on low flame for about 10 min until the brinjals get dry roasted perfectly.
9. Switch off gas & transfer contents on to a casserole.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice, sambhar, rasam, chapathis, rotis and phulkas.

Banana Flower Paruppu Usili

Prep Time: 15 min (except the peeling & chopping procedure of the flower)
Soaking Time - For dhals - 1 hr
Cooking Time: 20 min
Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

1. Banana flower (peeled & chopped finely) - 1 medium sized
2. Channa dhal - 1/2 cup
3. Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
4. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Vegetable oil - 2 tsp
7. Water - 1/4 cup
8. Salt - to taste

For seasoning

1. Sesame oil - 3 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Curry leaves - few

Method to cook chopped banana flower

1. Peel & chop the banana flower finely; soak them in salted buttermilk the previous night; store in refrigerator.
2. Next morning drain; squeeze and then use for cooking.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add the chopped banana flower; saute for about 3 min.
4. Add pinch of turmeric powder, half amount of salt, quarter cup water; cover & cook for about 3 to 5 min until tender; but not mushy.
5. Combine contents in between at regular intervals to impart even cooking.
6. Once done; transfer contents on to a plate; allow to cool.

Method to cook dhals

1. Wash and soak both dhals in water for an hour; drian & set aside.
2. Grind the drained dhals in a mixie to a coarse paste without adding water.
3. Steam cook paste in an idly cooker or pressure cooker; allow to cool.
4. Crumble the dhal mixture either using your hands or using a mixie.
5. Heat sesame oil in a wok, add mustard seeds & let it splutter.
6. Add asafoetida powder, curry leaves, other half amount of salt & saute for few sec.
7. Add the crumbled dhal mixture to the seasoning & saute for about 3 to 5 min until crisp.

Method to prepare the banana flower paruppu usili

1. Add the cooked banana flower mixture to the crisp dhal mixture; combine well & saute for about 3 to 5 min.
2. Once done transfer contents to a serving bowl.
3. Serve hot along with steamed rice & more kuzhambhu.

NOTE

• Paruppu usili can also be prepared with any of the following vegetables such as grated carrots, shredded cabbage, finely chopped beans and cluster beans.

Batata Humman

Other name - Potato & Coconut Curry

Delicious manglorean dish made using potatoes!!!

Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients

1. Potatoes - 4 medium sized
2. Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
3. Red chillies (dry roasted) - 5
4. Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup
5. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
6. Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
7. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
8. Water - 3/4 cup

Method

1. Wash & slit each potato in to two halves.
2. Pressure cook for two whistles, allow to cool; cube the potatoes without peeling.
3. Wash, puree the tomatoes and set aside.
4. Dry roast whole red chillies, cool and discard stem.
5. Grind together grated coconut, dry roasted red chillies and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste.
6. Mix together tomato puree, coconut paste & asafoetida.
7. Heat a wok, add in the potato cubes, the above tomato coconut mixture, three fourth cup water & salt.
8. Heat on high flame until it comes to boil; reduce flame to low; cook for another 3 min.
9. Drizzle raw coconut oil & close with lid immediately.
10. Switch off gas and set aside for five min for all the flavors to blend in completely.
11. Serve hot with bhatures, rotis, pooris, chapathis, phulkas, parathas, idlies & dosas.
    

Guava Sabzi

Prep Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 10 to 15 min
Serves: 2

Ingredients

1. Ripe guavas (cubed) - 2 large sized
2. Ghee - 1 tbsp
3. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp
4. Red chilly powder - 3/4 tsp
5. Spice mixture - 3/4 tsp
6. Sugar - 1 tsp
7. Salt - to taste

To prepare spice mixture

1. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Kalonji - 1/2 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

METHOD

1. Grind each of the above spices separately using pestle and mortar to smooth powder & mix together.
2. Heat ghee in a kadai, add asafoetida and the spice mix.
3. Just as nice aroma emanates the kitchen, add cubed guava pieces and toss gently.
4. Add red chilly powder, salt, sugar and mix well.
5. Add half cup of water, cover and cook on low heat for about 5 min.
6. Serve hot with rotis and pooris.

NOTE

• Can also prepare similar sabzi with apples.
• Can exclude the cooking part, just toss gently & serve as a warm snack.