Aloo Methi

It has been more than a year since I updated this blog- that is because it has been that much time since I cooked. Ever since I moved into my new job 18 months ago,  I have been out of time in a good way. I was enjoying the time I spent at work to focus on anything else.

Then, what prompted this sudden cooking endeavour, you may ask... The answer is the simplicity of this dish. My team member brings yummy lunch to office and I took the liberty of finding out from his better half, how she manages to send finger licking food while managing a toddler at home. She laughed and told me , "It is a 5 minute affair". I hardly believed her till I actually tried it. Well, 5 minutes is definitely an exxageration, but then it really took 15 minutes only! Really!

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 4-5 peeled and cubed (or baby potatoes - 20)
• Kasoori Methi leaves - 2 tbsp (you get the packed ones in Everest, MDH etc)
• Ghee - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
• Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Chilly Powder -  1 tsp
• Asafoetida (Hing/Perungayam Powder) - 1/2 tsp
• Dry Mango Powder (Amchur Powder) - 3/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1/2 glass or less

Method

1. Peel and cube potatoes (if you are using baby potatoes, peel and prick them)
2. Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker and splutter the Jeera seeds
3. Add the Kasoori Methi leaves and toss them
4. Add the potatoes and the masala powders
5. Sautee them well and sprinkle water just enough to ensure the potatoes do not get burnt (too much of water overcooks them)
6. Put the lid on with the whistle and cook on low flame for one whistle (or till you get the smell of cooked potatoes)
7. Turn of the gas, wait till all the pressure is released from the cooker and open.
8. Dry the water that may be left behind, check for spices and adjust if  needed.

The person who shared the recipe with me asked me to cook in the pressure cooker for one whistle on low flame, but me being the typical, impulsive "I know it all character", I cooked on high for one whistle and then left it on low flame for 8-10 minutes. The result - over cooked potatoes - I was scared of tossing or sauteing them later for fear of mashing the potatoes. So take care of that. Since potatoes cook easily, you first try the one whistle on low flame part and if you feel your potatoes are not cooked well enough, you can always

South Indian Potato Fry

The simplest and yummiest dish...you can hardly go wrong with this. You can modify it to your taste, you can keep experimenting with this dish and yet it does not fail you. Every time, i try some new concoction and am fairly satisfied with the end result... I guess it is primarily due to my bias for potatoes... Anything with potatoes are yummy for me... This can be made with South Indian Masala's and seasoning or with North Indian Masala's and seasoning... either way, it tastes great.
I made this the way the Brahman's in Chennai make it... to go along with the Bisi Bela Bath (aka Sambar Rice) I made.

Here is the recipe for this simple Potato Fry.


Ingredients:

• Potatoes - You can use the baby potatoes or the normal ones
• Gingelly Oil (Nalla ennai) - 4-5 tblsp (yeah, its Potato FRY) If you do not want to use gingelly oil, you can use normal cooking oil
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Sambar Powder - 1 1/2 tblsp
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Paste - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Channa Dal (Kadala Paripu) - 1 tsp
• Broken Urid Dal - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch
• Curry Leaves - 1 sprig (What is south indian cooking without curry leaves?)

Method:

• Wash and Pressure cook the potatoes for 2-3 whistles. Again, you may not want to cook the potatoes and fry them directly. Another alternative is to peel and cut the potatoes and boil them in water till cooked. I prefer the pressure cooker method because of its simplicity.
• Peel and cut the cooked potatoes
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Splutter curry leaves, mustard seeds, urid dal, channa dal till fried.
• Add the asafoetida powder and then the diced potatoes.
• Saute for 5 minutes and then add the salt, turmeric, chilly and sambar powders.
• Fry for 10 minutes and then cook covered for another 5.
• Mix the tamarind paste in about 2 tblsp of water and sprinkle it over the potatoes and fry on high flame till dry.
• Remove and Serve Hot!!!

Note: If you do not wish to add Sambar Powder, you could increase the quantity of chilly powder or you could use any curry powder of your choice. Adding the Tamarind paste is optional... I like the sourness it imparts, hence I add it. You could fry onions, garlic and tomatoes and alter this dish again. As I said, you can keep experimenting with this dish.

