indian curry – Meal Haven

Vatha Kozhumbu

A traditional tamil brahmin style curry using sundakkai (dried Turkey berry/black nightshade seeds). When I run out of vegetables at home or feel like having a tangy curry, Vatha Kozhumbu comes to my rescue always.

Ingredients:

For Seasoning

Sesame oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 3/4 tsp

Fenugreek seeds/Methi – 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves – 6 – 7

Tamarind – lemon sized ball

For curry

Dried Sundakkai (Dried Turkey berry or black nighshade berries) – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Jaggery powdered – 1 tsp

Water – 1 cup

Sesame oil – 1 tbsp

Rice powder – 1 tsp

To grind:

Sesame oil- 1 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Urad dal – 1 3/4 tbsp

Whole Pepper – 1 tsp

Whole Red chillies – 7

Curry leaves – 4

Preparation:

Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Then, squeeze it well and keep the juice aside.

Heat a pan and add 1 tsp of oil. Add the pepper, udad dal and saute and then add red chillies, curry leaves and hing. Fry till it becomes slightly brown in colour.Transfer to a mixer when it cools down. Grind it to a smooth paste.

In the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and the sundakkai and saute till it becomes slightlly brown. Add curry leaves and the ground paste to it and saute tll the raw smell disappears. Add the tamarind extract and let it boil for about 10 minutes on low flame. Add 1 cup of water, rice powder and the jaggery and boil until it starts to thicken. Stir it in between. When it is slightly thickened, take it off the flame.

Serve it with rice and any vegetable kootu.

Mutton Palak/Palak Gosht

Non-Vegetarian

A delicious lamb curry with the versatile spinach. A dish that you could make for your pot-lucks, house parties or game nights. The unique blend of spices, lamb and greens makes it a favourite all of at home. Unlike other lamb curries, ginger is not used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

Mutton – 1/2 kg

Small potatoes – 3 (boiled and peeled)

Palak – 1 bunch

Methi leaves – 2 small bunches

Onion – 2 big (chopped)

Tomatoes – 2 medium

Lime – 1/2

Water – 2 cups

To Grind:

Green chillies – 6

Kashmiri chillies – 5 (not spicy)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Green Corianderleaves – 1/2 cup

Mustard – 1 tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp

Cardamom – 4

Cloves – 5

Cinnamon – 2 inch piece

Garlic – 1/2 pod

Salt to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Preparation:

Wash and clean the mutton and keep it aside.

Clean and chop the palak and methi leaves and keep it aside. Boil potatoes separately and dice them. Saute the diced potatoes in little oil until they are cooked. Remove and keep it aside.

Grind the items mentioned under ‘to grind’ and keep it aside.

In the same pan, add little oil and saute the onions until they are well browned. Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add the mutton pieces and fry until the masala dries up. Now, add the ground masala and saute until the raw smell goes away. Make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. When you start to get a nice aroma, add the chopped palak and methi leaves and saute until it is reduced to a pulp.

Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Transfer it to a pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistles and on low flame for 20 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Lastly, add the potatoes and juice of 1/2 lime to it. Serve hot with chapathi or rice.

Capsicum Roast

Vegetarian

This easy curry is a delightful one which lets you indulge in mildly spicy yet delicious curry, perfect to serve with rice and chappathis.

Ingredients:

Capsicums – 4 medium

Onions – 2 medium

Red chillie powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/ 2 tsp

Garlic – 3 -4 cloves

Cumin seeds/jeera – 1 tsp

Curry leaf – 1 sprig

Fried Ground nuts – 2 tbsp

Roasted gram or pottukadala – 2 tbsp

Preparation:

Powder the roasted gram, groundnuts and garlic coarsely in the mixer. Keep it aside.

Chop onions lengthwise and dice the capsicums.

Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera and when it starts to splutter, add curry leaves and onions and saute for 5 to 6 minutes until the onions turn golden brown. Next add the capsicum and saute. Add the red chillie powder and turmeric powder and saute. Close the lid and let it cook, stirring in between so that it does not burn. You may just sprinkle a liitle water in between, if it is too dry. When it is half cooked, add the gram dal and garlic powder and close and cook until the raw smell goes away. Keep stirring in between.

Serve with a sprinkle of coarsely ground peanuts/groundnuts.

Mutton Curry

Non-Vegetarian

A simple gravy without tomato prepared with soft tender chunks of mutton which can be served with rice, rotis or any bread.

Ingredients:

Mutton – 1/2 kg

Red chillies – 5

Green chillies – 1 slit

Cinnamon – 1 inch

Cloves – 3

Peppercorns – 8

Cumin seeds/ Jeera – 1 tsp

Ginger chopped – 1 tsp

Garlic chopped – 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Onions cubed – 1 cup

Onion – 1 big (finely chopped)

Yogurt – 1/2 cup

Salt – To taste

Coriander leaves – for garnishing

Water – 1 1/4 cups

Cashewnuts ground – 8 -10 (optional)

Preparation:

Marinate the mutton in yogurt and salt for 1 hour.

In a pan, add oil and heat it. When hot, add the cardamom, cloves, pepper, cumin seeds/jeera and saute. Then add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, cubed onions and lastly the coriander leaves, turmeric powder, green chillie and saute well. Put off the stove and let it cool. Pulse this in a mixie until fine and keep it aside.

Meanwhile, in a pressure cooker, heat oil. Add the chopped onions and saute well. When it turns brown, add the marinated mutton, salt as desired and saute well for 5 minutes. Then, add the ground mixture and 1 1/4 cups of water. Close the lid of the pressure cooker with the weight on. Keep it on medium flame until you hear a whistle. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to medium low and let it cook for 10 -15 minutes depending on the tenderness of the meat. If the meat is a bit tough, you may have to keep it until you hear a second and a third whistle. Usually three whistles would suffice.

Open the pressure cooker and check if the meat is cooked. If you want the gravy to be of a thicker consistency, keep the gravy on fire for a few more minutes and stir often gently so that it does not burn and the gravy thickens.

Once done, serve garnished with coriander leaves. You may add ground cashewnuts for a richer gravy.

Palak Paneer

Vegetarian, Vgetarian

A spinach and cottage cheese curry which pairs well with naan, parathas, chappatis or rice. You can also substitute paneer with tofu, if one is allergic to diary products.

Ingredients:

Spinach/Palak chopped- 2 bunches

Onion – 2 finely chopped

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Garlic -3 cloves

Tomato – 2 big

Green chillies chopped- 2

Jeera – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chillie power – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Garam masala powder – less than 1/4 tsp

Cottage cheese or paneer (cubed) – 250 gms

Cream – 2 tbsp (optional)

Oil – 1 tbsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Preparation:

Clean the palak, drain it in a colander and chop it. In a big vessel, add the chopped palak with tender stems and green chillies, just about 2 tbsp of water and close the lid and cook it. Take it off the fire when it is almost 3/4 cooked. Do not let the greens change its bright green colour. Cool it and grind it in a blender coarsely. Make sure it is not a very fine paste.

In another pan, melt the butter and saute the paneer until it starts to turn golden brown. Keep it aside.

In the same pan, add little oil. When hot, add jeera, finely chopped ginger and the finely chopped garlic, finely chopped onions and saute well. In goes the tomatoes next, followed by the red chillie powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and the turmeric powder.

Saute well for 2 minutes and then add the paneer to it, followed by the ground palak mixture. Add salt and let it boil for 10 minutes. You may add cream and mix it or skip it, if you do not want it.