Yum! Yum! Yum!

I have fallen in love with this curry when I tried first time at an exotic India Restaurant Peacock Elite. I have never heard this variety or name before that too made with my favorite veggie Baingan/Vankaya. The taste of this curry is amazing and flavors definitely are new to my tastebuds and there is some unique flavor in this curry. That is it, I came home with a determination to replicate this curry in my kitchen. Upon few searches on internet I didn't get the exact recipe any where with this name, However I came to know that Lasooni in Hindi means Garlic. I have browsed few recipes and mixed with my sense of taste and created my own version of this recipe, Oh my... this turned out so good. The garlic flavors in this curry yet subtle but giving very bold taste to this curry. I am sure this will be hit on your dinner table or at any potluck entries. Give it a try, here is the recipe for you, Njoy!

Lasooni Baingan

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 1 large (if you are using Italian Eggplant - use 3 to 4 medium)
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 1 (1 pod, or 8 to 10 cloves)
Green Chili - 3 medium
Ginger - 1 inch stick
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 to 2 tsp ( adjust per your taste)
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Cilantro - 1 Tbsp for garnish

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 tsp (roughly ground)

*yields - 8 servings

Preparatory Steps:

• Chop Onion length wise. Chop tomatoes into very thin pieces or if you have chunky tomatoes, grate them. Peel and chop ginger into very thin sticks (julienne cut)
• Trim and chop Eggplant into 1 inch cube size and keep them in warm water with salt. This prevents eggplant from blackening.
• Remove peel from garlic pods and trim edges of green chilies. Grind garlic cloves and green chili in small mixie jar to coarse paste.
• Heat 1/4 oil Oil in kadai. Drain eggplant pieces from salt water and squueze with your hands to remove any excess water. Then fry egg plant pieces in kadai for about 5 min on medium flame. This helps in Eggplant pieces retaining their color and shape with out getting mushy in the curry. Eggplant pieces become tender, take them out of oil and transfer them into a plate and keep aside.

Method:

1. Heat the same kadai that is used to fry eggplants. There will be some oil in it already. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds. Once mustard splutters add roughly ground fenugreek seeds. 
2. Add chopped onions and ginger slices and saute well with tempering. Add turmeric powder and keep the flame to medium to low, allowing onions to saute and caramelize.
3. Now add ground garlic and green chili paste to pan. saute for 5 min. Now, Add tomato pieces or grated puree to pan and mix everything very well. Add red chili powder and let the curry simmer. The curry comes together becoming thick. 
4. Now add fried eggplants to curry and mix with onion & tomato masala. Close the lid and let it cook covered for 5 min.
5. Open the lid and increase flame to medium to high, cook uncovered until curry comes together. Now add Coriander powder and salt, mix well with curry. 
6. Cook on high for couple of minutes, then switch off the stove. Transfer curry to serving bowl and garnish with Cilantro. 

Notes:

• Good thing about this curry is you can use any chunky variety of Brinjal/Eggplant. American style Eggplant or Italian Eggplant will be perfect for this recipe. 
• This recipe calls for large amount of oil compare to any typical curry, don't skim on Oil that will discount the taste. 
• Fenugreek is another secret ingredient that enhances the flavor greatly for this curry. Make sure you add right amount and grind seeds coarsely in hand mortar while adding them to tempering. Fenugreek is bitter in taste, use it sparingly.
• Garlic is star ingredient in this curry, used in large amount and the reason for bold flavors in this curry. If you can't use Garlic for religious purposes, unfortunately there is no alternative to replace garlic in this curry. However this Eggplant Tomato Curry should be your go to recipe.

Will be back with another exotic curry,
keep smiling until then!
-Mythreyi

One fine rainy Friday this recipe happened when tummy is craving for comfort food, mind is calling for yummy food and the lazy body is yearning for an easy recipe. This is very simple yet comfort food for Friday Dinners and quick and convenient to aptly fit in Lunch Boxes for Kids or Gronw-ups. Here is the recipe, Njoy!



Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Mint Leaves - 2 cups
Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch stick
Green Chili - 4
Onion - 1 medium
Potato - 1 medium
salt  - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Pulao Spices - ( Cardamom - 1, Cinnamon - 2 sticks, Clove - 2, Star Anice - 1 whole , Shazeera - 1 tsp)
Vegetable Oil - 1 Tbsp
Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp
Cilantro - 1/2 cup ( chopped)
Cashew nuts - 10 ( optional)



Preparatory Steps:

• Wash and Soak Basmati Rice for 30 min, drain water and set rice in colander to dry. 
• Chop Onion and Green chili length wise in long slices.
• Peel and chop potato into medium size cubes.
• Grind Mint Leaves, Ginger, Fresh Coconut along with 1 tsp salt in small mixie jar, into smooth paste. ( by adding little water as required while grinding)

Method:

1. Start Instant Pot in saute mode. Add Coconut Oil, Vegetable Oil. Add Pulao spices to Oil and saute for 1 min. 
2. Add Onion and Green Chili slices to IP, mix everything well and saute for 2 min. 
3. Add Mint & Coconut Paste to Pot and mix well with onions. Add Basmati rice to Pot and mix well with onion and mint spices, Add 1 tsp salt, saute for 3 min. 
4. Add 4 cups of water to Pot, top with 1 tsp Garam Masala and chopped Cilantro.
5. Cancel the saute mode in IP. Set IP in Pressure Cook/ Manual mode, set timer to 7 min. 
6. QR ( Quick Release) after 7 min, and add cashew nuts on top if using and fluff rice up and down with fork, transfer to wide platter to cool down. ( this allows rice grains separate from each other)
7. Serve warm with Cucumber Raita or Mushroom Masala Gravy Curry or Chicken Korma. 

Check out another (original ) version of Pudina Pulao / Mint Herbed Rice as well.



Will be back with another easy recipe in Instant Pot,
Take Care until we meet here again!
-Mythreyi

Turai/Beerakaya is not as versatile as Brinjal/Baingan/Vankaya, but you can certainly make several varieties with this Indian squash variety. When I was a kid, Mom used to make Turai Doodh Curry that is very yummy especially when served with Pulka and pretty popular in my house. Turai Chutney is another popular one that goes well with white rice.  I have heard Turai Chana Dal combination as well, but mom never made as Dad won't prefer nuts in these soft curries. But the abundant produce of Turai from my garden these days, forcing me to try all the different curries with this vegetable. Today I have tried this Turai Chana Dal Masala Curry just by using my basic instincts and sense of taste, this came out super delicious. I am sure this is going to be my pinned recipe that i will keep coming back to it. Today I have tried this in my mini IP and the whole curry is done in 15 min (if you have masala handy). Here is the recipe, try it and Njoy!



Ingredients:
Turai/Beerakaya - 3 medium
Pachi Sanaga Pappu/ Chana Dal - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 small
Green Chili - 2
Curry Leaves - 1 stem
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1tsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp

Tempering:
2 Red Chili, 1 tsp of each Chana Dal, Urad dal, Cumin Seeds, Mustard Seeds

Masala:
Red Chili - 3
Pachi Sanaga Pappu/ Chana Dal -  1 Tbsp
Sai Minapappu/Urad Dal - 1 Tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Fresh Coconut - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Preparatory Steps:

• Soak 1/3 cup of Chana Dal in water in a medium bowl. 
• Roast all the ingredients under masala section except coconut with 1 tsp of Oil. Let it cool and grind these spices in small mixie jar until it becomes fine coarse powder. Add fresh coconut to mixie jar and grind along with spice powder, now it becomes like paste. Masala is ready, keep it aside. 
• Trim edges of Turai, peel and cut into small pieces. Chop Onion and Green Chili into small pieces as well.

Method:

1. First start IP in Saute mode. Add 1 Tbsp Oil to inner pot, once oil is hot, add red chili, 1 tsp of each chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds to pot, saute for 1 min. Add curry leaves, that makes the tempering ready. 
2. Now add onion and green chili to pot. Add 1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste. Mix everything well. Saute it for 2 min. Add Turai/Beerakaya pieces to pot, Add 1 tsp turmeric powder. Mix everything well and saute for 2 min. 
3. Drain chana dal that is soaked in, add to pot. Add Masala Paste to pot and mix everything well. Add 1 tsp of salt followed by 1/2 cup of water to pot.
4. Switch IP mode to Pressure Cook and set the timer for 10 min. 
5. Once 10 min is done, QR (Quick Release) and mix the curry well and taste and adjust salt as needed. 
6. Transfer to serving Bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve warm, this goes well with Roti/Pulka/Rice.

