Hirvya Tamatyachi Bhaaji (Green Tomato Sabji)

Green/Raw Tomatoes have a different taste than the ripe red ones. I love tomatoes in any form..When it comes to ripe tomatoes, I can eat tomatoes any time of the day without any dressing or cooking.. From a plate of salad in front of me, its the tomatoes that vanish first, then cucumber, then cabbage, then carrots and then other things.. Olives and Onions mostly remain unfinished :D Other than salads, most of my soup creations include Tomato- tomato soup, rasam, sambar, tomato saar etc... Tomatoes make the base in all my gravy preparations and also spice up some rice dishes..

Hirvya Tomatochi Bhaaji is a maharashtrian vegetable prepeared using raw tomatoes.. This is my mom's recipe and she made it a point to bring these tomatoes whenever they were in market just to make this sabji or chutney! (which I am yet to prepare and post). I found these at the turkish shop here last week and decided to give it a try.. And it turned out real tasty.. A tangy taste as expected.. This Indian style stir fry vegetable prepared from green tomatoes goes to Chemcook for Fresh Produce of Month.. The theme for this month is Tomatoes!

Hirvya Tamatyachi Bhaaji

Preparation Time:

15-20 mins

Serves:

2

What you need:

3-4 Green Tomatoes chopped
1 Onion,chopped
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Pinch of Turmeric
2 tbsp Jaggery (can be replaced by 2-3 tsp Sugar)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

How to proceed:

1) Heat oil, add mustard and cumin seeds
2) When they start spluttering, add onions and saute till they turn translucent
3) Now add red chilli powder and turmeric and mix well
4) Add chopped tomatoes, mix and cook covered for 5 mins
5) Add salt and Jaggery, stir well and cook covered for some more time
6) Turn off when tomato is soft
7) Serve hot with rotis or bread!

Palak Paneer

Now that I have learnt to prepare Paneer at home (and am really so glad about it :) ), here’s one of my favourite Paneer dish for RCI Punjabi Cuisine- Palak Paneer. An amazing combination of nutritious Palak and rich Paneer… As a child, I hated Palak.. Palak was just dear when watching "Popeye the sailor man" :D But once I started eating Palak Paneer, I suddenly started finding it good.. Mom used to make this often coz there are very few other leafy vegetables that I eat.. Sometimes wen Paneer was unavailable, she replaced it with boiled aalo(potatoes) to make Aalo Palak.. This is probably the best way to enjoy the iron rich Palak and non- fat cheese.. Enjoy my mom’s recipe of Palak Paneer..

Palak Paneer

Serves:

2-3 ppl

Preparation time:

35-40 mins

What you need:

1 bunch fresh Palak(Spinach)
250 gm Paneer
1 inch Ginger, chopped
2-3 Green Chillies, chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic,chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 medium sized Onion, sliced
2 Tomatoes, chopped
1-2 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp Oil
Water

How to proceed:

1) Wash and chop Palak coarsely
2) Heat 1 tbsp Oil in a pan, add ginger, garlic and green chillies
3) Saute for a min and add chopped palak
4) Add ½ cup Water and cook till the Palak turns soft. When done, keep aside
5) Dice the paneer in 1 inch cubes
6) Heat 2 tbsp Oil in another pan and add Paneer cubes to it
7) Shallow fry them for a minute till they turn golden brown.
8) Set them aside and add cumin seeds to remaining oil
9) Now add onion and cook till it turns transparent.
10) Add tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy
11) When done, turn off heat and set it aside
12) Blend both these mixtures (cooked palak, onion tomato) to pastes, mix them and keep aside.
13) Cook this mixture for 5-10 mins and add salt and sugar as required
14) Add fried Paneer cubes and cook covered for another 5 mins
15) Serve hot with rotis or parathas

* The above ingredients make thick Palak Paneer.. Add more water at step (13) if you wish to make the gravy thin.

* Add cream/ butter while serving if you like.

Aalo Gobhi

The simplest stir fry Punjabi sabji for RCI Punjabi Cuisine- Aalo Gobhi.. The other stir-fry Punjabi sabjis like aalo matar, aalo simla, gobhi matar, bhindi aalo etc. can be prepared on the same lines as this recipe! Aalo Gobhi is a simple sabji of potatoes and cauliflower. So simple that my husband loving cooks it for me on weekends :) Ready to be served in 15 mins and goes well with flat bread and rotis!

