The bittersweet experience!

Of all the veggies, I loathed most, the top of the rank would go to Karela...known as Bitter Gourd.
What's in a name?Its everything.....it says all....bitter. I could never fathom why anyone would eat something that will leave a bitter taste?
But age mellows one.....I guess the taste buds blossom too, so the same me actually tried out the Karela and have to say its worth a try. After all one cannot write off the medicinal value of the Karela!!
Here how you can prepare it......

Ingredient:
Karela: 4-5
Onion:1 medium size.
Garlic:2-3 flakes
Ginger:1"
Green Chilli: 2
Whole spice:1/4 T Spoon each- Fenugreek, onion seed(kalaunji or kalo jeerey)cummin,aniseed.
Dry Spice:1 T Spoon coriander, cummin powder, 1/2 T spoon red chilli powder, 1 Table spoon mango powder, 1 Tbl Spoon besan.
Sugar and salt as per taste.

Preparation:
Peel the karelas with a peeler and set it aside.
Slice the peeled karela like the size of french fries and dip it in salt water, remove and pat it dry.
Slice the onion, mince the garlic and very thinly slice the ginger.
Heat about 2-4 Tbl spoon of oil(karela demands this generous helping) and add the dry spice one by one and add the onion and garlic. One its sauted well, add the ginger, then add the sliced karelas, fry it for sometime till it softens.
Now those who do not mind absolute bitterness can add the scrapings too, I usually avoid!
Now add the dry spice except the besan and mango powder.
Once the spice blends well and coats the karelas, cover it on low flame, check it and keep stirring, add the sugar and salt.
Once it appears to be almost done, add the besan and mix it. Finally add the mango powder and cover for a minute and turn off the flame.

Another tried one.
During the early summer, green raw mangoes are abundance.Take a moderately sized mango.Slice it really fine.In the wok, heat oil, add cummin seeds, add the sliced mango and bittergourd slices.Keep sauting.
To give a crunchy taste it is at this stage I add slice of onion.
After the onion's color changes, add turmeric,cummin, coriander and chilli powder.
Once the vegetables are cooked, add salt and sugar as per taste.
Enjoy with hot phulkas.

The verdant valley.....

This one is a speciality of my mom in law, who can practically cook without oil!
Green onion, Peas and flattened rice(Poha).

Ingredients:
A bunch of green onion chopped without the bulb.
A bowl full of green peas
A generous handful of poha soaked and softened in milk.
1/2 T spoon of cummin seeds
2-4 pepper
1/2 T spoon chilli powder, coriander powder and kasuri methi.
2 Tbl spoon of oil
Salt as per taste

Heat the oil, add the cummin and pepper.
Add the peas and fry along with the dry spices.
when softened, add the poha and fry for some more time.
When its almost cooked, add the salt and the chopped green onions, mix it well and cover for a minute, serve hot.

What's cooking?

This blog is for Epicurian's delight. All those who love to eat and live to eat(like yours truly)are requested to fully participate.....keep reading, trying and adding.

Cooking is as much an art like paintings and poetries.....its an expression, a statement! No wonder the chefs world wide earn a neat package, which the tax payers pay through their nose.

I realized over the years that our noted celebrety chefs back home, most often exploits the talent of ordinary Mrs Sharmas and Mrs Iyers, Mrs Sen and Mrs Khannas. That is they happily use day to day recipes with little bit of tossing and seasoning and make it a premium item. With a packaging the same product is doled out in the branded restaurants.

But how often does one visit those 5 stars eating joints in a year?You can count them on your finger tips. So why not create our own virtual watering hole, where all greasy spoons meet?

Like all art has an inspiration, I credit this blog to a cyber friend of mine, Jhum, for whom I created this. So lets get started!!!!

For all those who is going green, here 's the 1st one.
Spinach special: 2 different kinds.

The Daal Palak(Spinach with black split( urad) lentil
Ingredients:
A bunch of spinach
2 Cups of lentils
4 flakes of garlic minced
2 inch ginger grated
1 large onion thinly sliced
1/2 T spoon cumin seeds(Jeera)
2 dry red chillies
2 green chillies sliced
Apinch of asafoetida(hing)
2 large tomatoes diced.
2 to 4 cloves
2 Tbl spoon oil
1/2 T spoon turmeric powder
1/2 Tspoon of hot spice(garam masala)for a rich flavor.
Salt as per taste.
Wash and soak the lentil overnight. If you have forgotten or its a last minute decision which mostly happens, you can wash and soak it in hot water for a couple of hours.
Those who do not like the slightly bitter taste of spinach, can blanch it and chop otherwise after washing, one can chop it and set it aside.
In a pan, heat the oil, add the cumin seed with cloves and when it splutters, add the red chillies and asafoetida.
Add the ginger, garlic and onion and saute it till it turns translucent.
Add the tomatoes and green chillies and fry it.
Add the chopped spinach along with turmeric powder and fry it.
Now add the lentil and cook it (one can pressure cook it for faster results)
Garnish with garam masala tossed in a spoon of clarified butter(ghee).

This one is ideally eaten with fried roties which should be hardened. Otherwise rice por favor!!


A second variety.....a fussy me love this.

Ingredients:

A bunch of spinach, washed, blanched and chopped.
1/2 Cup Chana daal washed and soaked in water.
1 medium onion sliced thinly.
One tomato diced.
2 green chillies chopped.
2 garlic flakes minced.
2 inch ginger grated.
1 T spoon coriander powder.
1/2 T spoon cummin powder.
1/4 T spoon turmeric powder.
1/2 T spoon garam masala.
A pinch of asafoetida.
1/2 T spoon mustard and cumin seeds.
1 T spoon butter.
2 Tbl spoon oil.
2 Tbl spoon wheat flour(Aata).
Salt as per taste.

Pressure cook the daal as per your own consistency, it should be cooked but intact.
Heat oil in a pan and add all the whole spice and asafoetida.
Now add the ginger, garlic chillies and onions till its translucent.
Add the tomatoes and all the dry powdered spices except the garam masala.
Add the chopped spinach and salt.
After frying, add the cooked daal.
Bring it to a boiling point and turn the fire slow.
Add the wheat flour and simmer till it thickens.
Drop the blob of butter and sprinkle the garam masala and turn off.
This tastes best with roties or parathas or naan.