RAW BANANA SQUARES IN GREEN CURRY

INGREDIENTS FOR SQUARES
2 raw bananas boiled
3 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
1/6 tsp hing
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp haldi
Salt to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY
500 Gms chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
Hing
1/2 tsp jeera
2 tbsp butter/ ghee
1/2 cup milk/2 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp any sabzi masala
Salt
1/2 lemon
METHOD
1. Mix all ingredients for squares and mash well.
2. Put into a greased container and steam for 10 mins till the color changes. Cool and cut into squares. You can fry these for added taste and serve them as snack too sprinkled with chaat masala.
3. Heat butter, add hing and jeera.
4. Add ginger paste and sauté.
5. Add chopped onions and sauté.
6. Add all spices and sauté 30 secs.
7. Add tomatoes and cook through.
8. Add spinach and cook. Add water, cook till soft.
9. Churn roughly with hand blender. Don’t purée.
10. Add the squares.
11. Cover to cook or pressure cook for 5 mins.
12. Open and add milk/cream and mix well. Adjust consistency you like.
13. Add lemon juice and serve.

Green chillies pickle

Mirchi achaar

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sharp green chilies cut in 1” piece
2 tbsp roasted mustard seeds coarse powder
1/4 tsp roasted methi seeds coarse powder
1/4 tsp hing powder
1 tsp haldi
2 tbsp oil
2 lemons
Salt 2-3 tsp depending on your taste
METHOD
1. Dry chillies for 1-2 hours to remove moisture.
2. Put in a bowl and add all dry ingredients.
3. Heat the oil and pour on the dry ingredients.
4. Squeeze lemon juice and toss well.
5. Cover with a cloth and keep for 1-2 days in sun.
6. Toss each day.
7. To retain color keep in fridge.
8. Can eat immediately. Methi takes time to lose its bitterness. So you can skip if you don’t like it.
9. You can add chopped garlic too if you like. Takes a little longer to blend though.
10. Enjoy with parathas, black dal and rajma.

Carrot Radish pickle

This pickle tastes so good that it’s hard to let it last long. It’s over as you can eat it with everything. Flavors are strong from radish and the carrots break the pungency with the sweetness. I must warn you that it smells very strongly and not everyone may like the smell in the house.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup thickly julienned carrots
1 cup thickly julienned radish
4-5 tbsp oil ( mustard, olive, sunflower)
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp roasted methi powder
1/8 tsp hing
1 tbsp vinegar
METHOD

1. Dry the vegetables in the sun till they don’t have any moisture. 
2. Heat the oil on low flame and add all dry ingredients. 
3. Mix well to toast for 30 secs and add vegetables. 
4. Add vinegar and switch off the stove. 
5. Mix well, put in a jar and keep in the sun for a few days. 
6. You can eat it immediately but tastes great as it ages. 
7. Serve with saag, parathas, khichdee, masala puris. 

Thai red curry

A curry that brings a smile on our faces. A curry that has so much flavor that I need to prepare a huge pot and we finish it without any guilt. It’s a delight and I have sumptuous amount to satiate the tastebuds normally on a weekend.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup string beans
1 carrot cut into sticks
1/4 cauliflower florets
1 cup spinach
1 cup cabbage cubed
1 1/2 cup quartered mushrooms
200 gms cubed tofu
1/4 cup broccoli
1 cubed bell peppers
2 red onions cubed
2 spring onions
1/4 can tomato pulp
1/2 can coconut milk (100 gms)
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Rind of 2 lemons
2 tbsp ginger, garlic and gr chilli crushed
Salt
2 tbsp oil
1 lemon

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a pot and fry ginger garlic chilli crushed.
2. Add Thai red curry paste and sauté.
3. Add the hard vegetables first and sauté.
4. Add tomato pulp, spices and salt and sauté.
5. Add other vegs when others cooked slightly.
6. Add some water and cover to cook.
7. Once vegs are cooked and coconut milk.
8. Add lemon juice and mix.
9. Serve with green chilli chopped in vinegar.