Aalo Gobhi

Preparation time:

15-20 mins

Serves:

2-3 ppl

What you need:

½ kg Cauliflower
3-4 Potatoes
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
2-3 tsp Red chilli powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Corriander powder
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Chop Cauliflower and potatoes in medium sized pieces
2) Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida
3) When mustard seeds start spluttering, add all the spices and mix well
4) Now add chopped aalo and gobi and mix well
5) Cover and cook. Do not add water, let the vegetables cook in their own water
6) Stir at intervals till the potatoes are cooked and become soft (not mushy)
7) Add salt, mix well and turn off heat
8) (Optional) Add a dash of Lemon and serve hot with rotis

Rajma

Rajma with rice is a well known combi meal for Punjabis.. Rajma is a gravy prepared from Red Kidney beans and this hot gravy served with rice has a heavenly taste :) This is one of the easiest and quickest meals for Punjabis. Punjabis love rice just the way I do ;) I prepared this yesterday for dinner and decided to post it today for RCI Punjabi Cuisine!

Rajma

Makes:

4 generous servings

What you need:

1 can (400 gm) boiled Rajma(Red Kidney Beans)
2 Onions, chopped
2 Tomatoes,puried
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Corriander powder
2-3 tbsp chopped Corriander
4-5 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) If you do not have canned Rajma, soak Rajma overnight and then boil it in cooker for 3 whistles with some salt n cooking soda.
2) Do not drain off the water in which rajma is soaked (even the canned content)
3) Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and onions
4) Saute onions till they become transperant
5) Add puried tomatoes and cook till mixture turns mushy and it starts leaving sides of the pan
6) Now add all spices and mix well for a minute
7) Add rajma alongwith water in which it is soaked
8) Add another cup or two of water (acoording to desired consistency)
9) Add oil as required
10) Cook for 10-12 mins, garnish with corriander
11) Serve hot with rice and papads!

Vangyacha Bharit/ Baingan Bharta

Vangi/Brinjal/Eggplant/Aubergines.. what ever you call it, was one thing I never liked until I ate Vangyacha Bharit/Baingan Bharta/ Mashed smoked eggplant! Though Maharashtrians love eggplants (vanga –batata being one favourite sabji in marriages), this is probably the only dish that I prepare using eggplants. The difference between other eggplant preparations and bharit is that the eggplants are directly cooked for other sabjis while eggplants are baked first and then mashed and cooked. This is simple once you smoke/bake the eggplants properly. I finally got Maharashtrian Goda Masala from home (through a friend). I tried preparing some but my chotusa mixie didn’t help me much! The recipe asks for 1 tsp Goda Masala. If you don’t have any, replace it by 1 tsp Corriander Powder, 1 tsp Garam Masala and ½ tsp Cumin Powder.

This dish is my entry for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine, V of Indian Vegetables and JFI-Eggplant!

Vangyacha bharit is served as a dry sabji. It is usually not prepared in meals prepared to end/break fasts.(upwaas) I served Vangyacha Bharit and Pithla with bajrichi bhakri.. Both when served with bhakri make the two best Maharashtrian combo meals!

Vangyacha Bharit

What you need:

2 long (preferably thin) Brinjals/Eggplants
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
2 Green chillies, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 medium Onion, chopped
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Goda Masala
½ tsp Turmeric
2-3 tbsp roasted Peanut Powder

2 tbsp Corriander chopped
Salt
Oil

How to proceed:

1) Apply oil on brinjals and bake/roast it on the gas.
2) Constantly keep rotating it to bake it evenly on all sides.
3) Insert a knife to check if its cooked till center
4) Now keep these baked brinjals in a plate and cover it for 30-40 mins
5) Now you can easily peel off the brinjal skin
6) Remove the skin and the head/cap of brinjal, mash the pulp with hands/masher (alternatively put it blender to mash it evenly) and put it aside. Discard the water that accumulates at sides of the vessel due to covering hot brinjals. Also discard the uncooked part and part with seeds.
7) Heat 1-2 tbsp Oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds and asafeotida.
8) When mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped chillies, garlic and onion
9) Saute for a min or two and then add chilli powder, goda masala and turmeric
10) Now add mashed brinjal and mix well
11) Cook covered for some time. Add peanut powder and salt as desired
12) Serve hot with phulkas or bhakris.

