EGGPLANT/BAINGAN BHARTA WITH RED PEPPER TWIST

I learnt baingan bharta only a few years ago. I always made it in a slightly different style with tamarind. When I made Bharta first time my son loved it, so it became a regular dish along with the traditional recipe in my home. I add roasted red peppers in baingan bharta. I like the color and taste of red peppers.  Red peppers, tomatoes and egg plant belong to the same family and they complement each other well.  I don't like other ingredients dominating the unique flavor of eggplant. So, I add less amounts of red peppers in proportion to baingan. You can adjust the amounts of tomato and red pepper according to your taste. If you want more of egg plant taste you can reduce tomato even further.

Nutrition:

They say baingan is a mispronounced word for be-gun meaning, lacking in any good qualities. Well, baingan is not the healthiest vegetable you can choose, but it does have a few nutrients. It is a good source of fiber, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6, Vitamin  and manganese. It is also high in anti-oxidants and free-radicals. They are good for heart. But it is also high in sodium, which is not good for high blood pressure. It is also a sweet vegetable with a bit high amounts of sugars. It is one of the few vegetables with Oxalates. So, better to be avoided by people with kidney or gall bladder problems.

Ingredients:

1 Eggplant/Baingan                              
1 red pepper
4 green chillies chopped
3 red chillies
1/2 onion chopped finely
1 Tomato chopped finely
1 inch long ginger finely chopped
1/4 cup Coriander chopped finely
1 tbsp Coriander(Dhania) powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
3 tsp oil
4 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek/menthi seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Hing
Salt

Method:

1. Grill Eggplant(vankaya) directly on stove or you can broil it in the oven or just roast it in the oven. I prefer
    it on the stove. I just take a sheet of aluminium foil and use it as a liner around the stove burner by making
    a hole in the foil for the burner. Makes it easy to clean as the egg plant leave a little water when grilled.
    Once grilled, peel and mash it and keep it aside
2. Grill red pepper in the oven at 450 F for about 15 minutes or till it becomes soft and starts to leave water.
    Once done, chop it and keep aside
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red
    chillies, hing and curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. stir for a minute.
4. Add onions, stir for a two minutes and add tomato pieces and salt. cover and cook till tomatoes become
    verysoft. Add red chilly powder, turmeric , dhania powder or coriander powder and garam masala.
5. Add mashed baingan, red pepper peices and coriander and let it cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Serve hot with chapti or hot rice. I like it with curd rice too.

POTATO/ALU/ BANGALA DUMPA(ALUGADDA) MASALA KURA/ CURRY

Potato is liked by most and is cooked in many ways. My mom used onions very rarely in her preparartions. This was one of the 4 recipes in which she used onions. I used to love eating this with hot chapatis. We rarely ate chaptis in my childhood. When chapatis were made for lunch or dinner, this was served with it. You will definitely love this recipe for it's sweet, sour and spicy combination.

Nutrition:

Potatoes are high in energy and starch. Not a very highly recommended vegetable for people with diabetes. But is good for kids or athletes. it is a decent source of Vitamin C and Potassium.

Ingredients:

3 POTATOES(బంగాళా దుంప a.k.a ఆలుగడ్డ)

6 medium size onions                                                  
6 green chillies                                                          
1 1/2 inch ginger
4 cloves
4 cardamom
1 inch cinnomon
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tbsp sambar powder
1/2 tsp methi powder
3 tsp oil
4 curry leaves

1 tsp urad dal(మినప  పప్పు)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek/menthi seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Hing
3 red chillies
Salt

Method:

1. Grind ginger and green chillies together. Chop onions into large pieces and then put half the pieces in food
    processor to chop very fine, then add remaining pieces and chop coarsely. Grind Cloves, cadmom and  
    cinnomon to make masala paste. Pressure cook potatoes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they start to splutter, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red
    chillies, hing and curry leaves
3. Add ground ginger and green chillie mix and stir for a couple of minutes. Add onion, salt, cover and cook.
    When onion is almost cooked, add Tamarind, methi powder and masala paste and cook further.
4. When the onion is well cooked, cut boiled potatoes into medium pieces and add. Cook for a few minutes,
    then add sambar powder and let it stand for a couple of minutes.
5. Serve hot with hot chapatis or hot rice.

