INDIAN VEGETARIAN DINNER 19.1.2014

Saturday dinner with some of the kids -minus Alya and Atik who have already gone back to college earlier.

I had Indian vegetarian the day before at my friend's house, Mastura Intan. I went with Nariman. Lunch at 6 pm whewww..

Anyway it inspired me to make these for my kids..but not as nice as what I had at Mastura's..uhmm must keep on making them.. 

SPICY PUMPKIN MASALA

Pumpkin                    - 1 big piece

Oil                             - 1 tbsp

Mustard                     - ¼ tsp

Cumin seeds              - ½ tsp

Cashewnuts               - 4 to 5 

Onion                        - 1

Turmeric pwd             - ¼ tsp

Ginger garlic paste     - ½ tbsp

Red chilly pwd           - ½ tsp

Coriander pwd           - ½ tsp

Sugar                        - ½ tsp

Besan flour                - 1 tbsp ( Chickpea Flour)

Fresh coriander leaves

Salt to taste

1.    Dice pumkin to small pieces.

       Take oil in a frypan and heat it over medium low heat.

2.    Season with mustard, cumin and split urad dal.

3.    Add cashewnuts and sauté for a minute.

4.    Add chopped onion and fry till transculent.

5.    Add turmeric pwd, ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 mins.

6.    Add sliced pumpkin pieces  and mix well

7.    Add red chilly pwd, coriander pwd, salt and sugar.

8.    Stir well and add water.

9.    Close it with a lid and cook till pumpkin is tender.

10.  In another pan, add a tsp of oil.

11.  Add besan flour and roast till golden color.

12.  Add roasted besan to pumpkin curry and combine well.

13.  Cook stirring,  covered for 2 mins or until fragrant.

14.  Turn off flame and add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

15.  Spicy Pumpkin Masala ready.

16.  It makes an awesome combo with roti, chapati, paratha and with rice varieties.

Spicy Bhindi ( Okra ) Fry:

Ingredients:

Bhindi / Okra                          - 250 g

Onion                                     - 1

Tomato                                  - 1

Green chilly                            - 2

Oil                                         - 2 tsp

Mustard                                 - ¼ tsp

Cumin                                    - ½ tsp

Asafetida                               - a pinch

Curry leaves                           - a few

Turmeric pwd                         - a pinch

Red chilly pwd                        - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves

 Method:

1.         Wash the okra and pat dry.

2.         Slice them to thin pieces.

3.         Chop onion, tomato to slices.

4.         Slit green chillies.

5.         Heat oil in a fry pan.

6.         Temper with mustard, cumin, asafetida and curry leaves.

7.         Sauté onions till light brown.

8.         Add tomatoes and sauté till it is soft.

9.         Toss in  the sliced okra and green chillies.

10.      Add turmeric, red chilly pwd, salt and mix well.

11.      Cook for 3 to 4 minutes by closing with lid.

12.      Stir gently and drizzle a tsp of oil to sides.

13.      Cook until well blended on low heat.

14.      Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve as side dish...:)

CHICKEN MAKANI( INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN)
Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/4 white onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 cup tomato puree

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 pinch salt

1 pinch black pepper

 1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken

thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute shallot and onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half and yogurt. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat, and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in a few spoonfuls of sauce, and simmer until liquid has reduced, and chicken is no longer pink. Stir cooked chicken into sauce.

Mix together cornstarch and water, then stir into the sauce. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

EGGS AND GREEN CURRY CHILLI

Ingredients:

50g tamarind - mashed with 1/2 liter of water to extract juice
5 hard boiled eggs
8-10 green chillies - slit lengthways
5 shallots - sliced
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 stalks coriander leaves - chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 tbsp of oil
salt to taste

For The Curry Paste
1 tbsp coriander/ketumbar powder
1/2 tbsp cumin/jintan putih powder
1 tsp grounded/blended ginger
1/2 tsp grounded/blended garlic
1 tsp turmeric/kunyit powder
** mix all together

Preparation:

When oil is heated, fry the chillies for about 2-3 mins, remove and keep aside.
In the same oil, saute the shallots for a couple of mins.
Add in the curry paste, curry leaves, mustard seeds and salt to taste
Stir to combine all these ingredients before pouring in the tamarind juice.
As soon as the curry is heated through, add in the fried green chillies and eggs.
Cook for another 3-4 mins and as soon as small bubbles appear, off the heat.
Stir in the coriander leaves before serving.

ALOO GHOBI..- no picture taken except in the main pix above.

We bought the chapatie ( no time to make them) and some white rice.

I made Tiramisu for our dessert..yummy....