Vegetable Stew

Before I start, let me apologise for the poor quality pictures of this dish. It tastes way better than it looks, I promise! :-). I was in a hurry this morning, hence the poor quality pic. I decided in the last minute that it was Appam for breakfast. I usually have the Mangalorean Tomato Curry to go with Appams, but today, I wanted to do something different, so it was Vegetable Stew. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 2 medium sized
• French Beans - 12-15
• Peas - 100 gms
• Carrots - 1
• Almonds - 2 tbsp
• Cashew Nut - 2 tbsp
• Khus Khus - poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Warm Milk - 2 tbsp
• Onion - 1
• Green Chilly - 3-4
• Ginger - 2 tbsp
• Bay Leaf - 2
• Cinamon - 1 inch stick
• Mace - 1
• Curry Leaves - a handful
• Pepper - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coconut Milk (Thick, 1st pressed) - 200 ml
• Coconut oil - 2 tsp (do not substitute)

Method:

• Soak almonds, cashews and khus khus in warm milk. Remove the skin from the almonds and grind them to a fine paste.

• Cut all vegetables into medium sized pieces
• Heat oil in the cooker.
• Add Bay leaf, cinamon and mace and fry.
• Add chopped onions, ginger and green chilly and fry well.
• Add the vegetables, salt and water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
• When done, remove the lid, add the ground almond-cashew-poppy seed paste and coconut milk and bring to boil.
• Add salt, if required and pepper.
• Add the curry leaves and pour 2 tsp coconut oil and remove from flame.
• Keep covered for 15 minutes so that aroma settles.

Serve with Appam/Idiappam or Puttu.

Aloo Methi (Potatoes with Fenugreek Leaves)

This is a classic recipe - Made across India. Use of Fenugreek leaves is not so common in South India. We use the seeds frequently in our cooking though. We use the seeds for seasoning, we powder it and add it to pickles and "Thoku" - a variety of chutney that is cooked.

The name "fenugreek" or foenum-graecum is from Latin for "Greek hay". The Gujarati name is Methi (मेथी) or Methya (मेथ्या). The Kannada name is "menthya" (ಮೆಂತ್ಯ). The Tamil name for it is "Vendayam" (வெந்தயம்). The Telugu name for it is "Menti" (మెంతి). The Malayalam name is "Uluva" (ഉലുവ).In Sinhala it is called Uluhaal (උළුහාල්). (In Marathi, Oriya, Bangla, Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi it is called Methi (मेथी) (Bangla: মেথী ),(Urdu: میتھی). In Persian it is Shanbalîleh (شنبليله), and in Arabic its name is Hilbeh (حلبة).

Fenugreek seeds are supposed to be a natural coolant - When you've had very spicy food or are suffering from acidity/heart burn, you can swallow a handful of Fenugreek seeds - the relief is almost immediate. It can also be mixed in yogurt and used as a natural hair conditioner. The green leaves are used extensively in Indian Cooking. We use it to make curries, dry sujbi's and paratha's. The dried leaves, known as Kasoori Methi give a special aroma to the gravy when added. I use it very frequently in my cooking as it gives a distinct aroma.

Aloo Methi is a very simple preparation and can be had with Roti's, Poori's or bread. Here is how I made it"

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 3 medium (boiled and cubed)
• Methi Leaves - 2 small bunches
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Corriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Dry Mango powder (amchur) - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Onion - 1
• Ginger - 1 inch piece grated fine
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Optional - you could add boiled sweet corn or peas to this.

Method:

• Wash, cube and boil potatoes. You could also pressure cook it, but then it becomes too soft and gets mashed. It is better that the potato pieces are firm.
• Wash, Clean and Soak Methi Leaves in warm water with salt and sugar for 10 minutes.
• Remove and squeeze water.
• In a pan, heat oil.
• Splutter Jeera and add asafoetida
• Add onions and ginger and fry till translucent.
• Add methi leaves and fry well.
• Add potatoes and mix well.
• Add the all dry masala's and cook till the potatoes appear well fried.
• Garnish with corriander leaves

Enjoy your Aloo Methi

Potato Subji (Masala for Poori-Masala or Masala Dosa)

This is the simplest preparation and probably the first dish I made after my marriage. This goes well with Roti's and Poori's and can also be used as the stuffing for Masala Dosa. It is a dry subji, so we usually make it while travelling - atleast spares us the worry of having the gravy spill all over. It is very handy when you have to pack lunch or tiffin for school and office goers. Just roll it inside the roti or poori or stuff it inside a dosa. Here is how I made it.

Ingredients

• Medium sized potatos - 3
• Onion - 1
• Green Chilly - 3
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Split Urud Dal - 1 tsp
• Channa Dal - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1 pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 3 tsp
• Corriander Leaves - for seasoning
• Optional - you could use peas or other vegetables that are boiled well. You could also use 1 tomato if you like that flavour.

