Curries

Simple mixed vegetable curry

Ingredients

• French beans - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Carrots - 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup, shredded
• Ginger (grated) - 1/2 tsp
• Raw coconut (grated) - 1/4 cup
• Curry leaves - 6-7, washed
• Green chillies - 1, vertically slit and finely chopped
• Asafoetida - pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Water - 1/4 cup (or as required to cook the vegetables)

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.
2. Add the carrots, beans and stir for a minute.
3. Add the shredded cabbage, mix well.
4. Add grated ginger, asafoetida, salt and mix well.
5. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook for a few minutes with a lid closed.
6. When the vegetables are just cooked, add the grated coconut and mix well.
7. Cook on a low flame for about 2-3 minutes.
8. Turn of the flame.

Preparation time - 30-35 mins

Spring Onions curry

Ingredients

• Spring onions - 4-5, finely chopped
• Besan (gram flour) - 1 1/2 tsps
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the cumin seeds.
2. Add the chopped spring onions, turmeric, salt and saute for a few minutes.
3. Cook for a few minutes with a lid closed.
4. When the spring onions are tender and just cooked, add the gram flour/besan, chilli powder and mix well.
5. Serve with hot rice or chapatis.

Preparation time - 20 mins

Cabbage curry

Ingredients

• Cabbage (tender) - 1/2 kg, finely chopped or shredded
• Grated raw coconut - 1 tbsps
• Curry leaves - 1 strand
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste

For seasoning

• Oil - 1/2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp (fresh and finely powdered)
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp (fresh and finely ground)
• Green chilies - 3-4, slit and chopped
• Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the seasoning ingredients and saute until the lentils are golden brown.
2. Add the shredded cabbage, turmeric, salt and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Cook for a few minutes with a lid closed. The water released when salt is added to it, and the steam released when the lid is closed, cooks the cabbage with all the flavors.
4. When the cabbage is tender and just cooked, add the grated coconut and stir well.
5. Serve with rice or chapatis.

Preparation time - 30 mins

Bagara baingan (onion-less version)

Another hit with brinjal in the hyderabadi cuisine!

Ingredients

• Brinjals - 500 gms, wash, dry and evenly cut into cubes
• Peanuts - 200 gms, evenly roasted
• Sesame seeds - 100 gms
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
• Dry red chillies - 4-6
• Dalchini - 2"
• Cloves - 2-3
• Cardamom - 1
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Preparation method

1. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and dry roast all the above ingredients separately, one at a time.
2. Cool the above mixture and grind it to a smooth paste by adding water, little at a time.
3. In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Add the brinjals and cook on a low flame, until the brinjals are soft.
4. Add the ground paste, turmeric powder, salt and water (if required) and mix well.
5. Cook it closed for a few minutes and stir it at regular intervals.
6. Turn off the heat and serve it with hot rice or rotis.

Preparation time - 40 mins

Bhindi masala

From the routine bhindi fry, bhindi masala is certainly a different taste and a wonderful change. Makes an excellent combo with rotis.

Ingredients

• Okra/Bhindi - 15-20, wash, clean and evenly cut
• Onion - 1, chopped
• Tomatoes - 1, chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the okra on a low flame for a few minutes and keep it aside.
2. In the same pan, add oil, onions and saute for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute. Next, add tomatoes, turmeric and cook until the tomatoes are tender.
4. Add garam masala, coriander powder, salt and mix well.
5. Finally, add the okra, red chilli powder and mix well.
6. Turn off the heat.

Serve with hot rotis or phulkas.

Preparation time - 40 mins

Capsicum-cauliflower curry

Ingredients

• Cauliflower - 1/2, cut into small florets
• Capsicum - 1/2, cut into equal cubes
• Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchur/Dry mango powder - 1/4 tsp
• Kasuri methi - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tsps
• Hot saline water - to clean the cauliflower florets

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, kasuri methi, garam masala powder and saute on a low flame for a minute.
2. Add the cleaned cauliflower florets, capsicum and turmeric and stir well.
3. Close the lid and cook until the cauliflowers are just tender.
4. Add the dry mango powder, salt and mix well.
5. Turn off the heat.

Serve with hot rotis or rice.

Preparation time - 40 mins

Pumpkin (yellow) curry

Pumpkin is one of the vegetables that has all the good things - it is a good source of Vitamins A, B, C and E, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, very high in fiber, and copper; and it has almost negligible amount of fat.