BHENDI/OKRA MASALA - BENDAKAYALA KURA

Bhendi/Okra (బెండకాయలు) is relished by many but is also hated by many due to its mucilaginous (sticky, జిగట ) trait. Some believe it is good for brain. But cooking bhendi with any sour substances or vegetables reduces it's stickiness. Usually it is combined with either tomato or curds or tamarind. Bhendi masala is made combining it with tomato. Tomato adds nice tanginess to the bhendi.

Nutrition:

Okra is an excellent source of vit K and manganese. It also is a good source of vit C, vit B9, vit A and Calcium.

Ingredients:

15 Bhendi (బెండకాయలు) cut in to 1 inch long pieces
1 small onion cut in to small pieces                            

1 small tomato cut in to small pieces                                              
1tsp ginger paste
1 tsp oil
4 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Hing
1tsp red chiily powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup of coriander cut into pieces
Salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they start to spurt, add cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves
2. Add onion and cook for a minute, add tomato pieces and after a minute of cooking add bhendi pieces
3. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes on low flame, mix once and cook for a couple of minutes more. Once the bhendi is well cooked add red chilly powder and garam masala powder, mix and let it stand on low flame for a minute
4. Add coriander, mix and turn the stove off.
5. Serve hot with rice or chapati

POTATO, ONION, TOMATO AND SPINACH CURRY - BANGALA DUMPA WITH PALAKURA

This was my favorite curry for breakfast with hot chapatis. Very healthy and tasty recipe for kids. This goes well with Dosas too. This is low Fat recipe with good iron and vitamin C content. Potatoes (బంగాళా దుంప ) are a good source of carbohydrates and energy for active kids. Spinach(పాలకూర ) is a very good source of Iron. 

Ingredients:

1 potato cut into medium pieces
1 big onion cut into small pieces
1 big tomato cut into small pieces
1 cup of spinach cut into small pieces
2 tbsp besan
1 cup water
3 green chillies cut into 1/4 inch pieces
curry leaves
mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Hing
1/4 cup of coriander cut into pieces
Salt
1tsp oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in pan, add mustard seeds, when they start to spurt, add cumin seeds and hing
2. Add curry leaves and chillies. Then add onion pieces, fry for a minute and add potato pieces, tomato pieces, spinach and salt.
3. Add water and let it cook for about 10 min. Add besan to 1/4 cup of waterand stir well and add to the pan, when potatoes are fully cooked.
4. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes. Add coriader and remove from flame.

5. Serve hot with chapati or dosa

BEERAKAYA PACHADI - RIDGE GOURD (TURAI) CHUTNEY

Pachadi is a typical Andhra dish, usually made by grinding/blending cooked vegetables, tamarind and seasonings together.

Ingredients:

2 long beerakaya                                              
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp urad dal(Minapa pappu)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(menthi)
1tsp jeera
a pinch of hing
8 red chillies
Turmeric
Salt
3/4 tbsp tamarind paste

Preparation:

1. Take 2 long beerakayalu ()- lightly grate them removing only the ridges. Then wash thoroughly and grate in to a plate. Keep the gratings. Cut beerakai in to small pieces
2. Add 2 table spoons of oil to the pan, which is on medium flame.
3. To the hot oil add urad dal, mustard seeds. when urad dal turns red and mustard starts to splutter add- menthi seeds, jeera, hing and 8 red chillies.
4. Add beerakaya gratings and pieces to the seasoning along with salt and turmeric.
5. Let it cook for about 10 min on medium flame then add tamarind paste.
6. Cook it for 5 more minutes, when beerakaya is well cooked. Turn the stove off
7. Once it cools down, Grind it coarsely.