Vendaikkai Poriyal

Oil - 2 tbsp.

Mustard - 1 tsp

Urad Dhal - 1 tsp

Red Chilli - 2

Curry Leaves

Onion - 1, chopped

Green Chilli - 2, slit

Ladies Finger - 1 lb., chopped

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Coconut - 1/2 cup, grated

Salt

Heat Oil in a large skillet.

Temper Mustard, Urad Dhal, Red Chilli and Curry Leaves.

Sauté Onion and Green Chilli; cook until the Onion turns translucent.

Add Ladies Finger along with Turmeric powder and required Salt. Cook uncovered until the Ladies Finger is dry and crisped to preference.

Add grated Coconut and sauté for another 2 min. Turn off heat.

Serve warm with Rice and Dhal.

Patta Gobbi

• 200 grams cabbage (band gobhi or patta gobhi) or 4 cups of shredded cabbage

• ▢ ¾ to 1 cup of fresh peas (matar)

• ▢ 1 medium onion or ½ cup of finely chopped onion

• ▢ 1 medium to large tomato or ½ cup of finely chopped tomatoes

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Garam Masala

• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• ▢ ¾ to 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or ½ inch ginger and 2 to 3 cloves of garlic – crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle

• ▢ 1.5 to 2 tablespoon oil

• ▢ salt as required

• ▢ few coriander leaves for garnishing

INSTRUCTIONS

• Rinse the cabbage first. Then shred the cabbage with a knife or in a food processor. You can also chop the cabbage.

• Rinse the peas and keep aside. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes.

making cabbage matar

• Heat oil in a frying pan or kadai without handles (wok). Splutter cumin first.

• Then add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and saute till their raw aroma goes away.

• Add chopped onions and saute till they become translucent.

• Add tomatoes. Stir and then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.

• Stir and saute till you see oil releasing from sides of the mixture.

• Add the shredded or chopped cabbage/patta gobhi. Add green peas/matar.

• Stir very well and season with salt.

• Stir again and cover the pan with a rimmed lid filled with water. When using this method of cooking, you don’t need to add water to the veggies. Steam is formed in the pan and the veggies cook in the steam.

• A couple of times, remove the lid carefully and stir.

• Cover and continue to cook till the peas are softened. If the water dries up in the rimmed lid, then add some more water.

• Once the peas are cooked, if there is any moisture in the pan, then simmer the veggies on a low flame till all the moisture is a bit dried up. I usually keep some moisture in the veggies. Lastly add garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

• Serve cabbage matar with chapatis or phulkas. It also tastes good with bread.

Karela Fry

Karela - 1 cup, sliced thin

Turmric - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Fennel powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Asafetida - a pinch

Amchur powder 0 1/2 tsp

Besan - 1 tbsp.

Oil - 2 tbsp.

Salt

Heat oil in a skillet.

Add the karela slices and sauté on low or medium-low heat till the slices are lightly browned. Now, add all the dry ground spice powders and salt. Stir and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more on low heat.

Lastly, add the besan and sauté for some minutes or till the rawness of the besan goes away.

Garnish with coriander leaves.