Vankaaya Paalu Posina Kura (Green Eggplants Cooked In Milk)

Green Eggplant or green brinjal,one of the varieties in brinjals (eggplant,aubergine,vankaaya,baingan or badinjan), is one of the most common vegetable which is grown all year round in Andhra Pradesh,the state I belong.They are round to oval in shape with a thinner skin unlike the purple eggplants.The small purple variety of brinjals are used to prepare the famous Andhra delicacy Gutti Vankaaya Kura (stuffed brinjal curry).The green brinjal has fewer seeds and are white which is a sign that they are fresh and tender.These eggplants have a delicate flavor and cook easily and are best suited to prepare this dish and Vankaaya Pachadi, an Andhra brinjal chutney recipe similar to Baingan Ka Bharta.
These eggplants sometimes have a bitter taste,especially during summers, and you can offset the bitterness by sprinkling a tsp of salt over them and place them in a colander so that the bitter juice of the brinjal pieces trickles down.Then wash them thoroughly in water and squeeze off excess water.Vakaaya Paalu (milk) Posina (pour) Kura is a very simple, easy-to-make,low fat dish where the brinjals (as name suggests in Telugu) are blended in milk which give the curry a rich and sweet flavor.

Vankaaya Paalu Posina Kura
Ingredients
1 large green brinjal (chopped into small cubes and place in salted water for 10 mts)

1 finely chopped onion
1 slit green chilli
1 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 slightly crushed garlic cloves
1” finely minced ginger piece
1 tsp red chilli pwd ( adjust according to your choice)
pinch of turmeric pwd
1 tsp coriander pwd
salt to taste
1 cup skimmed milk
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp oil

Heat oil in a cooking vessel ,add the cumin seeds and let them brown.
Now add the garlic,ginger,curry leaves and green chilli and fry for a few seconds taking care not to burn the tempering.
Add the chopped onions and saute till the onions turn pink.
Add the chopped brinjals and saute them for a few mts.Add the chilli pwd,coriander pwd and turmeric pwd.Combine.
Add salt and continue to saute for another 3-4 mts on slow fire covered till the brinjals are almost cooked.
Now add the milk and go on stirring on medium heat till milk is completely combined with the brinjals and you attain a thick curry consistency…this could take about 7-8 mts.You need to ensure that the milk doesn’t curdle,so keep stirring till the brinjals are fully cooked in the milk and then turn off fire.
Serve with hot steamed rice or rotis.

Note:You can make this curry with other brinjal varieties like Thai Eggplants or the purple variety.Ensure that they are tender and offset any bitterness before cooking the brinjals.

Some tips on cooking brinjals that I generally follow.If the skin is shrivelled and the seeds are black,don’t even think of using them, as they have matured and best discarded.Try to avoid cooking them in metallic utensils as they discolor the eggplants.Soak the chopped brinjals in water as they discolor when exposed to air.Soaking the eggplants in salted water before cooking ensures that the salted water draws out the moisture and removes any bitterness and hence absorbs less fat while cooking.Try to cook brinjals with the skin as the skin of the brinjal is rich in flavonoids and other antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Chlorogenic acid, an anti-oxidant found in eggplants, is especially potent, with research suggesting it has anti-cancer, anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, as well as an ability to help reduce levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol.Eggplant benefits those suffering from high blood pressure and due to its richness in vitamin D, it helps to strengthen our blood vessels and clear blood clots, thereby preventing stroke.Eggplant is low in calories,high in potassium and vitamin K with good fibre content.Read more about the medicinal and health benefits of eggplants.

An ayurvedic remedy for indigestion is to drink soup made of brinjal and tomato and this vegetable helps overcome constipation too.Hopefully, the health benefits of eggplants should encourage all those brinjal haters to venture into their kitchens and whip up a simple low calorie delicious dish like Vankaaya Paalu Posina Kura..:)

Food,Food Blogs,Cuisine,Indian Cooking,Andhra Recipes,Flickr

Nuvullu Annam (Sesame Flavored Rice)

Sesame flavored rice or Nuvullu Annam is a light flavoured rice delicacy, enriched with nutrients from seasame seeds and Indian spices.This dish is simple unlike a pampered biryani..:)in the fact that the main ingredient is only sesame seeds with the infusion of spices like curry leaves and mustard seeds in the tempering. Sesame seeds have no aroma but the flavor intensifies by lightly dry roasting the seeds giving it a sweet and nutty taste.

Nuvullu Annam (Seasame Flavoured Rice)
Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked white rice (each grain should be separate)
2-3 green chillis slit length wise
1 1/2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp mustard seeds
15-20 curry leaves (fresh leaves only)
1/2 tsp Bengal gram (senaga pappu,channa dal) (optional)
2-3 dry whole red chillis (you can add more if you want more spice)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
¼ cup of seasame seeds (dry roast the seeds in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat tossing them around and make a coarse powder and dont grind them too much...the nutrients of sesame seeds are better absorbed if they are ground)
salt to taste

Dry roast the red chillis and coriander seeds in a pan for 4-5 minutes on medium heat tossing them about till the flavours come out and make a fine powder.Keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.Add Bengal gram and let it turn brown.Add the curry leaves and green chillis and fry for a few seconds till the leaves turn a little crisp and the flavours blend in the oil.The curry leaves along with seasame give an aromatic flavor to this dish and that is why the recipe calls for a wee bit more leaves than usual..:)
Add the red chilli pwd,coriander pwd,seasame powder and salt and combine.
Add the cooked rice and combine it such that the spices coat the rice well.
Serve hot with any gravy curry or plain rasam and appadam(papad).

