Mogra Karela

Namaste.

Bitter gourd is my most favourite vegetable. I used to hate it as a child but I clearly remember, once in a Mumbai restaurant, just to take revenge on myself for some reason, i had ordered Karela masala. To my astonishment, I just loved the dish! Ever since I've become addicted to it. We cook karela at least 3 times a week.

I and my wife together have learnt many recipes of Karela. Today's is fresh one. Here it is..

For better results, use only naturally grown vegetables. (For me, thanks to Ground to Earth)

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 3 to 4

Grated Coconut - half portion. 

Ground nuts - half a fistful. 

Green chilli - 3

Coriander leaves.

Curry leaves.

Coconut oil - 3-4 spoons.

Recipe is pretty simple. 

Cut Bitter gourd in bigger sections, take out the centre portion and keep only the thick skin part. Grind it along with raw ground nuts to a very coarse powder. 

In a pan, put coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Allow them to splutter in their respective time period.

Cut green chilli in frustum shape small sizes. Add green chilli in to the oil and saute a bit.

Now add ground karela in to it. Add asafoetida about 3 pinches. Stir well in high flame.

Add a little coriander and fenugreek powder. Add salt to taste, stir well.

Cook for about 3-5 mins. Squeeze lemon in to it. Add a pinch of sugar. Add coriander leaves.

Serve hot or cold, it tastes good anyway. :)

Bye the way I called it as Mogra Karela because the white grated coconut looked like jasmine flowers in the bush to me. 

Savji Gavar

Namaskar.

I had these beautiful looking, smaller than usual size, native variety of Cluster Beans, brought from our farm - Ground To Earth (https://www.facebook.com/Groundtoearth/)

I have always been a fan of jawari variety (what we call for native variety) of vegetables against hybrid variety. Reasons being, greater taste, free from pesticides and adulteration.

So here is what i tried, combining what i have learnt listening to various Savji food cooks at my native place and this humble vegetable.

Ingredients:

Cluster beans - 250 gms.
Grated Coconut - half portion.
Onion - 1 1/2
Garlic - 4-5 cloves.
Coriander leaves - a fistful.
Green chilli - 1

For dry masala:
Dry roast - rock flower(1), fennel seeds(1/2 spoon), bay leaf(1/2), cumin seeds (1/2 spoon) coriander seeds (1Spoon), clove(3), cardamom(2), cinnamon(1/2), pepper corns (7-8), dry red chilli (3) together in low flame, grind it to powder and keep aside.

Cut onions in big cubes, sauté in oil along with garlic for a minute till golden in colour, allow to cool. Grind to smooth paste.

Grind tomatoes + grated coconut together to make a fine paste.

Boil washed cluster beans, cut in to 2-3 smaller pieces, in water separately. I didn't use cooker as I feel it sucks away all the nutrients. Boiling outside will retain the crunchiness of the skin i believe. Keep aside.

In a pan, put oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chilli cut in slightly bigger pieces. This is only for the aroma of the green chilli.

Now add onion paste and saute for a while. Then add tomato paste and saute even more.

Add dry fresh masala, half spoon of garam masala, half spoon of kashmiri red chilli powder, salt to taste and mix well.

Pour lots of water and allow it to boil. Reduce the flame and cook more. If the water evaporates, add more water again. The crux of Savji food's taste is in it's boiling.

After 7-10 mins, add pre boiled cluster beans and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Add a pinch of sugar and red chilli powder on the top. This will give extra colour and spice to the dish.

Close the lid for few minutes to allow the aroma to settle in.

Serve hot.

I prepared it today and it was very tasty.