Stuffed Eggplant Curry

It is my first try in stuffed vegetable. Recently I had stuffed eggplants at my friend's home. I liked the stuff and noted the ingredients from her and modified the preparation a little.  There are many variations in the stuffing. This is made with Peanuts, sesame, coconut stuffing. Please check the recipe for more details :)

It is long time awaiting recipe for me. Whenever I visit shop here, i don't get fresh eggplants. This time luckily i got fresh baby eggplants. So tried this delicious curry this weekend.

Ingredients:

Eggplants - 10-12 (try to use the similar sized eggplants)
tamarind water - 2 cups (dilute 1 tsp of concentrate in 2 cups of water)

to saute and grind:
Oil - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 small
tomato - 1 small
ginger - a small piece
garlic - 1-2 cloves

To roast and grind:
Oil - 1tsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
fenugreek  - 5-6 seeds
peanuts - 1/4 cup
sesame - 1/4 cup
red chilies- 3-4
coconut (grated / powder) - 1/4 cup
tamarind concentrate - 1 tsp
salt - a pinch

To temper:
Oil - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
cumin - 1 tsp
green chilies - 2-3 (slit it lengthwise)
hing - a pinch
curry leaves - a sprig

Preparation:

1. In a pan heat 1 tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, fenu greek, then add and roast peanuts until they turn slight brown.
2. Then add sesame and red chilies, when the sesames start popping, add coconut and fry for few seconds.
3. Then add tamarind concentrate, salt (do not stir) and switch off the flame. Let it cool down.
4. In the mean time, heat another tea spoon of oil and saute, ginger, garlic, onion, tomato one by one and saute. Let it cool down.
5. Now, grind the peanut, sesame mix with a tbsp of water.

Stuffing the eggplant:
6. Cut all the eggplants from bottom, leaving the stem on top. (do not cut till the stem, stop a cm before the stem)
7. open the cut eggplants like a flower and stuff the masala in it and press tight. Repeat this for all the egg plants. (preserve the remaining stuff masala to use while preparing gravy)
8. In a wide pan, heat a tsp of oil and arrange the egg plants in it.
9. Keep the flame in simmer and close the pan with a lid.
10. Make sure to turn the eggplants every one minute to have even cooking.(Cook each side for a minute)

Preparing gravy:
11. Grind the onion tomato, ginger garlic into a smooth paste
12. Heat a table spoon of oil in a pan, add, mustard seeds, urad dal, green chilies, curry leaves, hing one by one. Saute them for a minute.
13. Then add the ground paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
14. Once the raw smell goes, add the tamarind water, along with the remaining stuff masala (if any). check for salt.
15. Let this mix boil well for another 5 minutes.
16. Now add the stuffed eggplants, without breaking it, to the gravy.
17. Let it cook for another 3-5 minutes. (do not over cook, otherwise the eggplants will become mash)
18. Add cut coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

Note:
1. If the stuff masala remains, it can be added with the gravy. if not no problem, the onion tomato paste is sufficient to give the gravy consistency.
2. If the curry is not spicy for your taste, add a tsp of sambar powder instead of adding more chili powder.
3. Let it stand for atleast 20-30 mins before serving.

Sending this Recipe to In My veg box event hosted by beulah's full scoops and initiated by Nayna of  citrusspiceuk blog

Fish Curry / மீன் குழம்பு

Fishes are rich in omega3 which is an essential nutrient for Children's brain development. Apart from the health constraint, Its taste is irresistible. It is one of the non-veg variety which makes us mouth watering while thinking about it itself. Fish curry tastes best in the next days. Always serve fish curry at least after 2 hours of preparation, it gives the better taste than serving it immediately. I really cannot wait after its preparation, So always I make this curry first, then prepare the steamed rice and fish fry or any other dish i prepare, so it gets its own resting time.

The best ever fish curry I have tasted is at my senior's home. When we visited her during our college days, her mom prepared such a wonderful meen kuzhambu. We tasted the fish in "Muthal Mariyathai" movie style at her house only for the first time.
In restaurant, I always like, (in chennai) Hotel Samco's fish curry with steamed rice. I have tasted it around five, six years back. Hope still they have the same quality and taste.

Ok, Lets see my version of fish curry now.

