TORKARI:  GARDEN VEGETABLE DISH/CURRY

GHONTO: A DISH OF MINCED AND LIGHTLY SPICED VEGETABLES COOKED ALMOST DRY.

GARAM MASALA: MIXTURE OF CARDAMOM, CLOVES AND CINNAMON USED IN COOKING TO MAKE FOOD RICH.

POTATO & SPRING ONION TORKARI

Big Potato –       2 off               

Spring Onion –   100 g

Oil -                     2 table spoons

Sugar -               1 tea spoon

Salt -                   2 tea spoons 

Wash the potatoes well and cut them into two halves, each half to 3 - 4  long slices.

Cut the spring onions to 5 cm lengths.

Fry the potatoes in oil in a pan. They should not become brown, but soft.

Add salt and sugar. When potatoes become soft, mix the onions. Cook for a few minutes till the onions become soft.

Take the pan out and serve.

GREEN CABBAGE GHONTO

Cabbage                    1 off

Potato                        2 off

Ginger                        2.5 cm long grated

Green chilli                2 off

Fenugreek seeds (Methi)   1/2 tea spoon

Aniseed (Fennel)                 1/2 tea spoon

1 rea spoon Turmeric, 2 Bay leaf, 1 tea spoon Salt & 2 tea spoon Sugar +

1 1/2 tea spoon Aniseed paste

Cut the cabbage into small pieces and wash them.

Cut the potatoes into cube shapes and wash them.

Make a paste of ginger, turmeric and two spoons of sugar.

Fry the potatoes in oil in a pan (Korai). Take them out when they are brown.

Put fenugreek seeds (Methi), aniseed, and bay leaf in the pan and when a nice smell comes out (do not burn otherwise it will taste very bitter), mix the cabbage and put some salt to taste and cover the pan.

When the cabbage becomes soft, add the paste and stir the cabbage.

Then add the potatoes. When well mixed, add garam masala.

The whole process will take about 30 - 40 minutes. Always cook under medium heat.

Take the pan out and serve.

AUBERGINE KOFTA

Aubergine                        2 off

Ginger paste                   2 tea spoons

Cashew nut ground       1 table spoon

Green chilli                      2 off

Sugar                               2 tea spoons

Turmeric                         1 tea spoon

Onion                              1 off

Garam masala + salt

  put aside

Cut the aubergine into small pieces and fry them well in oil in the pan and .

Also fry chillies with onion (both cut into tiny pieces) together with ginger paste and turmeric for a couple of minutes. 

Now add sugar, cashew nut ground and fried aubergines - mix well, smash with the back of the spoon.

After a well mix add garam masala and take the pan out for serving, best with Indian Chappati (flat bread)

GREEN PUMPKIN (CHALKUMRO) OR MARROW + MUG DAL GHONTO

Green pumpkin                        one weighing 500 gm OR 1 kg

Mug dal  (lentil)                      100 g

Bay leaf                                    2

Sugar                                        1½ tea spoon

Dry red chilli                            2

Cumin (Jira) paste                 2 tea spoons

Coriander leaves

Turmeric                                  1 tea spoon

Salt to taste

Cut the pumpkin into very small pieces and wash them.

Fry the dal with one-teaspoon oil till brown. Then boil it in water.

Now mix the pumpkin pieces in a pot with the boiled dal and add salt.Now cook with lid on.

When the pumpkin is cooked (take out any excess water from the pumpkin after cooking), add chilli and bay leaf and mix well.

Take the mixture out and keep it in a separate plate.

Now the cooking pot is to be washed and put it on the fire. When the pot is hot, put one-tablespoon oil and heat well. Then add some cumin and one dry chilli and fry them for a few seconds. Then add the cumin paste and mix well for a couple of minutes. Add the pumpkin and sugar and cook until the whole thing looks well blended and not much water left. Stir it well and then put coriander leaves and take it out for serving with basmati rice.

MUG DAL TORKARI

Mug dal (lentil)                   200 g

Bay leaf                                2

Dry red chilli                        2

Black cumin (Kalijira)        1 teaspoon

Salt & Sugar to individual taste

Beans (Kidney-bean), Chick Pea and cauliflower

Spinach, Tomato, coriander leaves

After keeping the dal in water for half an hour, wash well and then put it in the pressure cooker. Depending on the quantity of dal, pour water up to a height of 1.2 cm above the dal. If the dal is of good quality it should be boiled after one whistle. Switch off the hot plate before the whistle blows.

When the cooker cools down, mix all the vegetables (cut into small pieces) in the cooker and add water if needed for boiling.

After boiling, add salt and sugar and boil the mixture.

Fry some oil in the pan with 2 dry red chillies and then add black cumin.

After frying add the boiled dal. When a nice smell comes out, add coriander leaves and take it out for serving.

