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What's Cooking? Indian recipes
P.S. Lakshmi Rao, a retired banker, has a passion for cooking. Her friends and family enjoy her culinary delights. Lakshmi is a long time Atlanta resident.

<<What's Cooking? Main


Vankayi Perugu Pachchadi (Eggplant Yogurt Chutney)


1 large eggplant 
2 cups yogurt
½ cup water
1- teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped kothimeeri (coriander leaves or cilantro)
¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)

Popu (tadka or vagar)

1- tablespoon oil
1- teaspoon red mustard seeds
2 - dry red chilies broken in to three pieces each
1- teaspoon urad dal
½-teaspoon cumin seed
1/8- teaspoon hing (asafetida)
1- green chili chopped 
1 stem of curry leaves

Wash the eggplant and make four slits on it with a knife so that the eggplant doesn’t explode when broiled. Rub a teaspoon of oil around the eggplant to peel the skin easily after it is broiled. 
Turn the oven on to broil.
Put a small piece of aluminum wrap in a baking sheet and place the eggplant on top. Place the baking sheet with eggplant on the top shelf of the oven and broil it for 10 minutes. Turn the eggplant and broil it for another 10 minutes. Use the timer because you might burn it if you do not watch.
Take the eggplant out and cut it into half lengthwise. Let it cool. Scrape the pulp with a spoon and mash it roughly. Please do not blend. Do not mix the eggplant pulp until completely cooled. 
In a medium bowl mix yogurt, water, eggplant-pulp, salt, and kothimeeri. Sprinkle haldi on top but do not mix.
Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add red chili pieces urad dal, cumin seeds and hing. When the urad dal starts to become light brown add chopped green chilies and curry leaves. Fry them for a minute and pour the popu on top of the yogurt chutney and mix. Keep the chutney covered until eating time.

Note: Can be eaten with rice or as a dip or with parata. 

Variation: Vankayi Pachchii Pulusu (eggplant tamarind chutney)

Prepare the eggplant chutney same as above. Use tamarind juice instead of yogurt. Soak small lime size tamarind in 1 ½ cups water and squeeze the juice out. Discard the tamarind pulp. You may also use 2 tablespoons of store bought brown colored tamarind juice mixed with 1 ½ cups water and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cut one medium size onion in to small pieces, fry in one-teaspoon oil and mix with eggplant chutney.



Quick Vegetable Pickle



15 fresh dondakayalu (tindora) 
1 peeled carrot 
2 green jalapeño peppers
2 large flowerets from cauliflower

2 table spoons red pepper
1 tablespoon red mustard powder (grind mustard seeds in the spice grinder)
2 teaspoons salt
1/8- teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/8- teaspoon asafetida (hing)
2 tablespoons fresh or bottled lemon juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1- tablespoon oil

Wash and dry all the vegetables. Cut off both ends of tindora, and cut tindora lengthwise. Cut the pieces again in to small pieces. Cut the carrots in to small pieces. Cut the jalapeno peppers in to half, remove the seeds and cut in to small pieces. Remove tough stems from cauliflower, and separate small flowerets.

Mix all the dry spices and vegetables together in a glass bowl. Add lemon juice, vinegar, and oil. Mix every thing thoroughly. Keep the pickle in a glass bottle and refrigerator. Can be eaten immediately. Tastes good with rice, chapatti, upma, or dosa.

Note: Vinegar keeps the vegetable pieces crispy. This is a temporary pickle and you may not be able to keep it for a long time. Salt and lemon juice can be added according to your taste buds.


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