Ingredients:

Fish - 5-6 pieces (I used king fish)
Onion - 1/2 a medium sized
garlic 2-3 cloves
Tamarind - big gooseberry sized
salt- as per taste
Oil - as needed to saute onions

To marinate:
Chili powder - 1 tsp
turmeric - 1 tsp
salt - a pinch
lemon juice - 1 tsp (optional)

To Grind:
Small onions - 5-6
Big onion - 1/2 a medium sized
tomato - 1 big (cut it to cubes)
coconut - about 1/4 cup
chili powder - 1 tbsp
coriander powder - 1 tbsp
fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Preparation:

1.First Wash and marinate the fish pieces with turmeric , chili powder , salt and lemon juice for 1-2 hrs.
2.In a kadai, heat a tbsp of oil and saute  onions (small, big) and tomato.
3. In a blender/mixi, grind sauted  onions, tomato, and the items listed in "to grind".
4. In the same kadai, heat another tbsp of oil, and saute garlic, and finely chopped half an onion.
5. When the onions turn transparent, add the ground paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
6. Then Add the extracted Tamarind water, if required add a cup of water
7. Let the mix boil well for 5-10 mins.
8. Once the raw smell leaves and the gravy is cooked add the fish pieces to the gravy and let it cook for another 6-8 mins.
9. Once the fish is cooked, add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.














Notes:
1. Depends on the fish steak size the cooking time differes.
2. I added  about 2 tbsp of "Fish fried oil" at the end, which gives extra flavor for the kuzhambu.

Poondu Sundaikkai Vathal Kuzhambu

This is one of my favorite kuzhambu from my mom's Kitchen. We had a Turkey berry (sundaikai) plant at home, and we used to get a lot of it. So my mom used to make sundaikai vathal and store it. Sundaikkai vathal can be added in any tamarind based gravy. Sometimes my mom used to add with kathirikkai pulikuzhambu also.

Sometimes, mom just used to fry these vathal as side dish for paruppu Satham and thayir satham also. Just by sprinkling some salt on top of it, it will be perfect with those rices.

I specifically like this garlic and turkey berry combination, and mom used to make this for me often.
Garlic and turkey berry are having lot of goodness in it.
Garlic is a good antioxidant, and good to control cholesterol also. Turkey Berry is good to purify blood and to clear the worms in our stomach...

Lets see the recipe now. I have added little less spices. You can add according to your taste.

Ingredients:

Sundaikai / Turkey berry - 10 nos
garlic - 15-20 cloves
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 small
sambar powder / vathakuzhambu power - 1.5 tbsp
Tamarind  - big gooseberry size (1.5 tsp if you use concentrate)
coconut paste - 2 tbsp
salt - as per taste

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
venthayam - 4-5 seeds
curry leaves - a sprig
hing/ perungayam - a pinch
Oil - 2 table spoon

Preparation:

1. In a pan heat a table spoon of oil and fry turkey berries crispy &  keep the fried berries aside. (make sure it fries nicely),
2.Fry garlic and cumin seeds in the same oil and keep aside.

3. Add another table spoon of oil in the pan, when the oil is ready, add the items given under "To Temper".
4. Then add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn transparent/golden brown.
5.In the mean time, prepare tamarind water by adding 2 cups of water with the tamarind / concentrate.
6. add tamarind concentrate to the pan and add sambar powder to it.
7. Let it boil well, then add the fried garlic and cumin.
8. let it cook for 5 mins, then add fried turkey berry and coconut paste and leave it to boil once.
9.Switch off flame and serve hot with steamed rice.

I served it with appalam and okra fry.

Notes:
1. You can add sambar powder / vathakuzhambu powder according to your spice level.
2. I did not add cumin seeds today as i was not having. But adding cumin seeds will give wonderful flavor. Dont miss it.

Thatta Payir Puli Kuzhambu

Thatta payir / cow-pea is one of the tastiest and healthiest Bean.This bean suits for sundal as well as gravy. Though it can be done with any type of cow-pea, I always prefer Brown or Red Payir for this gravy. Soaking the bean is not required . Even if you are not pre-planned to prepare this curry, you can make it instantly. This lentil is also called as red chori or brown beans too.

Ready to taste this healthy and tangy recipe? lets see how to make this...