CAULIFLOWER DOM

Cauliflower                     1

Big potato                       2

Ginger                              1.2 cm

Bay leaf                           2

Cinnamon                        2.5 cm

Cardamom                      4

Black pepper                  4

Yogurt                            100 g

Butter                             1 spoon

Sugar                              1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Garam Masala

Cut the cauliflower into big pieces.

Skin the potatoes and cut them into 8 pieces.

Heat a pan with butter on it. Put garam masala, chopped ginger, bay leaf and black pepper and stir it till the mixture gives an aroma.

Then put the potatoes and the cauliflower on the pan. Stir a little.

Beat the yogurt with a spoon and pour it on the potatoes and the cauliflower.

Mix salt and sugar to taste and cover the pan with a lid.

When it is boiled, take the pan out. Take the lid off and mix 1 teaspoon of butter.

It is ready for serving.

POTATO DOM  

Potato                               1 kg (depending on number of people)

Onion                                100 g

Ginger                               5 g

Clove                                 4

Cinnamon                         3

Turmeric powder             ½  teaspoon

Oil

Bay leaf                            2

Cumin                               1 teaspoon

Ground cumin, ground coriander

Salt and sugar to taste

Chop onion and tomato to fine pieces

Make a fine paste with the onion and ginger.

Grind clove and cinnamon.

Boil the potato in a pressure cooker. Then peal the potatoes and fry them to a golden colour.

Add tomato, ground cumin and coriander, salt and sugar, turmeric powder in a pan and cook them well. Then add the potatoes and water and boil for a while.

Then mix garam masala and butter and then serve.

SPINACH & AUBERGINE GHONTO

Spinach                                    1 kg

Aubergine                               1 big

Potato                                      2

Fenugreek seeds (Methi)     ½ teaspoon

Green chilli                              2

Beans (Shim)                        10

Radish (Mulo)                        2

Sugar                                      1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Butter

Wash the spinach and rinse the water well. Chop them into small pieces.

Cut the potatoes to thin slices.

Cut aubergine, beans, Radish into small pieces.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the fenugreek seeds.

Then pour all the vegetables and fry them lightly.

Then mix the spinach. When it becomes soft, add cut green chillies, salt and sugar and mix them well in the pan.

Finally add butter and take the pan out and serve the food.

Sheemer torkari 

( Runner beans with corriander and green chilli ) 

Ingredients : 

Runner Beans                               500 gm 
Fresh Corriander                         1 and half cup 
Green Chilli                                   1 or( more depends how hot you would like) .
Kalonji ( black onion seed )      1 tsp 
Turmeric                                       1 tsp 
Salt                                                1 tsp or (according to your taste ) 
Sugar                                            1 level tsp 
Oil                                                  2tbsp 

Method _ Top & tail beans & cut into about 4cm long & wash .

Put a heavy bottom pan on the cooker under medium heat . Add kalonji and chilli into hot oil and make sure you dont burn it . Add beans and cook for 3-4 mins
Add all other ingredients except corriander and cook until beans become quite soft and tender. 
Make a paste with the corriander (in a electric whizzer, if you have one ) . add the paste, mixwell , cover and simmer for another 5-7 mins .
Serve hot with boiled rice and you will say YAMMMMMM !!!

POTATO + GREEN PEAS TORKARI

Potato                                2 (big)

Bay leaf                             2

Green peas                       ½ kg

Ginger                                2.5 cm

Onion                                 2 (big)

Garlic                                 2 cloves (big)

Sugar                                 1 teaspoon

Coriander (ground)         1 teaspoon

Green chilli                        4

Salt to taste

Garam masala & butter

Cut the potatoes to small square pieces.

Boil the peas and keep them separately.

Cut the chillies and onion into fine pieces

Fry the potatoes to golden colour in oil (1 teaspoon) in a pan and keep them separately.

Now fry in oil in a pan (not too long) the following:

Mashed ginger and garlic, chillies and onion

Then add 1 tablespoon water and ground coriander and stir them well.

Add now the boiled peas and potatoes.

Add salt and sugar to taste. Cook a little.

Finally add butter and garam masala.

Ready to serve.

YOGURT AUBERGINE

Aubergine                                                   1 big

Yogurt (natural)                                        ½ tub

Onionone medium chopped finely

Green chilli                                                  1

Coriander leaves

Salt                                                             ½ teaspoon

Sugar                                                         2 teaspoon

Oil

Cut the aubergine into medium size pieces. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

Then pat them dry with a kitchen towel and then fry them in very little oil. Don’t burn them.

Put one-tablespoon oil in a pan, add the chopped onion, chopped chilli, coriander, salt & sugar. Fry them until onion is translucent in colour.

Cool it and then add ½ tub of natural yogurt and mix well.

Now add the cold aubergine and mix them well in the yogurt but carefully so that the aubergines do not break.

Check salt and sugar.

Ready for serving.