Gavaarchi Bhaaji

Gavaar bhaaji was not on my list as an entry for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine! Firstly, I don’t like gavaar, secondly I don’t get it here. But I had to post it. Firstly because my husband loves it, secondly because I found some fresh gavaar yesterday at the Indian store here, thirdly coz I cooked it for my husband yesterday and he loved to taste it nearly after 4-5 yrs and lastly coz I happened to taste it and could find no reason why I haven’t been eating it from so long! :)

Gavaar falls into the beans category, (called gavaarchi sheng in Marathi) popularly eaten as a dry vegetable in Maharashtra. Some people who don’t like to eat gavaar make excuses like “Only gavaar (meaning illiterate in Hindi) eat gavaar (the vegetable)!” It is a dry sabji, and a stir fry one! Not too much of a hassle to cook it and tastes good when served with hot rotis..

Gavaarchi Bhaaji

What you need:

300 gm Gavaar (Cluster beans)
1 big Onion
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1+1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
Oil

How to proceed:

1) Discard the ends of gavaar and cut each into 2-3 pieces of 1 inch each
2) Wash the cut gavaar and cook it in cooker for 1 whistle
3) Heat 1-2 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds to it
4) When the seeds start spluttering, add chopped onion and fry till it is a bit cooked
5) Now add red chilli powder and turmeric and mix for a few secs
6) Now add gavaar and mix well
7) Add salt, mix and cook covered for 5-10 mins
8) Serve hot with chapattis/rotis

Matkichi Usal

When it comes to Maharashtrian food, one category of dry vegetables is typically the Usal. Usal is a vegetable made from whole beans and legumes (sometimes sprouted). The most common ones being Matki Usal (Sprouted Moth Beans), Moong Usal(Whole green gram), Olya Watanyachi Usal (green peas), Chawlichi Usal(Whole Black eyed beans), Walachi Usal, Harbaryachi Usal(whole green chana) etc. These lentils are high sources of proteins and best for surviving in places where fresh Indian vegetables are scarce. Oh yes... at my place I cook these twice a week! :D Here's Matkichi Usal for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine and "U of Indian Vegetables"

Matkichi Usal

What you need:

1 cup Matki (Moth beans), sprouted
1 Onion, chopped
1-2 tsp Garlic Ginger paste
2-3 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
½ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Corriander Powder
1 Tomato, chopped (optional)
2-3 strands of Corriander
Oil
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Wash and soak matki for 5-6 hrs.
2) Drain water and put in thin wet cloth for sprouting. [this process might take 1-2 days]

Read more @ sprouting tips by Nupur here.
3) Put sprouted matki in cooker and cook for 1 whistle (if cooked more, it will become mushy!)
4) Heat oil in a pan, add ginger garlic paste and onion.
5) Saute till onions turn translucent
6) Now add all spices and mix well
7) Add matki and salt and cook covered for 5-10 mins
8) Garnish with chopped tomatoes and corriander. Serve hot with phulkas

* If some gravy is desired, add water and 3-4 tbsp roasted groundnut powder

Tomatochi Bhaaji

Tomatochi Bhaaji is my entry for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine and Nupur's "T of Indian Vegetables".

Tomato is known by the same name in Marathi. Tomatochi Bhaaji aka Tomato sabji is another dry sabji which is usually prepared with Thalipeeth(a Maharashtrian bread) but goes best with the punjabi Aalo Paratha! Onions and tomatoes, salt n sugar, some spices and peanut powder is all it takes to prepare this lovely sabji!!