Note:You can use red chilli pwd and coriander pwd instead of whole chillis and coriander seeds.But the best flavour is derived from dry roasting the whole spices and grinding them fresh.There is no substitute to that.Another piece of advice… If you don’t have fresh curry leaves on hand,I suggest you prepare this rice only when you have fresh leaves as the dry ones don’t give out that unique aroma and flavour which only the fresh ones impart.Remember its always the freshest ingredients that bring out the best of Indian cooking.

Since I have blogged about one of the important ingredients used in South Indian cooking,let me elaborate on the nutritional value of sesame seeds.These seeds are high in iron content (equivalent to liver ,if not more),rich in manganese, copper and calcium and also contain Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and Vitamin E (tocopherol).They also contain powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic.Ancient Ayurvedic nutrition recommends foods prepared with til or seasame seeds for Vata imbalance (feeling low,depressed,anxiety and restlessness)persons. Seasame seeds which have warming properties are one of the powerful vata balancing herbs other than cinnamon, cumin and ginger.Read more about the health benefits of sesame seeds.

Southern Indian cuisine uses sesame oil or gingilly /gingelly oil for cooking purposes and flavoring a couple of vegetable curries and stews.Its very common in many homes to find, Idlis (steamed rice cakes) being doused with gingilly oil and served with a spicy podi mixed in gingilly oil instead of ghee. Infact the famous mango pickle of Andhra "aavakai" is prepared with gingilly oil.Tamarind Rice or Pulihora taste is further enhanced by adding sesame seeds powder or nuvvulu podi.Among the wide variety of rice dishes of South India , Nuvullu Annam is one of my favorites and the addictive flavor of sesame in the sesame rice is sure to touch and delight your taste bud.

Food,Food Blogs,Cuisine,Indian Cooking,Andhra,Telugu,Flickr

Pav Bhaji -Medley of Spiced Mashed Vegetables With Toasted Buns

Yet another Tuesday and its time for Sweetnick's Antioxidant Rice Foods 5-A-Day.The earlier recipes I submitted for this event were Cauliflower Tomato Curry ,Uthappams and Bisi Bele Bath which is a rice dish with loads of vegetables.Actually I have started looking forward to this event as it really encourages me to think of recipes which include a lot more vegetables than usual.So this got me thinking as to what dish I should prepare which had atleast 4 to 5 vegetables,no,actually more than 5 and that's when Pav Bhaji, the quintessential Mumbai street food,immediately came to my mind.Can you guess how many veggies went into making the bhaji(vegetable)?Well, not 5 or 6 but 10 ..yes,you heard right,its 'TEN' vegetables!If that were not enough,the spice mix which give this dish its unique flavour, the pav bhaji masala,is a mix of more than 20 odd spices.And the herbs that liven up the pav bhaji even further are ginger,garlic,turmeric and coriander leaves.

Among the ten vegetables required to prepare the bhaji , eight were sitting in the fridge and I only had to buy some bell peppers, beetroot and the most essential ingredients of this dish, Pav Bhaji Masala and Pav (bread).You can prepare the bhaji without beetroot too but its just that I wanted to bring in that extra color to my version of the bhaji..:).Probably cant compare it to the authentic 'pav bhaji', the mumbai street food vendors churn out but it was very colorful,flavorful,satisfying and comforting medley of spicy veggies,not to mention nutritional,I have cooked and eaten this past week.


Ingredients:

For Bhaji:
2 onions chopped finely
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 green chillis slit length wise
1 capsicum finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
1 small cup each of chopped mixed vegetables (french beans, carrots, cauliflower, beetroot,potatoes,green peas,cabbage)
3 tsps pav bhaji masala (any good brand,I used Everest)
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1/2 lemon juice
2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves,onion rings and lemon wedges for garnish

8 pavs (buns)with butter to shallow fry the pavs

Pressure cook all the vegetables except onions,capsicum and tomatoes.Once they are cooked till soft,mash them with a masher while they are hot.Dont drain away the left over water from the cooked vegetables.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add onions. Fry till the onions turn golden brown in colour. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and fry for 2-3 minutes.Now add the bell peppers and fry for another 2 minutes.
Add pav bhaji masala,red chilli pwd,turmeric pwd,sugar and salt.Stir to combine and then add the tomatoes and fry till oil separates.
Add the mashed vegetables and stir to combine.Add a cup of water and adjust salt, let it cook on slow fire for 20 minutes.Turn off heat and add butter and lemon juice.Combine.
Garnish with onions rings and chopped coriander leaves.
Serve this bhaji with hot pavs lightly toasted in butter.

Note: Bhaji can be prepared with even 2-3 vegetables like carrots,peas,cauliflower or bottle gourd.You can serve this bhaji with plain bread or roti too.

That sure was a lot of Indian street food fare we have had the past week..aloo tikki , corn bhel and Pao Bhaji.Couldnt ask for more luring foods to treat my taste buds especially a dish like pav bhaji...:)

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