Baingan Bhartha (Fire Roasted Eggplant Curry)

Baingan Bhartha (Fire Roasted Eggplant Curry)

Author: Mohanrao Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 2 Medium Brinjal
  • 2 Medium Onions Finely chopped
  • 3 Medium Tomatoes Finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Tumeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
  • 3-4 Green Chillies Finely Chopped
  • 1 inch Ginger Grated
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic Chopped Finely
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds
  • 2-3 tbsp Oil
  • 2-3 tbsp Coriander Leaves Chopped finely for garnish

Instructions

  • Roasted the brinjals over a direct flame till the skin is charred and cooked well. Alternatively, you can roast it in a preheated oven.
  • Remove from fire and let it cool completely. Peel off the skin and mash the eggplant and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and let it crackle. Add in the green chillies, ginger and garlic. Cook for a while and then add in the chopped onions.
  • Cook on a medium flame till it becomes slightly golden in colour. Next, add in the coriander powder, turmeric powder, and the red chilly powder and salt Mix well.
  • Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till it becomes soft and mushy. If required add about 1/4 cup of water to make it into a mushy consistency.
  • Add in the mashed brinjal, mix, and close with a lid and cook for 3 -4 minutes on a medium flame.
  • Add in the garam masala mix and cook for another 2- 3 minutes on a medium flame.
  • Add the coriander leaves mix well .
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and green chilly and serve with rotis or phulkas.

Mangalore Buns

The overripe bananas in the basket set me thinking… Why not have Mangalore Buns for breakfast.

Mangalore Buns

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4
Author: Mohanrao Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 3 medium Overripe Bananas used small yellow ( Elaichi ) bananas
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Sour Curd
  • 1/4 tsp Crushed Jeera
  • 1 pinch Baking Soda
  • 1 cup All purpose Flour You may require more depending upon the bananas
  • 1 tbsp Gram Flour
  • Oil for deep frying
  • 1 pinch Salt

Instructions

  • Peel and cut Bananas into medium pieces and grind it along with the sugar.
  • Mix baking soda and curd in a bowl and beat well.
  • Mix together the banana mixture, crushed jeera, gram flour and all purpose flour. Gradually add the curd mixture and knead it to a soft dough.
  • Keep it aside for 4-5 hours or preferably overnight to ferment.
    Once fermented the dough is ready. Make small balls and roll out into thick puris.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry the buns until golden brown on both sides.

Rajasthani Laal Maas

It is Sunday and the inevitable question – what’s for lunch? There was mutton in the freezer and that brought memories of Rajasthani Laal Mass we had while holidaying in Rajasthan. A search brought up this recipe. As usual, I tweaked it a bit..

Rajasthani Laal Maas

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 6
Author: Mohanrao Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 700 grams Mutton
  • 2 small Potatoes
  • 1.5 cup Curd/Yogurt
  • 3 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder (heaped)
  • 1 tbsp Corriander Powder (heaped)
  • 1.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • 800 grams Onions Sliced thinly
  • 3 cms Cinnamon stick
  • 1 medium Black Cardamom
  • 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
  • 5 tbsp Ghee
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tbsp Cloves
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper corns

Instructions

  • Take curd, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder in a bowl, mix well and set aside.
  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add in cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and black cardamom. Add onions, salt and cook until golden brown.
  • Add in mutton and mix well until it is seared. Add in the potatoes. Mix well.
  • Add in curd mix and stir well till the colour darkens. Add some water.
  • Add some water and mix well. Cover and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Then simmer the flame and cook for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and let it stand till the pressure is released.
  • Serve with rice or rotis.

Notes

Inspiration – YummyTummy
www.yummytummyaarthi.com

Thandai Phirni

It is Holi and no Holi is complete without Thandai. How about Thandai as a dessert !

Thandai Phirni

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: thandai
Servings: 6
Author: Mohanrao Suvarna

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Brown Basmati Rice
  • 3 cup Whole milk
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 12 nos Whole Almonds
  • 7-8 medium Cashew Nuts
  • 5-6 nos Pistachios medium slices
  • 5-6 medium Cardomom Pods
  • 1 tsp Fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper Crushed
  • 1 tsp Saffron

Instructions

  • Wash the brown basmati rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes. Soak the almonds in water for 20 minutes.
  • Bring the milk to boil, reduce the heat and keep it simmering. Drain the soaked rice and grind it very coarsely in a food processor. Add it to the milk and let it cook.
  • Remove the skin from the almonds by gently sliding it off. Remove seeds from the cardamom pods. Add the almonds, cardamom seeds and the rest of the ingredients except saffron, to a food processor and grind to a coarse mix.
  • Add this to the simmering milk and rice mix. Add the saffron too. Mix well.
  • Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator. Pour into serving bowls and top with grated pistachios. before serving.

The Hare and the Tortoise

In the story “The  Rabbit and the Tortoise”, slow and steady won the race. This was true in the 18th, and 19th centuries, etc. In dynamic times like the present, the post  (goal)  keeps on moving as fast as you run, even the tortoise has also gained speed. The more we try to reach, the far the goal is, and both tortoise and the rabbit wear out in the middle and keep on hoping to reach the post someday. Isn’t this a simile for today’s mad rush towards the moolah?  Isn’t it even the case for both developed (Rabbit)  as well as the developing nations (tortoise)? Correct me if I am wrong.