Tomatochi Bhaaji

What you need:

4-5 medium sized Tomatoes (preferably not too soft), chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
½ tsp Turmeric
2-3 tsp Jaggery (can be replaced by sugar)
4-5 tsp Peanut Powder (Peanuts roasted and pounded)
Salt to taste
Oil

How to proceed:

1) Heat 1-2 tsp oil and add mustard and cumin seeds to it
2) When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add onions to it
3) Sauté onions for a minute
4) Add red chilli powder and turmeric and mix well
5) Now add tomatoes, mix well and cook for some time
6) Add jaggery, salt and peanut powder and cook covered till tomatoes are cooked and become a little mushy
7) Serve hot with rotis/ parathas

Batatyachi Bhaaji

Presenting the most simple and adorable Maharashtrian bhaaji (sabji) for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine-Batatyachi bhaaji aka Potato Sabji. This too falls in the dry sabjis category of Maharashtrian food and can be sub classified as paratleli bhaaji. (stir fry vegetables)

Most people (of my generation) know this as the picnic food! :) Potato Bhaaji is quick and simple to prepare and a favorite among kids who usually hate eating other vegetables. Puri-Batatyachi Bhaaji used to be my tiffin for picnics for many years in school. It’s probably the first sabji that I learnt to cook and hence my favorite :)

If you cook the potatoes for long time without stirring, a brownish crisp coating forms over the potatoes at the base. In Marathi, this is called “kharpus bhaajna/karapna”, a typical stage of frying between proper frying/roasting and burning. If I have enough time for cooking, I purposely try to attain this stage to eat the crispy part just because I love its taste. The crispy part is called “kharad” and is mostly associated with Khichdi (Rice cooked with moong dal) and dry stir fry sabjis!

This bhaaji does not contain Onion, Ginger or Garlic. Hence it remains good (and even smells good) for long time even in hot weather conditions and is the perfect picnic food!

Batatyachi Bhaaji

What you need:

3 big Potatoes, boiled
1-2 tsp Sugar (preferably powdered)
Salt to taste
2 strands of Curry leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
½ tsp Turmeric
3-4 Green Chillies, chopped
4-5 strands of Corriander
2 tbsp Oil

How to proceed:

1) Dice the boiled potatoes
2) Sprinkle sugar and salt (as required) over the potatoes and mix well so that the potato cubes are coated with sugar and salt. Leave aside for 5 mins
3) Heat oil in a skillet. Add curry leaves and mustard seeds
4) When the mustard seeds start spluttering, add chopped chillies and turmeric powder
5) Now add the potatoes and mix well
6) Cover and cook for 5-10 mins. Keep stirring at intervals
7) Garnish with corriander and serve wth puris/chapattis

Stuffed Okra/Bharli Bhendi

A Maharashtrian meal consists of atleast one sukki bhaaji (dry sabji). Dry sabjis can be categorised as bharli bhaaji(stuffed vegetables), paratleli bhaaji(stir fry), usal etc. Dry sabjis are usually served hot with rotis/phulkas/chapatis or are served as accompaniment to dal-rice. These sabjis alongwith rotis are good tiffin foods since they are easy to carry without much of a mess!

Bharli bhaaji aka stuffed vegetables consists of vegetables stuffed with spice mixes and then fried/roasted/cooked in small quantities of oil. Most common stuffed vegetables are: bharli vangi (stuffed eggplants), bharli dhobli (stuffed capsicum), bharla dodka (stuffed ridgegourd) and my favourite bharli bhendi (stuffed okra). Here's assal marathi bharli bharli bhendi for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine!

Stuffed Okra/Bharli Bhendi

What you need:

400 gm Bhindi/Okra/Ladies finger- preferably long ones
1/3 cup Grated Dry Cocunut
½ cup Groundnut Powder (groundnuts roasted and pounded)
2 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Corriander Powder
2 tsp Garam Masala
3 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil

How to proceed:

1) Wash and pat dry okra/bhindi
2) Cut the heads and tails of okras/bhindi
3) Cut each okra/bhindi in 2-3 pieces of approx 1 inch
4) Cut each piece along the length, halfway deep [Take care not to cut in 2 pieces lengthwise]
5) Lightly roast the grated coconut till light brown
6) Put in a blender and pound to a powder. To this, add all other ingredients (except oil and okra/bhindi). This is the stuffing/saran.
7) Fill the stuffing/saran in the okra/bhindi pieces. If extra stuffing/saran is left, keep it aside
8) Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in the cooking pan
9) Add the extra stuffing/saran to oil (if left)
10) Now add the stuffed/bharli okra/bhindi in the skillet
11) Roast well and cover
12) Cook covered and stir at intervals till cooked.
13) (Optionally) Garnish with yoghurt or a dash of lemon. Serve with hot rotis/chapattis/phulkas/parathas.

This is also my entry for Nupur's "S of Indian Vegetables" and Cook Sister's WTSIM