Notes:

• You can make this masala ahead and keep it handy. You can use this masala in other curries like Dosakaya Mangalore Style dish.
• Chana Dal need to be soaked in for about 30 min ( not less or more) to get the perfect consistency of Dal in curry. 
• You can make the same recipe on stove top as well, In stove top method, after step 3, you have to simmer the curry on stove for about 15 to  20 min to get this consistency. 

Call it a Copy Cat or Inspired by recipe, but I have come up with this recipe from the inspiration my tastes buds got when witnessed Street Corn Wheels dish at LazyDog restaurant. I always love to explore variety dishes with seasonal vegetables and fruits when they are abundant in the season. There are several reasons for me to go ga ga about seasonal, one is seasonal vegetables are naturally nutrient rich in that particular season and second reason usually they are very inexpensive in that season. Sweet Corn is one such vegetable that is abundant in summer season. As I have made several sweet corn dishes already, today these 'Street Corn Wheels' came to my mind and that thought resulted as this tasty experiment that turned out be spicy, sassy and delicious side dish. Here is the recipe for you, now it's your turn to mesmerize your family and/or guests! Njoy!

Vegetable Pulao is my all time avenue to go when i need comfort and spicy food in a jiffy! Now with Instant Pot this becomes even quicker! :-) One fine day when the weather turned out good and cooler ( 90 in DFW ;-)) during summer hot days + when my vegetable garden gave one vegetable of each kind, then this Tarkari Pulao happened in my kitchen under 15 min! The name sounds fancy but 'Tarkari' in Hindi means Vegetable, so it basically is Vegetable Pulao, but I added variety of veggies today including Greens that I got from my garden and made this in IP, that is done under 15 min. Here is the recipe for you, enjoy!



Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups (I use Zafrani Brand, available in Costco)
Onion - 1 medium
Green Chili - 2 ( long ones, that are not very spicy)
Potato - 3 (small round ones)
Carrot - 1
Tomato - 1
Amaranth Greens - 1 cup (optional)
Mint Leaves - 1 Tbsp (Chopped)
Cilantro - 1 Tbsp (Chopped)

Pulao Spices:
Clove - 2
Cinnamon Stick - 2 ( 1 inch)
Cardamom - 1
Shazeera - 1 tsp
Marati Moggu - 2
Bay leave - 2

Oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp (or adjust to your taste)
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp (You can use Homemade or try Store bought)


Gadgets you need:
Instant Pot (IP Duo Mini 3 Qt)

Preparatory Steps:

• Chop Onion and Green Chili length wise into long slices. Chop Potato into cubes. Trim edges, peel carrots and chop into 1 in long sticks or cubes. Chop tomato to cubes. 
• Wash Basmati rice thoroughly and drain in colander and set aside. 

Method:

1. Turn on IP and keep in Saute mode, set time to 5 min. Add vegetable oil to IP pot, add all Pulao spices in the order given in list. After 1 min, add green chili, onion slices, Amaranth Greens, Mint Leaves, Cilantro and mix everything.  After 2 min add Potato, Carrot and Tomato Cubes. Saute for 2min. Now add salt, coriander powder and garam masala spices. Add 1.5 cup Water for each cup of rice (total 3 cups of water for 2 cups of rice) to pot and mix everything well. Add Basmati rice to Pot and mix everything well. Taste water and adjust the salt and seasonings as per your taste.
2. Now Cancel the Saute mode in IP, keep the IP in Pressure Cook (or Manual) mode and set timer to 7 min and close the lid. (Click start button if you have Ultra IP). After 7 min done switch off the IP by removing the plug and let it for 3 min and do QR (Quick Release).  Fluff rice with fork from upside down and mix gently. Then transfer to wide plate and serve warm immediately with Aloo Kurma and/or Onion Raita. 

Before you close IP

After 7 min done

After fluffing up rice with fork gently

 

Oh man, this tuned out super delicious! Give it a try all you need is 15 min on hand and big appetite! :-)

Notes:

• I have used my 3Qt mini to make this recipe, the same settings and time should work for any version of IP. 
• This recipe yields 3 to 4 servings, you can easily double or multiply ingredients to make big batch for larger crowds.

Hope you have enjoyed this quick win, Will be back with more IP recipes, stay tuned!
Until next time, Take Care, ba bye,
-Mythreyi