Method

• Wash and pressure cook the potatoes.
• Cool, Peel and mash them well.
• Cut onions into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Splutter Mustard seeds and add the curry leaves.
• Add channa dal and cook till brown.
• Add the urud dal and cook till brown.
• Add the onions, green chillies and asafoetida powder and stir fry till translucent.
• At this stage you could add the tomato, peas or other veggies you want to add.
• Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
• Now add the mashed potatoes and mix well so that the masala and potato mash mixes well.
• Garnish with corriander leaves and serve.

And that is it... Enjoy your Poori or Roti or Dosa with this simple recipe and preparation.

Arbi-Aloo Stuffed Paratha

 This again is not rocket science. I had left over masala from the Kofta's in the previous recipe, hence I thought I'd make this dish.

 Ingredients:

For the Filling

1. Baby Potatoes - 250 gms
2. Colocassia (Arbi/Yam/Sepankazhangu/Chembu) - 150 gms
3. Corriander Leaves - 1 bunch
4. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
5. Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
9. Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - 1 tsp
10. Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
11. Salt to taste

For the Paratha

1. Wheat Flour - 2 cups
2. All purpose flour (Maida) - 1/2 cup
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp
4. Oil - 1 tsp
5. Luke Warm Water - as required
6. Oil/Ghee/Butter - for preparing the paratha

Method:

For the Filling:

1. Boil potatoes and colocassia (Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles)
2. Cool and Peel skin.
3. Mash them well.
4. Add the remaining masalas and corriander leaves and mix well.

For the Paratha

1. Mix all ingredients to get a fine dough. It should be soft, yet not sticky.
2. Set aside for 1 hour.
3. Roll into small balls.
4. Flatten one, spread it on some flour and roll to the size of a Poori (around 8 inches diameter)
5. Take 2 tblsp of the filling, place it in the middle and close from all sides. This would look like a small money purse now.
6. Flatten gently, roll into some loose wheat flour and roll the paratha like a regular roti.
7. Keep dusting wheat flour on both sides because the colocassia in the filling tends to make it sticky.
8. Heat girdle and place on it.
9. Add oil/ghee/butter and turn over when it browns. Do not let it become stiff or too dark. It would become stiff if the girdle is too hot.
10. Keep repeating till all sides are cooked.
11. Serve with a dollop of butter.

Palak Kofta (Spinach with Patties)

This is basically another idea spurned by left overs. As I have mentioned earlier, my dear husband is not too fond of Colacassia or Baby Potatoes and I had a packet of each staring at me this morning. I thought I'd make Kara Kuzhambu with one veggie and fry the other...In fact I was pretty much dreading my husband's response.

Suddenly the bell rang and as if she were god sent, it was the lady who sells greens to our apartment. And again, as if it was serendipity, she had Palak (Spinach). I usually buy Spinach when I have Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and resort to making the usual Palak Paneer. This time I decided to use the Baby Potatoes and Yam (Colocassia) instead. Again the dilemma was on - Should I boil the potatoes/yam and place it in the Palak Gravy instead of the Paneer or do something else. The wise part of me told me to try something else - It was pretty obvious that my husband would keep aside the 2 veggies that he does not like and then complain that I never make anything he likes (Which is 75% true - I make things that excite me, sometimes I am inconsiderate about his dislike for the same).

I decided to camouflage the 2 veggies that I was planning to use. And thus Palak Kofta was born! Try it out. It is not too different from the Palak Paneer Recipe that I usually make.

 Ingredients:

For the Kofta

1. Baby Potatoes - 250 gms
2. Colocassia (Arbi/Yam/Sepankazhangu/Chembu) - 150 gms
3. Corriander Leaves - 1 bunch
4. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
5. Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Dry Mango Powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
9. Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder) - 1 tsp
10. Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
11. Salt to taste
12. Cornflour - 1 cup
13. Oil - for shallow frying

For the Palak

1. Spinach (Palak) - 2 or 3 bunches (I use only the leaves - I got one small cooker full of uncooked leaves)
2. Onions - 2
3. Tomatoes - 3
4. Green Chilly - 3
5. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
6. Jeera - 2 tsp
7. Hing- 1 pinch
8. Milk - 200 ml (you could use cream instead)
9. Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil - 2 tblsp
14. Spinach Stock - 1 cup (The water that is left after boiling/steaming the Spinach)

Method:

For the Kofta:

1. Boil potatoes and colocassia (Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles)
2. Cool and Peel skin.
3. Mash them well.
4. Add the remaining masalas (other than cornflour) and corriander leaves and mix well.
5. Take a small amount of the mashed paste and flatten them on your palm like a patty.
6. Roll it in cornflour.
7. Heat oil in a pan.
8. Shallow Fry the patties. (I make them in batches - roll 10 patties and then shallow fry all of them together)
9. Turn over once side is done.
10. Remove from pan and drain excess oil by placing the kofta's on a tissue paper.