Ingredients:

Thatta Payir / Cowpea - 1 cup
Egg plant - 2 medium
Drumstick - 1 (cut it into 4 or 5 pieces)
tamarind - a big amla size (make the extract with 1 cup water)
onion - 1/2 a small onion (optional)
Greenchili - 2
sambar powder -1 or 2 tea spoon (as per your spice level, I added 1 tea spoon only)
coconut - 1/4 cup of ground coconut
oil- 3 to 4 tea spoon
coriander leaves - a few
salt- as per taste

To temper:
mustard seeds - 1/2 a tea spoon
urad dal - 1 tea spoon
hing/perungayam - 2-3 pinches
curry leaves - a few


Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the lentil with sufficient water for 3 to 4 whistles.

2. In a pan heat 2 tea spoons of oil, when heated add the sliced onions, and green chilies, saute well
3. Cut eggplants to lengthwise pieces, and drumstick into four to five pieces, add them to pan and saute for two to three minutes.
4.  When the raw smell of vegetables leave, add the prepared tamarind extract along with a tea spoon of sambar powder
5.close pan with lid and reduce the flame to simmer and cook until the veggies are tender / cooked. (do not over cook, for me it took about 15 minutes)
6. Now add the pressure cooked lentils to the pan. mix well and let it cook with the tamarind gravy for 5 to 10 mins.

7. grind the coconut pieces to a fine paste and add to the gravy and let it boil once.
8.Temper with the items listed and switch off the flame.

Best to serve with steamed rice with your choice of kootu or poriyal.

Sending this recipe to
South Indian cooking hosted by Nandoos Kitchen and organized by Anu

cook and share what you like event

WTML hosted by Motions and emotions event organised by Gayathri's Cooks Spot

dish-it-out- Side Dishes hosted by Sathya Priya, organized by vardhini@ cooks joy  

Egg curry

This Egg Curry is our weekend special today. Though eggs are mandatory in our Sunday lunch, Its been a long time since I had egg curry. My husband likes egg but not the egg gravy or curry / kurma.

I remember the initial days once,  when I prepared aloo egg kurma and kept it in fridge for three days and i had to finish all... he dint give a try also.
Today when I entered kitchen to make lunch, i was thinking instead of making egg fried rice, why  dont I give a try of this egg gravy which my mother makes when I go home for holidays... Still I just asked my husband, can I make egg curry...? his reaction was "noooooooooo....".

"Just try the one which I make today,  you may like it.. it is different.. ", its me.

After few compromise talks (!) at last he agreed to try this egg curry as he had the back up of curd and pickle.. :)

It really came out well and to my total satisfaction. He just loved it and had rice twice with this curry before curd.. :) Even my daughter didn't complain about spicy or hot, Just finished her plate as a good girl. Anything else can make me feel good?

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

boiled eggs - 4
onion - 1 large
coconut - 1/4 cup ground paste
mustard seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
ural dal -1/4 tea spoon
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tea spoon
bay leaf -1
anistar - 1
Oil -4 tea spoons

To grind:

ginger - 1 inch piece
garlic - 3-4 gloves (The one I used are little big in size)
Tomato -2 medium

To roast and grind:

channa dal - 1 table spoon
coriander seeds - 1 table spoon
Red Chilies - 3 (It was medium spicy, you can increase the numbers to your personal taste)
Pepper - 4-5
cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
cinnamon - 1 small piece
clove- 3-4

Preparation:

1. Boil the eggs, remove the shell and make slight cuts to the eggs and keep away.
2. In a kadai or sauce pan, heat 3 tea spoons of oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, fennel seeds, anistar and bay leaves and let them fry for a minute.
3. then add the chopped onions and saute it until they become golden brown. (Took almost 5-6 mins for me)

4. Add the ground paste of tomato, ginger and garlic.
5. mix them well and saute untill the raw smell of ginger, garlic and tomato leaves.(too about 8 mins in medium flame)
6. Then add the powdered mix of roasted ingredients and mix them well...

7.  Now it will get thickened, then add 1.5 to 2 cups of water.
8. Let it boil well and cook the onions and tomato gravy...

9. When you get the required consistency add the ground coconut paste to it. Mix well
10. Add the Eggs and simmer the flame for 5 minutes then switch off.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

Linking this Recipe to

South Indian cooking hosted by Nandoos Kitchen and organized by Anu

cook and share what you like event

Valentine's Treat event by Indrani

Flavor up with spices event by Srivalli

Black and White Wednesday # 115 hosted by Siri  of cooking with Siri and conceptualized by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook and currently being organized by Cinzia of Cindystar. 

Sharing the pics of this recipe to Happy click event by Pankti