Stuffed Karela In Green Masala

Not everybody likes bitter Gourd, mainly because it is bitter. Karela, as we normally call it in India, is good for health. 

By including Karelas in our diet, it can be beneficial in riding off the kidney stones by naturally breaking them down, It also reduces bad cholesterol, thus decreasing the risk of heart attack.

I normally remove the bitterness by salting the karelas overnight and then washing them the next day and squeeze out the bitterness.

They really taste good, if you just chop them into circles, deep fry and have it with just khichdi and curds.

Or you can be creative and stuff them with meat, cheese or potatoes.

This week, I deep fried the karelas, stuffed them with spicy potatoes and cooked in green masala

Happy to share the recipe of stuffed Karela in green masala

1. Wash, squeeze and slit the karelas from one side.

2. Deep fry till they are brown and crispy

3. Make potato filling by grating boiled potato and adding spices like Cumin seeds powder, mango powder, red chilly powder and salt.

4. Stuff the karelas with spicy potatoes

5. Tie it secure with thread

6. Make masala by grinding it into paste the mixture of garlic, coriander leaves, fenugreek leaves, tomato, chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt

7. Fry this paste in oil for some time

8. Add 1cup water and let it cook

9. Add the stuffed karela 

10. Cover and let it cook till done

11. Serve with hot parathas

You make watch the video of this recipe on my youtube

Lotus Stem With Potatoes

How cliché is the phrase “Lotus retains its beauty even though it is surrounded by muck”? Lotus symbolizes purity of mind and thought while amidst the impurity of the worldly affairs. Lotus is the National flower of India.

Each time I see this beautiful flower in a dirty pond, I am reminded of its goodness. It inspires art, religion, and folklore from times immemorial.

But, what about the lotus root, have you given a thought to its’ roots? It’s down there in the muck, dirty and coated with mud. You have to scrub it well before you can even use. It is relished for its taste and its nutritional value, not a thought is given to its origin in muck and mud.

Lotus stem is an interesting vegetable that changes its nature from the way you cook it. Have it raw, its bitter; cook and it has very unique, crunchy texture; stew and it turns starchy. Besides its high dietary fiber, Lotus stem is very rich in iron and calcium content. It is highly recommended for pregnant women. People with chronic complain of constipation can also profit from its use.

Unfortunately, you don’t see this Lotus stem at every vegetable vendor in Mumbai. You may find this mainly at specialized vegetable stalls. But whenever I see it, I am reminded of my mom’s experiments in the kitchen. Mom used to clean each pore with a matchstick, and cooked differently each time, sometimes in curry, sometimes bind them as koftas and sometimes make patties for evening snack. Mom made them in combination with carrots, or with potatoes or mushrooms. Whatever combination she chose, she always made a tasty meal.

This week I made lotus stem with potatoes.

Ingredients:

2 medium size onions

2tbsp mustard oil

2 green chilies

1tsp-grated ginger

4-5 cloves crushed garlic

2 medium tomatoes

1tsp turmeric powder

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin powder

1tsp red chili powder

1tsp garam masala

2 medium size potatoes

200gms lotus stems

salt to taste

1tsp lime juice

coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Step 1

In a heavy base pressure cooker, cook finely chopped onions in 2tbsp oil

Step 2

Cook till the color changes to light brown.

Step 3

Add ½ cup water

Step 4

Add crushed garlic, grated ginger and chopped green chilies.

Step 5

Add chopped tomatoes

Step 6

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Garam masala, red chili powder and salt

Step 7

Mix and mash till masala begins to dry.

Step 8

Add the chopped potatoes and chopped lotus stems

Step 9

Mix and stir till it begins to stick to the sides. Add 1 cup water.

Step 10

Pressure cook till 3 whistles

Step 11

Garnish with coriander leaves and lime juice.

Serve with hot buttered parathas.

Spanish omelet called ‘Tortilla’

In my earlier post on this blog I had discussed myromance with eggs in details

Egg is my all time favorite and I eat it three times a week, mainly for breakfast, with sunny side up. I like other styles too, only if they are peppered with hot chilies. But I enjoy Spanish Omelet the most.

I normally add everything that is in my fridge that could include chicken, ham, prawns, mushrooms, olives, onions, green chilies, capsicum or anything that I fancy at that time. It makes a complete meal.

So this month, when I had a guest from Spanish speaking country, Panama, I couldn’t resist on feasting on Spanish omelet called ‘Tortilla’

The trick to making a perfect Tortilla is to have proper accessories. The fry-pan should have a curved base for omelet to slide out easily and it will be better if you have an omelet flipper which is also known as giratortilla.

This is a large round plate very similar to a pan lid, with a knob in the centre to hold as you flip your omelets. I had purchased this during my last trip to Spain and it is very handy and light weight.

The ingredients required to make a plain Spanish omelet are 6 eggs, 3 boiled potatoes, 2 large finely chopped onions (if you are using other ingredients as well, then one chopped onion should be enough.)

The beating of the egg till they are light and fluffy is the essential part of the technique.

Transfer the half portion of the beaten eggs into the frying pan

Arrange the sliced boiled potatoes

Put the onion, green chilies and coriander leaves and the rest of the ingredients (if you are using meat and sea food)

Let it cook on low heat and then flip it over on the flipper

Transfer the rest of the beaten eggs into the fry pan

Arrange more onions on it

Slide off the other half of the cooked potato-egg from the flipper into the fry pan.

Cook till set.

Slice and serve with sauce and drinks.

Basic recipe: Peas potatoes

If you are an expert cook then this recipe is too simple for you, thank you for visiting.

Today I get a call from my friend who is newly-wed pampered woman, who has never cooked before and is challenged by her mother-in-law to show some of her culinary skills.


She asks me for a very basic dish, something that is not difficult and tasty as well.


I am not surprised!

Yeah, I have met many such women who don’t even know to fry an egg. For some reason, they have never found reason to cook before marriage.  Busy with studies or career and have enough helpers at home to do the cooking, what is the need to cook? 


There are many parents who will never encourage their children to cook arguing, "Let her rest, there is whole lifetime to cook," so there is chalta hai attitude, 

But after marriage comes a bit of responsibility. One cannot eat everyday out and some basic cooking is important.

This is just the basic recipe which can be cooked by a person who is new to cooking…….

Look into the kitchen for following ingredients

1 tbsp oil

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

2 medium potatoes (diced)

2 green chilies (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (grated)

½ inch ginger (grated)

2 medium tomatoes (chopped)

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cup shelled peas

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chopped coriander leaves

Let the exercise begin

 Fry onion in 1 tablespoon of oil

Till it gets light brown

Chop potatoes, green chilies and grated garlic and ginger

Add half cup water and Mix garlic, ginger and green chilies

Add chopped potatoes

Add chopped tomatoes

Add dry masalas like coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and salt

Mix it well

When we become an expert cook, we can start to grate the tomatoes and add, but when new to cooking, this  kind of rough chopping of tomatoes will pass..the more we pamper our guest the better we are expected to perform, Its best to be just our self and do what is comfortable to us’

Add green peas

Add chopped coriander leaves

Put one cup of water, cover and keep it till potatoes are tender.

Serve it with steamed rice or freshly roasted chappatis


Variation: Instead of peas, vegetables like cauliflower, mushrooms or fried okra can also be used,