For the Palak Gravy

1. Steam Palak well (Do not boil them). I used the leaves and discarded the stems. You can use both if you want a good quantity of the gravy.
2. Set aside the stock if you want to add it to the gravy.
3. Set aside to cool
4. Heat oil in a pan.
5. Splutter half of the jeera and fry the onions till translucent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
7. Add green chillies and tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
8. Remove and set aside to cool.
9. Once cooled, puree the palak and the prepared onion-tomato mixture together into a fine paste.
10. Heat oil in a pan.
11. Splutter remaining jeera, add the hing (asafoetida)
12. Add the pureed mixture and mix well.
13. Add Spinach stock.
14. Add turmeric powder, salt and chilly powder and bring to boil.
15. Add garam masala and kofta and allow it to boil once.
16. Remove from flame and add the milk/cream.
17. Place it back on low flame and cook till it is about to boil. Do not bring it to boil as the milk/cream will curdle.
18. Do not cook for too long as the Kofta's will become soggy and get mashed into the gravy.
19. Serve hot with roti's/parantha's

Finally, this is a pic taken from the internet, sent by my friend G - This is how a Palak Kofta should actually look :-)

Peas-Potato Garam Masala

Its been a few days since I've posted something. That is primarily because it has been a few days since I tried preparing something. I left it to the able hands of my cook and well, she hasn't been doing a good job of it. So today, I got back to the rut and decided to invent a dish.

I was not too successful at it... Just added everything I could think of... then did some damage control...and voila... my recipe was born!!!!!

I started off, wanting to make a potato fry recipe that I read in one of the food blogs that I follow. It was fairly simple and I thought it would be an ideal accompaniment to go along with this afternoon's lunch. Then one brainwave hit another till a huge Tsunami of ideas struck. And thus the recipe was born.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 3


2. Peas - 2 cups


3. Shallots - 10-15


4. Green Chilly - 2-3


5. Garlic - 5-6 cloves


6. Ginger - 1 inch piece


7. Cashew - 3 tblsp


8. Tomato puree - 5 tblsp


9. Hung Curd - 1/2 cup


10. Cream - 3-4 tblsp


11. Kasuri Methi - 2 tblsp


12. Amchur Powder - 1 tsp


13. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp


14. Salt to taste


15. Oil - 2 tblsp


16. Jeera - 1 tsp


17. Bay Leaf


18. Cloves - 3-4


19. Green Cardamom - 2-3


20. Black Cardamom - 2


21. Star Anise - 1


22. Nutmeg - 1/4


23. Nutmace - 1


24. Khus Khus - 1-2 tsp


25. Saunf - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Boil potatoes and peel. Cube them and set aside


2. Thaw peas if frozen. Else boil them with potatoes.


3. Grind the sallots, chillies, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.


4. Roast items 17-25 on an iron skillet and dry grind them


5. Soak cashews in warm water and make cashew paste.


6. Beat the curd well, mix the dry garam masala in the curd and set aside.


7. Mix cashew paste to this mixture.


8. Heat oil in a pan.


9. Splutter jeera and add the bay leaf.


10. Add the onion paste and fry till raw smell disappears.


11. Add tomato puree and fry well.


12. Add the curd/cashew/garam masala mixture and cook till it becomes thick and dry.


13. Add turmeric, salt and amchur powder.


14. Add kasuri methi and mix well.


15. Add water and let it boil.


16. Add the potatoes and peas and cover with a lid.


17. Allow to cook for 5-10 mins.


18. Add cream and remove from fire.

[caption id="attachment_108" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Peas n Potato Garam Masala"][/caption]

This can be had with roti's or mixed with rice. You could alter the taste by adding tamaring/more tomato puree or reducing the quantity of garam masala. Since this dish is laden with garam masala, if you mix it with rice, it tastes like pulao/biryani.

[caption id="attachment_109" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Mixed with rice"][/caption]