Aloo Gobi

This recipe from my Mom is Jack's favorite.
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Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Curry)

2.5 T Vegetable Oil
1 t Mustard Seed
1 t Cumin Seed
1/2 Onion, diced
2 Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Tomatoes, diced - optional
1 t Turmeric
2 t Cumin
2 t Coriander
1 t Chili powder
1.5 t Salt
1/4 - 1/2 C Water
1/2 Cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 C Peas, rinsed & drained - optional
1 t Lemon or Lime Juice
1/4 C Cilantro, chopped

Heat oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add mustard and cumin seeds & onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender. Then add the potatoes & tomatoes. Mix in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and salt. Cover & cook 10 min, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to ensure the potatoes continue cooking. When the potatoes are almost cooked through, add peas & cauliflower. Stir and cover again to allow the cauliflower to cook for another minute or two. When vegetables are done cooking, add lime juice & top with cilantro.

Curry Puffs

Curry Puffs:

2 Packages Peppridge Farms Puff Pastry Sheets (found in the refrigerated section of regular grocery stores)
1 Recipe Potato Curry


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut pastry sheets into squares and fill each square with a spoonful of curry. Fold in half, making a triangle and use your fingers to pinch the edges shut. Bake on a baking sheet for 7-10 minutes, checking for a golden brown color before flipping over and baking for another 3-6 minutes until golden brown on that side as well. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm with tamarind chutney.

Sambar

Sambar

Ingredients:

Chinta Pulusu
1/2 C Tamarind
Water

Dahl
1/2 C Toor Dahl
2 T Channa Dahl
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 t Cumin Seed
Water

2 T Vegetable Oil
1/4 Cinnamon Stick
1 t Mustard Seed
1/2 t Cumin Seed
2 Red Chilies
1/2 Onion, Chopped
3-4 C Vegetables, Chopped (examples: carrots, celery, tomato, squash, cucumber, potatoes, apples, etc)
1 t Turmeric
1 t Cumin Powder
1 t Coriander Powder
1/2 t Salt
1/2 Cube Bellam* (AKA "Goods" in Hindi, found in Indian Stores)
3/4 C Water
1/4 C Cilantro, chopped
1 t Coconut Powder (found in Indian Stores)

*2 t of Brown Sugar can be substituted for Bellam in a pinch, but it won't have the smoky molasses flavor

Directions:
In a small bowl, place tamarind in enough warm water to submerge completely. Allow tamarind to soak for at least 10 minutes.

To make Dahl: Bring 3 Cups of water and toor dahl and channa dahl to a boil in a saucepan. Once boiling, add 2 whole cloves of garlic and cumin seed. Simmer for about 10 minutes until dahl is tender and mushy, stirring to smash the lentils.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the POPU (cinnamon stick, mustard seed, 1/2 t cumin seed, chilies, and onion) and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are tender. Then add the vegetables, turmeric, cumin, coriander, salt, bellam, and water. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender, checking often to make sure there is enough water (if not, add 1/4 cup more) and that the bellam is not caramelizing on the bottom of the pot.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the Chinta Pulusu by squeezing the tamarind in the bowl of water so the juice is released. Pour the tamarind juice mixture (Chinta Pulusu) into another small bowl and set aside. Fill the tamarind bowl again with more warm water to submerge the tamarind and squeeze again, releasing the juice. Pour the juice-water mixture into the Chinta Pulusu bowl again, and repeat the process one last time, soaking the tamarind a total of 3 times. Set aside the Chinta Pulusu and dispose of the used tamarind.

When the vegetables in the pot are tender, add the Chinta Pulusu and cook a few more minutes. Then add the dahl and stir well, simmering until the sambar is heated throughout. Add cilantro and coconut powder at the very end and stir again to ensure the dahl is evenly distributed. Serve warm over rice or with Idlis.

Mom's Potato Curry

Mom's Potato Curry

*4 Potatoes, diced into 1.5 in. cubes

*1/2 C Diced Carrots (optional)

*2.5 T Vegetable Oil

*1/2 t Mustard Seed

*1/2 t Cumin Seed

*2 Dried Red Chili Peppers, broken by hand into large pieces (Can be found in Indian or Mexican stores)

*1/2 Onion, Diced

*1/2 C Frozen Peas, rinsed and drained (optional)

*1/2 t Turmeric

*1/2 t Coriander

*1/2 t Cumin

*1 t Salt (Mom says to add salt "andaza" or to taste)

*2/3 C Cilantro, chopped

(Defrost puff pastry sheets if making curry puffs) 

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add diced potatoes and boil about 10 minutes until fork tender, being careful not to overcook.  When the potatoes are about halfway done, add the diced carrots. When vegetables are done cooking, drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add mustard seed, cumin seed, red peppers, and onion. This is known as Popu [pronounced as poh-pooh]. Cook until onions are tender.  Add peas and stir. Add turmeric (for color), coriander, cumin, and salt and mix to coat onions and peas.  Add potatoes to onion and pea mixture and smash about half the potatoes lightly with the back of the spoon while stirring. Add cilantro and mix well. Enjoy!

Pulao Rice

1 C Basmati Rice
1 T Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Onion, chopped
2 Whole Red Chili Peppers
1 t Sajeera (fine cumin seed)
1 1/2 C Water
1/2 t Salt
1/2 C Mixed Vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas)
1/4 C Cilantro

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the cinnamon stick, onion, chili peppers, and sajeera. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onion becomes translucent. Add water and salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the raw rice in the rice cooker. When the rice is about halfway cooked, add the vegetables. When the rice is done, add the cilantro. Serve immediately.