Mixed Vegetable Kurma

Mixed Vegetable Kurma is a simple but elegant rich and creamy gravy dish cooked with different vegetables in tangy tomato and cashew paste. It goes well with Indian Breads or even Rice Dishes. It is full of nutrient rich dish and makes a colourful platter We had this with chapati.

Ingredients

Potato medium peeled and diced- 1 no

Green beans finely chopped- 6 nos

Carrot medium finely diced- 1 no

Green peas- 1/4 cup

Onion small finely chopped- 1 no

Tomato medium chopped- 1 no

Tomatoes puree - 2 big tomatoes

Red chilli powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp

 Fennel seed /Sombu thool/- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

For the Masala:

 Coconut, cut into small pieces - 1/2 cup

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/4 tsp

Poppy seeds / Khus Khus - 3 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Cashew nuts, dry roasted  -10 to 12

Onion, browned - 1 big (half to be used for the ground masala, rest for the gravy)

Water - 2 cups

Method:

1. Wash and chop the vegetables to almost equal size. Microwave the vegetables for 10 - 15 mins to be fully cooked.

2.  In a non stick pan, dry saute poppy seeds along with whole cashew nuts for couple of minutes. Remove and keep it aside.

3 In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and saute half of the onion till brown. Once done, allow it to cool.

4.       Wash and chop the coconut into small bits and Then take the coconut, roasted poppy seeds, cashew nuts, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste and sesame seeds in the mixer and grind to a smooth paste using water.

5.  In a non stick pan, heat oil, saute the remaining onions till they turn colour.

6.  Then add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.Once you see the tomato colour changing, add the ground masala.and saute well onlow heat for 2 min

7. Add the rest of vegetables and tomatoes to the grounded masala and saute well.

8. Add a cup of water to the pan, stir well, increase heat and bring the gravy to boil. everything together. Cook for 5 mins, till the masala gets cooked properly and change colour.

9.   Then add enough water to get the consistency you want and bring to boil. When kurma starts boiling add required salt to the kurma stir well. 

10.   Reduce the heat again, cover pan with tight lid and cook the kurma on low heat for 7 mins or until the vegetables are soft and tender. Add chopped coriander leaves.

11.   Serve hot kurma with chapathi, parota, idly, dosa or with rice

Alu Wadi | Patra | Patrado - Taro Leaf Rolls

Alu Wadi | Patra | Patrado

Alu wadi is a traditional Maharashtra cuisine. It is a popular snack prepared during traditional functions. Alu vadi is made from special Colocasia leaves that are mostly available during monsoons. In Hindi it is called "arbi/arvi" and in Marathi "alu"In Tamil we say “chembu elai” these leaves are long and broad and deep green in color. Taro leaf rolls are called "Paatra/Patra" in Gujarati and in Marathi these are called "Alu Wadi/Vadi".  Alu wadi is a beautiful, delicious and healthy snack. . It can serve during evening tea. Alu Vadi (patra) is steamed with the aloo or colocasia leaves rolled up one after another after getting smeared with a besan paste. These aloo patras are then cut into small spices and then steamed or deep fried as desired.Last week I saw this big bunch of colocasia leaves in the market and immediately bought it to make aluwadi. In my home everyone loves this snack.

Ingredients:

Colocasia leaves (Aluchi Paaney)- 1 bunch

Chickpea flour (Besan)-2 cups           

Rice flour -1/2 cup

Red chili powder-1tsp

Crushed Corriender seeds 1 tsp

Crushed Jeera-1tsp

Asafoetida (Hing)-1/2 tsp

Jaggery (grated)- 1 chunk

Tamarind pulp -3 to 4 tbsp

Water to make thick batter

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Oil-1 tbsp

Mustard seeds-1 tspn

Asafoetida (Hing)- 1/4 tspn

Seasme seeds-2 tspns

For Garnishing :

Scrapped Coconut

Chopped fresh Coriander leaves

 

Method:

To make paste:

Take chickpea flour& rice flour in a mixing bowl. Add red chili powder, crushed coriander-cumin seeds, salt, asafoetida, jaggery, tamarind juice and mix well.

Then, add water as required to make batter of medium consistency The consistency of the batter should be paste like which can be easily spread on the leaves .Adjust spices / seasoning as per your taste.

To make Alu Vadi

 

1.Wash and pat dry the Colocasia leaves . Remove the base stalk from the leaves and Remove a thin layer from the central rib of the leaves to make them more supple Now run a rolling pin over the leaves to evenly flatten the leaves.

2.Now take the largest leaf at the base. Ensure that the dark side of the leaf is kept at the bottom. Place the leaf over a flat surface. 

 

3.Apply thin layer of the paste over the leaf. Now take another leaf and place it such that its pointed side does not match with the pointed side of the leaf below

4.Apply  the paste over it. Repeat the process for all the three colocasia leaves.

 

5.Fold the leaves over the sides and roll them as tightly as possible to form a cylindrical log. Place these logs in a pressure cooker and steam them for20 to30 min.

6.After steaming, allow it to cool. Then cut it into 1/2 inch pieces.

 

For tempering :

1.Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry till they turn medium-brown in colour. Drain the excess oil with tissues and tempered with mustard seeds to it. 

2.Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add asafoetida, cumin seeds, seasme seeds and curry leaves.

3.Pour tempering over it before serving. Garnish it with fresh scrapped coconut and coriander leaves.