Vellai Kurma

Vellai Kurma or South Indian White kurma is a very popular side dish for Chapathis and Idiyappam served in most of the restaurants in Tamil Nadu. The name suggests that there is no added color to the kurma like turmeric or any other color.

The recipe given below serves 4

Ingredients :

Assorted Vegetables (carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas and potato cut into cubes) - 3 cups
Salt to taste
Green chillies - 2
Bay leaf - a few
Corn flower or maida - 1 tbsp mixed well in a cup of water
Oil - 2 tbsp

To grind :
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - a small peice
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp

Method

• Pressure cook all the cut vegetables with 2 tbsp of water for just one whistle.
• Heat oil in a pan and sauté the green chillies and bay leaves
• Add the ground paste and sauté for a while 
• Add salt to taste
• Add the boiled vegetables and pour little water to get a gravy like consistency
• Pour in the corn flour / maida water and give it a boil till the kurma comes together
• Garnish with cilantro

Enjoy with hot chapatis or Idiyappams

Mixed Vegetable Curry

Vegetable Kurma

Ingredients:

3cups - chopped vegetables (potato, carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower etc)
Tomatoes - 3 nos
Salt to taste
Coconut grated - 2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Cashews and Almonds - 2 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp


Method

• Boil the vegetables in just enough water and cook till done.
• Puree the tomatoes with almonds and cashew and fennel seeds
• In a pan heat up a little oil and saute the tomato paste till oil separates
• Add turmeric,Grind coconut smooth and add it to the tomato gravy
• Add garam masala, dhaniya powder and chilli powder and salt to taste
• Add the boiled vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander and mint leaves
• Serve with Hot Puris.

Enjoy!!!!

Bengali Aloo dum

Bengali Aloo Dum

I proudly looked at the aloo dum that I whipped up. Having born in Kolkata, I pondered to myself if I might have some natural Bengali roots. I love everything about Bengal, the people, the food, the language, sweets,  Durga Puja... Well .. who doesn't ? Here comes the Bengali Vegetarian food- the most famous Aloo Dum from my spic and span, well organised My Magical Kitchen.

I know I am bragging. Please bear with me if you are reading this.

I even heard that Bengali vegetarian food is traditionally without onion and garlic.

I made this aloo dum for a dinner that we hosted this week. To prepare this was a breeze because our house help Maria had already boiled the potatoes with skin peeled and kept them ready in the refrigerator.

Ingredients :

Baby potatoes - 1lb
Tomatoes - 4  numbers
Ginger - a little peice
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Panch Poron - 1 tsp ( The Bengali masala) for seasoning
Cream - 2 tbsp
Cashew - 5 peices
Oil - to fry and season

Method:

• Boil the potatoes and take out the skin
• Fry them deep in oil
• Keep aside
• Puree the tomatoes, ginger and cashew till smooth and silky
• In a pan heat enough oil, crackle the cumin and panch poron 
• Add the tomato puree and saute till oil separates
• Add in the chilli and masala powders
• Add the fried potatoes.
• Add water if it is too thick.
• When it boils well, add the cream and switch off.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Goes well with rice and pooris (luchis)

Enjoy!!!

Sambar

I am going to complete 15 years of matrimony this July. That's been a long journey. What's the connection between that and Sambar? You will know how.

Today I made Sambar and vegetable curry for lunch. Suddenly while preparing this dish which I can make even in my dreams, I remembered a cookery show where the Chef was trumpeting proudly about how many times he had made a particular dish and how much of an expert he is at that.

Though modesty would prevent me from calling myself an expert at anything at all, I was intrigued by that chef's comment.
I stepped into the kitchen only after my wedding. And we make Sambar at our house thrice a week on an average.

If I take that calculation into account I have made Sambar more than 2000 times. That's a big number.

So if anyone wants to learn Sambar, don't think twice to learn from me :-)

Measurements are hard to give, I have tried my best because I always eyeball the quantities for the dishes that I prepare. Tuvar dal does not exist in Guatemala. We are still waiting for an Indian to open up a store here. I stock up on tuvar dal during the yearly India trip or we buy it from the USA.
Guatemalan Indians must be the only group of people who go to the US to buy Indian groceries. A visit to the US or India or sometimes even Panama, our bags are sure to be filled up with Indian groceries.

Still it isn't easy as you think. I realized how precious every grain of 'dal' could be only after coming here. There is a lot of hassle sourcing the Tuvar dal. We end up getting caught in customs at Guatemala. The customs guy argues with you that it is a 'seed' and it cannot be allowed in Guatemala. For me anxiety works as always. I show up an anxious face, beg and argue with him, tell him that it is my 'baby's food', tell him that it is the only source of protein since I am a vegetarian. After a lot of talking he lets me away with my precious 'dal'. The airport is so small, now the guy knows me so well, smiles and not a question is asked these days.  Many of my friends  especially the men have had issues sourcing the dal into Guate and to their plight many kgs of dal are chucked into the bin without any pity. Poor men, must learn to show up anxiety.

But for the amount of Sambar we make, the stock does not last long and I end up making Sambar with 'Moong dal' which I get from the Chinese store here or worst case use the Guatemalan 'Lentejas'.



Ingredients:

• Tuvar Dal - 2 cups
• Water - 4 cups
• Tamarind - lemon sized
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Red chilli - 2 nos.
• Salt to taste
• Sambar Powder - 1.5 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup ( I have used carrots, beans and Zucchini)
• Curry leaves and Cilantro to garnish

Method:

• Pressure cook the dal in 2 cups of water till soft.
• Boil the vegetables in a cup of water.
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of warm water and squeeze out the juice. Throw away the pulp.
• When the vegetables are cooked 3/4th add in the tamarind water.
• When it comes to a boil, add the dal, salt and the sambar powder
• If you think that the Sambar is too thick, you may add in a little more water.
• Stir, bring to a boil and switch off.
• In a pan heat the oil and throw in the mustard seeds and the red chillies.
• When it splutters, season the sambar with this mixture.
• Garnish with cilantro and curry leaves.

Serve Sambar with hot rice, vegetable curry and papad.

Picture Illustrations