What more can you ask for? :)

Ingredients

Pumpkin - 1/2, cut into equal cubes (small)

Coriander leaves - 2 tsps, finely chopped

Red chillies - 2

Asafoetida - pinch

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 2 tsps

Mustard seeds - less than 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds to it.
2. Add asafoetida, red chillies and finally add the pumpkins.
3. Close the lid and cook until the pumpkins are just tender.
4. Add the chopped coriander leaves, turmeric and stir.
5. Add salt and stir well.
6. Turn off the heat.

Serve with rotis or rice.

Preparation time - 30-40 mins

Aloo curry

One of the best accompaniments for puris and chapatis or rotis.

Ingredients

Potatoes - 2, boiled or chopped

Onions - 1, chopped

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Curry leaves - few

Ginger - 2", shredded

Green chillies - 2, slit and chopped

Asafoetida - pinch

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Preparation method

1. Wash, peel and boil the potato. Alternatively, you can just chop it and cook it directly in the pan. This will take a little longer time to cook.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
3. Add the onions, ginger and fry until onions are transparent.
4. Add the tomatoes and water (if required) and cover it with a lid.
5. When the tomatoes are mushy, add the potatoes. If adding raw potatoes, add about 1 glass of water (or more), and cook with a lid closed, until the potatoes are soft.
6. Add salt and turmeric and stir well.

Preparation time - 30 mins

Raw banana curry

Ingredients

• Raw bananas - 2, washed, peeled and cut into even cubes
• Dry red chilies - 4-6/li>
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Lemon juice - 2 tsps
• Turmeric - pinch
• Oil - 2 1/2 tbsps
• asafoetida (hing) - 1 pinch

Preparation method

1. Wash, peel and cut the raw bananas into even cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, dry chillies, curry leaves and saute.
3. Add the raw bananas and mix well.
4. Close lid and cook for a few minutes on a low flame, stirring at regular intervals. Cook until the bananas are tender.
5. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and mix well.

Another variant is to add crushed ginger and green chillies along with the tempering ingredients and finally lemon juice.

Preparation time - 1 hour

Gutti Vanakaya Kura/Stuffed brinjal (Aubergine) curry

This is an aunthentic Andhra traditional curry. It can be made in various versions, with or without onion-garlic. The one posted here, is without onions. My mom made this delicacy this time when we visited her.

Ingredients

Masala for stuffing

• Chana dal - 4-5 tsps
• Urad dal - 4-5 tsps
• Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
• Cardamom/Elaichi 1 or 2 pods
• Cloves/Lavanga - 1 or 2
• Dalchini - 1/4" stick
• Dry red chilli - 4-5 or as required
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp

Add oil to a pan and roast the above ingredients separately. When cooled, grind it to a coarse powder.

Other ingredients

• Brinjal (tender and small) - 1/2 kg
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

Preparation method

1. Wash and cut the brinjals into four sides from the opposite side of the stem, and make a slit towards the stem (without cutting the crown).
2. Stuff the masala powder into each brinjal, and close it tightly, to wither off excess powder.

This is how the stuffed brinjals look like.


3. Add the oil to a pan. Carefully add the stuffed brinjals into the oil, making sure that the powder doesn't come out.
4. Cook on a low flame, keep the lid closed, carefully stirring at regular intervals.
Cook until the brinjals are tender.
5. Add salt, just enough for the brinjals alone.
6. Stir well and finally add salt and cook for a few seconds.

This is how the cooked version looks like - Yummy curry is ready to serve.

Matoda

Ingredients

• Toor dal - 250 gms
• Dry red chilies - 8-10
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsps
• Oil - 1 1/2-2 tbsps
• Leafy vegetables - preferably coriander (kothamri) or fenugreek leaves (methi) or amaranth (dantu in kannada or thotakura in telugu)
• asafoetida (hing) - 1 pinch

Preparation method

1. Soak the toor dal, chilies and jeera for atleast 30-40 minutes.
2. Grind it coarsely by adding very little water, salt and the asafoetida (about 2-3 tsps).
3. Cut the leaves coarsely and mix it (do not grind) with the ground dal paste
4. Heat oil in a pan and add this paste to it.
5. Cook it on a low flame by covering a lid and stirring it at regular intervals.
6. When cooked, it is ready to be served with rice.

Serve this with hot rice and ghee.

Preparation time - 1 hour